PRACTICE NEWS
Dr Sharrock joining Broadstairs Medical Practice
We are pleased to welcome Dr Sharrock to our team. He has years of primary care experience and we look forward to working with him. He will be taking over Dr Khalid's patient list.
GPCE's vision for general practice
General practice is collapsing. This is our vision to rebuild it with safety, stability and hope.
Across England, practices are working at an unprecedented level of activity with daily appointments running at almost 1.5 million. Despite this, the value of funding into the national contract is at a nadir with GP practices receiving 7p in every NHS pound. At an individual patient level, the average core contract payment equates to £107.57 per annum, around 30p per patient per day. It’s no wonder practices are closing – they’re no longer financially viable.
General practice, the most efficient and productive part of the NHS, is being driven to collapse.
Safety, Stability, Hope: A Vision to Rebuild General Practice in England details the essential changes that need to happen to achieve a sustainable general practice. To save general practice.
We focus on safety first, but also on stability and hope, and urge the government to work with the GP committee England to transform general practice for the benefit of improved long-term public health.
We publish a more substantive, informed document to underpin our headline asks over the next week, which we hope can be taken and shaped into policies that will make a difference to those practices on the brink of closure, to those GPs facing unemployment and those patients in need of our care.
Rebuild General Practice Campaign
GPs and patients are on the same side and want the same – a general practice that is fit for purpose. However, in recent times, GPs have been pitted against their patients in the media and by politicians. The Rebuild General Practice campaign wants to unite patients and GPs to defend the profession. You can also watch a video here for more information.
Access to online GP health record information through the NHS App
The NHS wants to give people better ways to see their personal health information online.
We’re now letting you see all the coded information within your health record automatically. If you are over 16 and have an online account, such as through the NHS App, NHS website, or another online primary care service, you will now be able to see all future notes and health records from your doctor (GP). Some people can already access this feature, this won’t change for you.
This means that you will be able to see coded notes from your appointments, as well as test results and any letters that are saved on your records. This only applies to records from your doctor (GP), not from hospitals or other specialists. For most people, access will be automatic, and you won’t need to do anything.
Your doctor (GP) may talk to you to discuss test results before you are able to see some of your information on the app. Your doctor (GP) may also talk to you before your full records access is given to make sure that having access is of benefit to you. There might be some sensitive information on your record, so you should talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.
These changes only apply to people with online accounts. If you do not want an online account, you can still access your health records by requesting this information through reception. The changes also only apply to personal information about you. If you are a carer and would like to see information about someone you care for, speak to reception staff.
The NHS App, website and other online services are all very secure, so no one is able to access your information except you. You’ll need to make sure you protect your login details. Don’t share your password with anyone as they will then have access to your personal information.
If you do not want to see your health record, or if you would like more information about these changes, please speak to reception staff.
Data Sharing
There are now many ways in which your medical information can be shared for the benefit of your health and the wider health community. Please see below an explanation of the types of data sharing currently available:
Summary Care Record
The Summary Care Record is an electronic patient record summary that is held on a central NHS database (The Spine). The data held will consist of personal details, problems, medication and allergies. It is not a copy of the entire record.
The purpose of the Summary Care Record is so that if you were to need emergency treatment somewhere else in the UK eg: Scotland, the local practice or hospital would be able to view your Summary Care Record in order to give safer and more informed treatment.
For example if you were unconscious but had severe allergies, the Summary Care Record would contain this information and potentially save your life.
This data cant be used by anyone outside of the NHS and access is carefully monitored.
Summary Care Records - Information for Patients
Medical Interoperability Gateway (MIG)
A Medical Interoperability Gateway (MIG) operates in East Kent which enables clinicians to securely share up-to-date patient data regardless of what software systems they use. This is intended to improve patient care by increasing the amount of information available to clinicians involved in your care.
For example, if you were under the care of a hospital consultant at Kent and Canterbury Hospital, the consultation would, with your permission, be able to view detailed information about your medical history.
Extended hours
The Practice is now able to book additional appointments for our patients as part of the extended access scheme. These appointments will be outside the Practice usual opening times (8:00-6:30).
The appointments will be available at the practice or other local practices during the week or at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital on a Saturday or Sunday.
These appointments may not be with a doctor from this practice but with your consent the clinician will have access to your electronic medical record.
For more information and to book please speak to a member of our Reception Team.
Practice Timings
Please see our Opening Hours page.
Public Health England’s national campaign: Keep Antibiotics Working
On Monday 23rd October, Public Health England (PHE) launches a national campaign ‘Keep Antibiotics Working’ highlighting that taking antibiotics when you don’t need them puts you and your family at risk. To help keep antibiotics working you are urged to always take your doctor or nurse’s advice on antibiotics. Please watch the video below:
