1. Welcome to Prudhoe Medical Group

2. Care Quality Commission (CQC)
The surgery achieved an outstanding CQC inspection in 2015
Prudhoe Medical Group
CQC overall rating
Outstanding
8 January 2015
See our full report

3. Why does the receptionist needs to ask what’s wrong with me?
Its not a case of the receptionists being nosey!
Reception staff are trained to ask certain questions in order to ensure that you receive:
The most appropriate medical care.
From the most appropriate health professional.
To help doctor prioritise.
Reception staff, like all members of the team, are bound by confidentiality rules

4. Book your appointment online!
Quick and easy to book/cancel appointments 24/7 You can book the same appointments online as you can on the phone. Frees up phone lines for elderly and vulnerable patients Sign up via our website:
Register to book your appointments online

5. Other online services
Repeat prescriptions and medication View your medical records Sign up via our website or ask at reception. Go on, do it now!
Register to book your appointments online

6. We are a training practice…..
Prudhoe Medical Group trains junior doctors. They are fully qualified and have already done training in hospitals. You can expect them to provide a full range of GP services. If they are not certain about what to do they will ask more senior colleagues for advice. Thank you.

7. Continuity Really Matters
Seeing the same doctor can really help to maximise the care you receive. Please think about waiting a few days longer to see the doctor who knows you best.

8. Home visits
If you need a home visit but it is not needed urgently please discuss this with our receptionists. It is usually beneficial to wait a few days and see the doctor who knows you best.

9. For further information contact health walks co-ordinator at:
Prudhoe Health Walks - January to June 2018 MEET EVERY THURSDAY AT 10.30AM AT TYNE RIVERSIDE COUNTRY PARK *walks suitable for beginners and those who feel they can’t manage the full hour
All of our walks are completely FREE
We have 8 weekly walks in West Northumberland leaving from Allendale, Bellingham, Corbridge, Haltwhistle, Hexham, Prudhoe, Stocksfield and Wark. You can walk with as many groups as you like. Each walk will take from one to one and a half hours and may include some ascents and descents.
All walks are lead and back marked by trained, insured volunteers who are there to guide the walk and help you enjoy it but are not medically trained and you will be walking at your own risk.
For further information contact health walks co-ordinator at: or

10. Wylam/High Close House
Date
Location
Grade
Transport
Stiles
Jan 4
*Ferry Landings
1-2 N 11
Close House 3 Y 18
Ryton Willows 2 25
Ovington
Feb 1
*Bywell 8
Clara Vale 15
Wylam/High Close House 22
How Dene
Mar 1
*Fords
Broomley Woods
Dukes Hagg Wood
North Acomb 29
Hagg Bank
Apr 5
Corbridge 12
Whittle Dene 19
Merryshields 26
Durham Riding

11. May 3
*Spetchells
1-2 N 10
Healey 3 Y 17
East of Whittle Dene 2 24
Corbridge Mills 31
Eltringham Woods
June 7
*Prudhoe Riverside 14
Newburn Riverside 21
Horsley 28
Away Day

12. Health Trainers
NHS health trainers will support you around the issues you feel are important, which might include:
Weight management
Healthy food choices
Stopping smoking
Drinking less alcohol
Increasing physical activity in your life
 To book an appointment directly please ring
Clinics will be available here in the surgery

15. Sharing information
Know the signs
with GPs
Domestic violence and abuse has a major impact on children and young people whether they directly witness it or not. When police are called to a domestic abuse incident in the child’s home, your GP will be informed.

19. The Friends & Family Test
We love having feedback from our patients, be it about things we’re doing well, or things we could improve upon. Please take a few seconds to complete feedback at: click on link “Have your say” select option Friends & Family Test or pick up an Friends & Family Test form at reception. All feedback is anonymous
Register to book your appointments online

20. Blood Tests
Clinics are held for blood tests on: Mon AM, Wed AM and Thurs AM (On Thurs appointments available from 7:30am)
Register to book your appointments online

22. REFERRAL TO LOCAL PHARMACY – NO PRESCRIPTION REQUIRED You have a common condition that can be treated with a medication that is available to buy over the counter from your local pharmacy, without making an appointment. Ask the pharmacist for help and advice on the most appropriate medication to relieve your symptoms for:
Coughs and colds
Aches and pains
Sore throat
Teething
Hayfever / allergies
Sleep problems
Skin rashes
Travel sickness
Heartburn
Indigestion
Threadworm
Upset stomach
Head lice
Diarrhoea
Scabies
Constipation
Athlete’s foot
Colic
Cold sores
Piles (haemorrhoids)
Fungal skin infections
Headache / migraine
Fungal nail infections
Toothache
Eczema
Conjunctivitis
If at any time you are concerned about your condition or if your symptoms are not improving after a few days of treatment with the over the counter medications you should contact the local pharmacist or the surgery for more advice.
Please contact the surgery for further advice on
For more information visit

23. Taking Your Medicines Safely
Do you take Ramipril, Enalapril, Perindopril or Lisinopril? This type of medicines is helpful to many groups of patients including those with certain kinds of heart disease. It is often also used for people with high blood pressure, diabetes and some types of kidney disease.
Ramipril, Enalapril, Perindopril and Lisinopril are commonly used drugs from the ACEI group.
Whilst these drugs help to keep us healthy most of the time, they can cause difficulties if we become dehydrated. This can happen if we develop conditions such as diarrhoea and vomiting, or during flu-like illnesses. If you become unwell in this way we advise that you stop your ACEI tablets until the illness settles down. Usually this takes just a few days and then it is important to restart the medication as soon as you feel better.

24. Patient Participation Group
At here Prudhoe Medical Group we have a long established Patient Participation Group since 2006.
If you are currently registered as a patient at Prudhoe Medical Group and would like to help make a real difference to the community of Prudhoe, promote healthy living and help shape our local services please get in touch.

25. Patient Group – meet the members
From left to right:
Anthony Hockey (Practice Manager)
Andrew Gill
Lindsay Hopkins
Eileen Asbury
Peter Kerry
Elaine Heane
Tony Reid
Alan Greenall (Chair of group)

26. Patient Group – cont’d……
Do you want to improve health and health services in your local community?
Do you want to have the opportunity to have a voice and get involved in the way your health service is run?
Do you want to help shape and improve services and even get involved in shaping and delivering new and exciting services?
Let us hear about your experiences, views and ideas for making services better.
The Practice is looking for people from all ages and backgrounds who are enthusiastic about influencing and improving the way that local healthcare is delivered.
If you are interested, please ask for the Practice Patient Participation Group Application Form at Reception.
If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact: Anthony Hockey, Practice Manager or

27. Virtual Patient Group What is the Virtual Patient Participation Group?
This is a group which has been set up in response to patients who have said they would like to be involved in the Patient Participation Group but are unable to attend meetings.
As a member of the Virtual Participation Patient Group we will send you s asking you for your opinion on a range of topics.
You decide how often and when you would like to answer.

28. Virtual Patient Group – Cont’d….
If you would like to become a member of the Virtual Patients Group Scheme, use any of the following methods:
us at
(Please ensure you provide your name AND preferred address) OR
Visit the Practice or Phone on and request a Contact Form – please return it to the Practice when you have completed it.

32. Self Help Guides – Mental Health
The self help guides have been written by NHS clinical psychologists with contributions from service users and healthcare staff. The guides offer users the opportunity to find out more about the causes of mental health issues and provide tools to work through feelings and emotions.

33. Self Help Guides available….
Guides available cover the following areas:
Abuse
Alcohol and You
Anxiety
Bereavement
Controlling Anger
Depression
Depression and Low Mood
Domestic Violence
Eating Disorders
Food for Thought
Health Anxiety
Hearing Voices
Obsessions and Compulsions
Panic
Post Traumatic Stress
Postnatal Depression
Self Harm
Stress

34. Self Help Guides – Mental Health – continued……
To access please visit:
Available online in the following formats - A4, A5, large print, GP printer version, audio, easy read and BSL.

35. New You – Free stop smoking service

36. Are you pregnant or may have a urine infection?
If so then please take time to prepare a fresh urine specimen BEFORE you see your doctor. Ask at reception for a urine sample bottle.
Register to book your appointments online

37. Electronic Prescription Service
The Electronic Prescription Service is an NHS service. It gives you the chance to change how we send your prescription to the place you choose to get your medicines or appliances from. If you normally collect your repeat prescriptions from us, you will need to visit the practice to pick up your paper prescriptions. With the Electronic Prescription Service we will send it electronically to the place you choose saving you time.
Register to book your appointments online

38. Electronic Prescription Service…cont’d
You need to choose a pharmacy for us to electronically send your prescription to. Ask reception to add your chosen pharmacy for you. Once added, all your prescriptions will go to your chosen pharmacy. You do not need a computer to do this. N.B. some medication is exempt (e.g. strong painkillers and sleeping tablets)
Register to book your appointments online

39. Contacts & Consent
Mobile phone number and address: If you have them, please make sure we have them! If you change your mobile or home phone number please let us know. If you do not want us to send you text message reminders for your appointment then please tell us.
Register to book your appointments online

41. DNA
DNA stands for ‘Did Not Attend’ and is a common phrase used in healthcare to denote where a patient without prior notification ‘Did Not Attend’ their appointment. It costs the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds each year and increases patient waiting times. If you have an appointment you can’t attend, be it here or elsewhere, please call and cancel/reschedule it. This means the appointment can be given to someone else and isn’t wasted.
Register to book your appointments online

42. Out of hours
If you need to speak to a healthcare professional outside of our opening hours please call NHS 111. You can call 111 when you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency. NHS 111 is a fast and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are FREE from landlines and mobile phones.
Register to book your appointments online

43. Out of hours…continued
When to use NHS 111
You should use the NHS 111 service if you urgently need medical help or advice but it's not a life-threatening situation. Call 111 if: -
you need medical help fast but it's not a 999 emergency
you think you need to go to A&E or need another NHS urgent care service
you don't know who to call
you need health information or reassurance about what to do next
Register to book your appointments online

44. Do you know how to use the internet?
If you do, we’d really appreciate it if you could book your appointments online. Whilst we love to hear from you, our phone lines are becoming increasingly busy. To help us help you, if you can book your appointment online, please do so. That way the phone lines are available for those who are unable to use the internet (e.g. the elderly and vulnerable). Appointments available online are the same as those available over the phone.
Register to book your appointments online

45. Extended Hours
As part of our required contractual services for our patients we offer extended hours for patients who cannot attend during normal working hours to see a GP, Practice Nurse or a Health Care Assistant. These appointments are early on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Please ask at reception
Register to book your appointments online

46. If you would like to view this presentation in full please visit our website: