Practice Newsletter Spring 2024

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Welcome to our first Newsletter for Cowfold and Partridge Green patients. We are aiming to
send out 4 newsletters a year in the hope to keep you up to date with any changes happening
at the surgery.


DR MURPHY HAS RETIRED
As you may have seen from our website or our poster up in the surgery, Dr Murphy retired
from the practice last month. He has decided to embark on a new chapter and I am sure you
will join us in wishing him all the best for the future. We are in the process of transferring all the
patients registered with Dr Carter or Dr Webb. This is ongoing as there are a lot of patients to move across.


STAFF TRAINING CLOSURE DATE
The surgery will be closed on Tuesday 30th April from 12.30-18.30pm for us to enable full staff
training. If you have an urgent query, please telephone 01293 698088. In the event of a
medical emergency such as chest pain or suspected stroke, please dial 999 for an ambulance.
Otherwise please dial NHS 111. The surgery will reopen as normal on Wednesday 1st May.
Please also note the surgery will be closed on Monday 6th May and Monday 27th May Bank
holidays but will reopen as normal on the 7th and 28th May.


OUR NEW WEBSITE
Following on from our patient survey last year, the biggest complaint we received was about
the website not being easy to navigate. We put together a focus group of patients and asked
them to test 3 new website designs and to give us feedback on them. We also included our
PPG members in the discussion. The decision was unanimous on which website design they
preferred and so we changed over to this design and I am happy to say the website went live
last month. So far we have had positive feedback about it being easier to navigate with more
information.


PATIENT SURVEY 2024
It is that time of the year again! We are running a patient survey for one week from 15th April.
The survey will run at both Cowfold and Partridge Green Surgeries. We would ask if you are
attending for an appointment during this time, please could you take the time to fill in the
questionnaire as this is very helpful for the practice going forward to know what we could
improve on!


PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP
In the first quarter of this year we have had 2 Patient Participation Group meetings and have
been very happy to welcome new members to the group. Going forward we will be meeting
across the year to work together to help both the patients and staff to provide a good service
for our patients. Our next meeting is on 25th June at 6.30pm at Cowfold Surgery.
If you would like to join the PPG – please contact Louise McMeeking our Operations Manager
or tell one of the Reception team. We look forward to seeing you.


MENOPAUSE TALK TUESDAY 21ST MAY
Dr Katie Carter will be holding an informal presentation and discussion about the menopause
on Tuesday 21st May at 6pm. Refreshments will be provided and hopefully someone will make
a cake! If you would like to attend, please contact the surgery to book your space. Places
are limited.


SURGERY NEWS!
We are very happy to welcome Gail Yacoubi who is a Nurse Practitioner. Gail will be working
for us at Cowfold surgery for the summer and works on Mondays and Fridays. Gail is helping
us to triage patients and provide us with more on the day appointments.
We have just said goodbye to Dr Dominic Nee and Dr Svetoslav Bonchev who have left the
practice to continue with their GP training, but we are very pleased to welcome Dr Catherine
Pye who is joining us for the next 4 months as our ST 1 GP Doctor. Dr Pye will be working at
both Partridge Green and Cowfold surgeries on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Sally Taylor is a Paramedic Practitioner and works at Cowfold Surgery on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. Sally is undertaking an 80km run in the month of May for HELP FOR HEROES.
If you would like to sponsor her please go to the link:

https://socialsync.app/fundraiser/crlz3178qo97vy


APPOINTMENT SYSTEM
In the coming weeks we are going to be changing over how our appointments are booked.
You may have seen on the news that the Government would like all patients to be seen by
their GP within 2 weeks. In the next few weeks we will be implementing this but obviously it
will take some time before it is running smoothly so would ask for your patience and
understanding during this time.


DIGITAL TELEPHONE SYSTEM
As well as the appointment system, we are also going to be updating our telephone system in
the early part of summer. Again this will benefit patients when the system is up and running
but we expect a few teething problems along the way. Our Reception team will need training
for both the new systems so we ask again for your patience and kindness when you telephone
to book an appointment.


PATIENT CHOICE FOR REFERRALS
The NHS is offering more options to enable you to make choices that best suit your
circumstances and giving you greater control of your care. If your GP needs to refer you to
hospital you have the right to choose the hospital or service you would like to go to. When
you are referred our Admin Team will choose 5 possible hospitals for you to be seen. You will
then receive a letter, email or message through the NHS App with instructions on how to book
your appointment. If you do not have the internet there will be a telephone number on your
letter that you can telephone to book. Most people want to be seen at the nearest hospital.
Some people would want the shortest waiting time. If you choose a hospital which is not local
to you, please bear in mind that all your clinic appointments and treatment will be at that
hospital going forward.


COVID SPRING BOOSTER 2024
The Covid Spring Booster programme runs from 22nd April – 30th June and is being held at our
NEW POP UP SITE – BOHUNT SCHOOL SPORTS HALL, BAILEY ROAD, HORSHAM,
RH12 6AP. The booster is for all patients AGED 75 AND OVER (including patients who will turn 75 by the end of June) and patients aged 5-74 who are recorded as IMMUNOSUPPRESSED. Eligible
patients will be contacted with a link to book an appointment directly or alternatively patients
can contact the surgery to book an appointment.

More details can be found on our website at www.cowfoldmedicalgroup.co.uk


AWARENESS MONTHS
Since the beginning of the year we have started a monthly awareness noticeboard in the
reception area of Cowfold Surgery. So far this year we have covered Time To Talk Day on
February 1st which was all about creating supportive communities by having conversations
with friends and family or colleagues about mental health. If we talk about it we can support
ourselves and others.
February also had Children’s Mental Health Week from 5-11th February. A large number of
young people will experience behavioural or emotional problems at some stage. For some
these will resolve with time, while others will need professional support. It might be difficult to
know if there is something upsetting your child but there are ways to spot when something is
wrong. Look out for:

  • Significant changes in behaviour
  • Ongoing difficulty sleeping
  • Withdrawing from social situations
  • Not wanting to do things they usually like
  • Self-harm or neglecting themselves


If you are worried about your child’s behaviour there is a lot of support which can be found on
our website. MindEd for Families also has information explaining some common behavioural
problems in different age groups.


March 8th was International Women’s Day which is celebrated every year focusing on
women’s rights. March 13th was No Smoking Day. It is never too late to stop smoking. With
the right support you are up to 3 times more likely to quit for good. Katharine our HCA offers
smoking cessation clinics at the surgery. If you would like to see Katharine, please telephone
the surgery to book an appointment.


April is Bowel Cancer Awareness month and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness month.
We have some posters up in the surgery for you to look at the next time you are in. IBS is one
of the most common reasons for a visit to the GP. 1 in 8 people have symptoms of IBS at any
one time. Once diagnosed and given help, most people can find effective ways of living with
IBS.

The earlier bowel cancer is spotted, the more treatable it is likely to be. In fact more than 9 in
10 people survive bowel cancer when it is diagnosed at the earliest stage.

Bowel Cancer Screening saves lives. The test can detect invisible early signs of bowel
cancer. Taking part is easier than you think. The age for taking the test is changing from 60 t
50 so you may receive a test before you are 60. If you receive a test through the post please
complete it. You should receive the results within 10 working days.