Practice Newsletter Summer 2025
Welcome to the Summer edition of our newsletter for Cowfold and Partridge Green patients.
STAFF TRAINING CLOSURE DATE
The surgery will be closed on Thursday 17th July 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 Friday 18th July.
SURGERY NEWS!
We are very happy to welcome Chauda Tandi who has joined the practice as our new Advanced Nurse Practitioner. Chauda will be working at Cowfold Surgery on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Very sadly Dr John Darcy passed away at the end of May. John was a much loved part of the Cowfold community having been a dedicated, compassionate and wonderful GP at the surgery for many years. Those of us who were fortunate to work with him all have lots of lovely memories and appreciated his kindness and sense of humour. John’s funeral was on 30th June. We are planning to hold a fundraising event in John’s memory to raise money for St Catherine’s Hospice where John was given wonderful care in his final weeks.
We would like to say congratulations and well done to Katharine who is our Health Care Assistant and Dispenser. Katharine has been working at the surgery for 30 years on 21st August. We are sure it was very different back then!
CLOSURE OF PARTRIDGE GREEN SURGERY
It is with great sadness that we announce the closure of our branch surgery on FRIDAY 29TH AUGUST 2025. This decision has been made despite our best efforts and with careful consideration.
We understand this news may be unsettling and we truly appreciate your support and understanding during this transitional period. All medical appointments, procedures and clinics including medication service will remain at our main surgery in Cowfold.
We are pleased to confirm that all of our dedicated staff from the Oakleigh Surgery will be joining us at our main surgery in Cowfold. This means you will continue to see familiar faces and we will maintain the same high standard of care you expect from us.
We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for everyone. Your patience and kindness towards our teams and each other will be invaluable as we navigate this together.
Thank you for your continued support.
NEW ONLINE TRIAGE SYSTEM
We have been aware for some time that it is increasingly difficult for patients to get appointments. Hopefully now that Chauda has started, this will help with the on the day capacity but we know that something else needs to be done. Over the last few months we have been looking at the best way to improve access for all our patients and have decided to implement an online triage system. We are aiming for this to start in September. We hope that by putting all requests into one system called Rapid Health, we can review them and ensure patients are offered appointments based on clinical need. The new system will allow for appointments to be booked at a time that suits the patients and therefore will hopefully reduce missed appointments. It will prevent inappropriate use of appointments and will allow appointments to be decided on clinical need. The requests will be triaged by our experienced GPs. Booking of nurse and HCA appointments will not change and these will continue to be booked over the telephone. For patients who do not have online access, our Reception team will be able to help you book your appointment and complete the form with you.
This month we have asked Ann Wilson, our Health Care Assistant, Lead Carer and Care Coordinator to talk about her role within the practice.
Here is a little paragraph we asked Ann to write to let you know a bit more about her.
My name is Ann. I have been a member of staff at Cowfold for 10 years in November. I am one of the Health Care Assistants and Care Coordinators. I was born in Cowfold and have lived here most of my life, venturing as far afield as Nuthurst and Maplehurst. As an HCA my main role is doing blood tests (as most of you will know) but I also do blood pressures, ECGs, Learning Disability Reviews, initial diabetic checks, pre-diabetic advice, some vaccinations such as shingles and I also help with some admin tasks. As Care Coordinator I support patients by signposting to other agencies, advising what help is available for their particular needs and making some referrals requested by the doctors. A lot of you will know me from seeing me around the village with my husband Chris and our dog Alby who expects everyone to have biscuits in their pockets!
CARER SUPPORT
Following on from working with West Sussex Carers Support, they are launching a new project called the Carer Energy and Wellbeing project. We have been in contact with Caroline Sinfield from West Sussex Carers Support and have arranged a meeting to discuss this project further. We will then be able to issue an update once we know more information.
PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP
This year we have already had 3 Patient Participation Group meetings and have been very happy to welcome new members to the group. Going forward we will be meeting across the next year to work together to help both the patients and staff to provide a good service for our patients. Our next meeting is on Tuesday 18th November at 6.30pm at Cowfold Surgery. If you would like to join the PPG, please contact Louise McMeeking our Deputy Practice Manager or tell one of the Reception team. We look forward to seeing you. Minutes of the previous meeting held on 8.7.25 can be found on the notice board at Cowfold Surgery and also on our website.
DIGITAL TELEPHONE SYSTEM
Our new telephone system has been in place since January 16th. Thank you to all our patients for your kindness and understanding while we familiarised ourselves with the new system. There is a new answerphone message which might sound different to the last message so please do not hang up! You can also now call back if you are in the queue. You will not lose your place in the queue and will be called when it is your turn. You will be sent a text message if we try to contact you and cannot get through.
PLEASE BE PATIENT AND KIND TO ALL OUR STAFF
Everyone here at Cowfold Medical Group is working hard to support our community but sadly our staff are increasingly experiencing rudeness and abuse from patients which is very unpleasant when they are just trying to do their job. Demand for appointments is high and we appreciate it can take a while to speak to a member of the Reception team, but we ask that you be patient and more importantly – be kind. Any behaviour, verbal or physical which causes our staff to feel uncomfortable is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Many thanks.
DID NOT ATTEND APPOINTMENTS
We have recently put up some posters at the surgery and also some information on our Facebook page as we had 52 patients who did not attend their appointments in June. Please make sure you cancel your appointment if you cannot attend so that this appointment can be booked by another patient.
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.
AWARENESS MONTHS 2025
JUNE
Men’s Health Week 9-15th June aims to raise awareness of preventable health issues and encourages men and boys to seek professional advice for health related problems.
JULY
From after work socials to unwinding after a busy day, alcohol often takes a centre stage role in our lives. Whether it is used as a bonding tool, a reward or as a way to try to cope, drinking too much or too often can have lasting effects on our mental and physical health, from sleepless nights, anxiety and depression to long term health conditions like liver disease, high blood pressure and cancer.
Yet, we are constantly bombarded with messages telling us that alcohol is key to having fun, relaxation, success and celebration, making it harder to see how it might be holding us back. Long hours, stress, blurred lines between work and home and workplace cultures that put alcohol rather than people at the centre of things all add to the pressure. Life changes like unemployment, retirement or caregiving can also influence the way we drink.
But shifting the focus from alcohol to what truly matters – like our relationships, health and hobbies can be a powerful first step in bringing about change and boosting our wellbeing, connections and productivity.
How to spot the signs that you might be drinking too much
Increasing consumption. You may have noticed that your alcohol use has crept up, this can include drinking more often in the week, drinking more on each occasion, and/or drinking at times/places that you didn’t typically used to drink.
Next day effects. Feeling tired, irritable, demotivated, experiencing brain-fog and/or anxiety the day after drinking.
Thoughts about cutting back. You find yourself thinking that you ought to cut back on your drinking.
Difficulty sticking to goals. When you do try to cut down, having difficulty sticking to plans or limits you set for yourself.
Sleep Quality. Using alcohol to manage your sleep, or regular alcohol use leading to poor quality sleep.
Coping mechanisms. Using alcohol as a way to try and handle stress or worry from work or your personal life.
Anticipating the next drink. You find yourself thinking increasingly about when you will have your next drink, for example, hanging out for the end of your workday or when the kids are in bed.
Risky behaviour. Drinking large amounts of alcohol that may result in you blacking out or not remembering parts of the night or putting yourself in risky situations.
Concern from others. People close to you may have expressed concern about your drinking, even if you don’t agree with them.
Withdrawal symptoms. Experiencing shaking, sweating, irritability, low mood or anxiety as the day progresses with alcohol.
Here are 5 things you can do if you are concerned about your own or someone else’s drinking.
Track your drinking. Use a free app like TRY DRY or keep a daily diary of your alcohol use. This can help you see patterns, measure units, and stay accountable as a first step.
Identify triggers. Reflect on what might be driving your drinking. Is it work stress, social pressures or specific people, places or events? Identifying triggers whether for yourself or someone else is key to making changes.
Start cutting back. Alcohol can make stress, anxiety and low mood worse over time. Reducing your intake or taking a break can improve your wellbeing and help you address the underlying issues for lasting change.
Talk to your GP. Share your concerns with your doctor, being honest about how much you drink. They can provide clear, safe and practical advice tailored to your needs. If you are supporting a loved one, encourage them to check a check up from their GP and offer to accompany them.
Seek support. Open up to someone you trust or connect with supportive networks like AA, Smart Recovery or online peer forums. You don’t have to face this on your own, help and support is available and people access it every day.
That is all for now. Enjoy the sunshine and remember to take care in the heat.