Our lead practice nurse – Trish Brown – is retiring at the end of March after 25 years working for Wyndham House Surgery.

A familiar face to many patients, especially if you are diabetic, Trish Brown has been instrumental in setting up many projects that Wyndham House runs or supports in our community. She started work here in 1989, when we were still in the old building (now part of the Community Hall) as a part-time Practice Nurse, following some interesting work experience in Cornwall, Barbados and Qatar. While with us Trish has carried out diabetes research, which was published in peer-reviewed journals, as well as also working at Exeter College as their college nurse for 10 years, and also training new Practice Nurses as an assessor/trainer on the General Practice Nurse Foundation Programme at Exeter Medical School (later the Peninsula Medical School).

Trish has been an integral part of the surgery for many years and has been the lead for managing diabetes patients for most of her time here. During this time rates of Type 2 diabetes have increased substantially, meaning that far more time and resources are needed to support patients with this difficult and complicated condition. We have been extraordinarily lucky to have one of the country’s leading Specialist Diabetes Practice Nurses working here and Trish will be sorely missed by staff and patients alike! We wish Trish well in everything she does after she leaves us! 

Want to read more:

Follow the link to read an Interview with Trish or our exclusive 5 minutes with Trish Brown

Come and raise money for Comic Relief by supporting our Bake Sale at Wyndham House Surgery on Friday 13th March from 2-4pm.

All cakes welcome! Why not “Make your cake funny for money” or Bake the healthiest cake you can!

Bring any baking donations into the surgery on Thursday 12th or Friday 13th March.

Come and buy between 2 and 4pm on Red Nose Day.

Wyndham House Surgery always welcomes new patients who live in our large Practice area. We also accept patients from out of our area under new Government ‘non visit’ regulations – give us a ring to find out more.

We offer health checks and a medication review with a Doctor for all new patients.

Our Bertie prescription delivery service is available for all housebound patients.

The 2015 version of the SCENE newsletter is now available. This booklet is full of useful information about local clubs, activities and groups, especially for the over-60s.

Click the link to see the newsletter in pdf format, or drop by the surgery to pick up a paper version

The local Carers Support Group meets every third Tuesday of the month in the Methodist Church, Silverton at 2pm.  This is a fantastic method of supporting those who are full or part time carers for their relatives especially those looking after patients with dementia.

Here is a picture of the Wyndham House entry in the Silverton Christmas Tree Festival along with Lucy, Claire, Carol, Lex and Jan.  We decorated our tree according to the International theme of this year’s Festival.  30 other local groups and societies helped fill the church with some wonderful displays and original ideas.  The money raised from the Festival went to the South West Children’s Hospice.

We encourage everyone to actively support this fantastic project which aims to convert the old toilet block into a Health & Well Being Centre.  The raffles at our Flu Clinics this year have raised nearly £500 for this project and Jenny Roach (Chair of the Room4U Committee) was on hand to answer questions.  Ultimately the project aims to provide a place for older people in Silverton that will offer a warm and friendly environment, social opportunities for patients and their carers (e.g. Memory Cafe) and a hub from which other healthcare activities could run (e.g. stroke therapy, foot care and reflexology)  It could also be the centre for a proposed Neighbourhood Health Watch scheme.  With our ageing population it is essential that communities maximise their potential to provide social cohesion and support to try and help those most in need and to reduce the risks of social isolation.  This scheme is a wonderful example of a community working together to seek solutions.

A new group has started in the village giving you the opportunity to enjoy a sociable couple of hours during the winter months on each Wednesday afternoon (except the 4th in the month)in the Silverton Methodist Hall.  Just turn up to knit, crochet and natter amongst new and old friends, share tips and techniques.

Organisers: Claire Barton tel 01392 860704 e mail: dcbarton@live.co.uk  & Sylvia Wakeham Tel: 01392 861390 email: sfwakeham@aol.com

Sylvia Wakeham and Trish Brown have set up some educational sessions for patients recently identified as being at risk of developing Diabetes.  Lots of recent research (some carried out at Wyndham House) has shown that pro-active changes in lifestyle in this group of patients can be very effective.  With support from the Friends of Wyndham House we will be inviting patients with Pre-Diabetes to come along to a two hour motivational training session in the next few months.    Sylvia ran the first of these this week and his pictured here with Trish at the end of what was a very successful and well received session.  For more information on Pre-Diabetes click here

The Friends of Wyndham House are supporting the surgery in our Carer’s Project. We are identifying all those within our community who are actively caring for others. So often their hard work is overlooked and the costs to their health go unrecognised. We will be offering Carer’s Healthchecks, putting them in touch with support agencies and also ensuring the option of help with breaks / respite care are possible.  For more information on Carer’s Services in Devon click here