Wyndham House Surgery

NHS England has instructed Health & Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) to extract coded GP data from the surgery computer medical system on a monthly basis from March 2014. Under the Health & Social Care Act 2012 GP practices have no choice but to allow the HSCIC to extract this information. Once the data is extracted, the GP practice is no longer the data controller for that information and cannot protect in any way how that information is used, shared or who has access to it.  Although GP practices cannot object to this information leaving the practice, individual patients and their families can instruct their practice to prohibit the transfer of their data ie you have the right to opt-out.

The data collected will be used to help Clinical Commissioning Groups understand the needs of patients and how to improve healthcare services.  However it is likely to be also made available to bodies outside of the NHS such as Universities and commercial organisations.

To opt out simply ask us for a form or download it.  More information available at www.care-data.info.  Opting out will have no effect on your medical care.

Once uploaded, you will not be able to get this data deleted by the HSCIC.  So if you want to opt out, you need to act now.

Our Virtual Patient Participation Group has now been running for over 2 years.  With their help we will be surveying as many of our patients as possible at the beginning of February.  Please complete a survey either in the surgery or on line to help us identify how we can best improve our service over the next 12 months.  Any Carers or young women (age 18 – 30) interested in becoming part of this Virtual Group would be very welcome as these are the two demographics were we lack members.

Bud Wendover represents Wyndham House patients on the CCG Patients Forum.  Click here for a letter from Bud explaining what this is and how it fits in to the new NHS structures.  There are lots of changes afoot in the NHS.  We will try to keep you informed as much as possible.  Dr Anthony O’Brien has presented an annual ‘State of the NHS’ address each year at the Friends of Wyndham House AGM in December.  If you have any specific questions or would like to get involved please contact us via the PRG pages.

The LINK UP Service takes patients with medical appointments from home to surgery or hospitals in the area.  Click here for a list of drivers and their phone numbers.  All the drivers are volunteers and we are always on the look out for recruits.  If you would be able to help please contact Link Up co-ordinator Roger Higman (860571 roger.higman@homecall.co.uk)

This is a Government proposal that was part of the Health & Social Care Act 2011.  It is due to be put into action in Spring 2014.  The Government will be writing to every household in England to explain the scheme.  At the moment it is planned that all patients in NHS England will be automatically opted into the scheme unless they notify their GP that they would like to opt out.  More information is available at http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/thenhs/records/healthrecords/Pages/care-data.aspx

We changed our computer system two years ago to SystmOne the most recently developed, most up to date and now most widely used GP IT technology.  If you need to see a GP somewhere else in the UK and they also use this system then they will be able to access your medical notes.  The recording of their consultation with you will also be available to us. This system is secure and only allows exchange of your medical information between health professionals who are actively treating you.  If you would prefer that your notes were not accessible to another GP you might see and/or information from that meeting did not return to us please can you let us know and we will opt you out of this sharing option.  Please note that this is completely separate and different to the Government scheme (care.data) that is soon to be announced.

A new Carers Support Group is starting in Silverton.  The group will meet every 3rd Tuesday at 2pm in the Methodist Church Hall.

This is an opportunity for those who are responsible for care and wellbeing of others in their own homes to seek support and share information about help available to them.  If you are in such a position please ensure we are aware of this at the surgery.  We run regular Clinics for Carers to ensure they are receiving all the help and benefits that are available to them.

Over the past 3 years we have been using our steriliser less and less as we have changed to disposable surgical instruments.  Retired surgeon Mr Jameson Evans is pictured here taking it where it can be put to good use in Zanzibar.  He is Trustee of Impact, a charity which does excellent work for disabled children in Third World Countries.

Women of Wyndham successfully launched their fundraising project last weekend by taking part in the Race for Life.  Congratulations to all on a successful and enjoyable run.  They aim to raise £1000 towards Breast Cancer Research and are well on the way to achieving it.

The server which runs our website was hacked by cyberspace vandals a few weeks ago.  For a few hours they were able to change one file which then opened when site first viewed.  This was effectively internet graffiti and should not happen again.  We can confidently reassure you that nothing else was compromised.  Your records/prescription details are protected by extremely advanced NHS security systems. Our website simply acts as a link to the SystmOne site which holds your records.  This is why the issuing of passwords for the new system was so important.  If you have any further questions regarding this please get in touch.

We are keen to use text messaging to remind patients about upcoming appointments. We need to have your consent and mobile number to do this.  If you are using the Repeat Prescription service you can update your details (mobile and e mail) via this secure link into our computer system and we would encourage you to do so.  You can also best communicate with us electronically by using the box highlighted on the Repeat Prescription request page.