Newsletter November 2023

Have you had your Flu Vaccination yet?

If you are eligible and haven't had your flu vaccination yet, please contact the surgery as soon as possible on 020 8763 5620.

Eligible patients for a free flu vaccinaton this year are:

• those aged 65 & over
• those aged 6 months to under 65 years, who are in a clinical risk group
• all children aged 2 or 3 years old on 31 August 2023
• those in long-stay residential care homes
• carers and close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
• primary school aged children from Reception to Year 6 (please note these patients will be vaccinated at school)

New Online Registration Service

We are using a new online service called Register with a GP surgery that makes it easy to register with this GP surgery.

New patients just need to fill in an online form to get started. They do not need proof of address or immigration status, ID or an NHS number. 

Paper forms are available for people who need them.

The service is designed and run by the NHS. It aims to cut practices’ workloads and make GP registration easier for the public.

Key Statistics for last month

• Our Reception team dealt with 6715 telephone calls
• The average wait time to get through to us on the telephone was 5.76 minutes
• Our clinicians offered 6249 appointments
• 293 (4.7%) of the appointments offered were DNA'd (patient did not attend or cancel)
• We received feedback from 510 patients, 88% of which was rated as Good or Very Good.

Local Support Groups

A Place to Be Community Café is a friendly community café for people living with dementia and their carers. It is held every Friday from 2pm to 4pm at St Mark’s Church, Church Road, Purley, Surrey, CR8 3QQ and costs £2. For more information, please contact: placetobestmarks@gmail.com

Active Minds are free online and in-person activity sessions for anyone experiencing mental health issues. Activities include yoga, gardening, mindfulness, jogging, badminton, zumba and much more. You can refer yourself via the online form on their website or find out more here.

The Bereavement Journey is a series of 7 sessions of films and discussion for anyone, whether grieving a death now, or wanting to explore a previous bereavement that may be unresolved.  This course is for bereaved adults to do their own grief work.  It is supported by a Guest Manual and facilitated by volunteers. Everyone is welcome, although it is usually most beneficial to attend at least a few weeks after the death – ideally after the funeral, but this is not essential and The Bereavement Journey can benefit those in anticipatory grief, pregnancy loss or the long-term effects of loss. To find out more, or to book your place, please go to: https://www.emmanuelcroydon.org.uk/courses/

Carers Support Group provides help and support for people caring for someone affected by mental health. They meet every Wednesday from 5.30pm - 7pm at Mind in Croydon, 26 Pampisford Road, Purley, CR8 2NE. If you would like more information or would like to attend, please call 020 8688 1210 or email carers.support@mindincroydon.org.uk

Dementia Cafe is a friendly cafe for people living with dementia. They offer tea, coffee and cakes, as well as yoga and coping skills. They meet on the first Tuesday of every month from 1.30pm to 3.30pm at the Coulsdon Methodist Church, 83 Brighton Road, Coulsdon, CR5 2BE.

Healthy Homes is a an energy advice service that offers 2 free online workshops to Croydon residents who are on a low income. For more information and to register, please visit www.croydon.gov.uk/energyevents.

The HENRY programme is for parents or carers of children aged 0 to 7 years old. The 8 week programme covers parenting confidence, physical activity for little ones, what children and families eat, family lifestyle habits and enjoying life as a family. To find out more, please click here for their leaflet or go online to www.henry.org.uk/croydon.

Knit & Stitch Group meets on the last Thursday of every month from 10am to 12pm at Purley Library, Banstead Road, Purley, CR8 3YH. All abilities and beginners are welcome at the friendly group. To find out more, please email purleylibrary@croydon.gov.uk.

LEAP is a free energy and money saving service that can help you to save money and keep your home warm and cosy. To find out if you are eligible for help via this scheme, please download their leaflet.

Linedancing for fitness and fun sessions at Old Lodge Lane Baptist Church, Reedham Park Avenue, Purley, CR8 4BQ. Sessions are run weeklly at 1pm on Tuesdays and are suitable for all ages and experience.

Men is a friendly, social group for men who might be bored or fed up of being stuck indoors. The group meets every other Thursday from 10.30am to 12.30pm at The Heath Room, Old Coulsdon Congregational Church, Coulsdon Road, Old Coulsdon, CR5 1EH. To find out more, please phone 07871 702 429.

Move it or Lose It! are exercise classes to help maintain and improve flexibility, aerobic health, balance and strength. Classes run weekly on Mondays from 12.30pm to 1.30pm at All Saints Church Hall, Onslow Gardens, Sanderstead, CR2 9AB. Please contact steph.upton@moveitorloseit.co.uk for further information.

Never Alone is a new drop in facility for people coming to terms with bereavement, run by Rowland Brothers. They meet every Thursday from 10am to 2pm in the Foyer Cafe, at Purley Baptist Church, Banstead Road, Purley, CR8 3EA. Light refreshments are available.

Walking Cricket is a slower version of the game suitable for over 55s. It's a great opportunity to get fit, play as part of a team, socialise and chat over a tea/coffee afterwards. Sessions are held every Monday from 10am to 11.30am at The Cricket Centre, Plough Lane, Wallington, SM6 8JQ and cost £5. For more information, please click here.

Walking Football is designed for the less mobile. The sessions are led by a qualified football coach and are a great opportunity to get fit. Sessions are held every Friday from 10.30am to 11.30am at The Cricket Centre, Plough Lane, Wallington, SM6 8JQ and cost £5. For more information, please click here.

Walking Netball  is a slower version of the game for over 55s. It's a great opportunity to play sport as part of a team and to meet friendly people and socialise. Sessions are held every Wednesday from 10.15am to 11.30am at The Cricket Centre, Plough Lane, Wallington, SM6 8JQ and cost £5. For more information, please click here.

Women and Girls Network offers confidential emotional support to women aged 14+ who have been affected by any form of sexual violence at any point during their life. You can access their support helpline as a one-off , every now and then or on an on-going basis. Please click here for further information.

Yoga for those on low incomes at the Old Lodge Lane Baptist Church, Reedham Park Avenue, Purley, CR8 4BQ. Sessions are run weekly and cost £3. Please click here to find out more.

Have you Signed up to the NHS App yet?

You can use the NHS App to:

• order repeat prescriptions - see your available medicines, request a new repeat prescription and choose a pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to
• book appointments - search for, book and cancel appointments at your GP surgery, and see details of your upcoming and past appointments
• check your symptoms - search trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments, and get instant advice or medical help near you
• view your medical record - securely access your GP medical record, to see information like your test results, consultations, allergies and your current and past medicines
• get advice about coronavirus – get information about coronavirus and find out what to do if you think you have it

Keeping your data secure: After you download the app, you will need to set up an NHS login and prove who you are. The app then securely connects to information from your GP surgery. If your device supports fingerprint detection or facial recognition, you can use it to log in to the NHS App each time, instead of using a password and security code.

Measles Awareness Campaign

Measles cases are rising in England and across Europe. One in 15 children develop serious complications from a measles infection, which can include meningitis and blindness. There is no medical treatment for measles; vaccination is the best protection against becoming seriously unwell.

The MMR vaccine is free from the NHS, with the first dose being offered when a child is one and the second at 3 years and 4 months old. This provides long lasting protection against measles, mumps and rubella.

If your child has missed their first or second dose of MMR vaccine, please contact us on 020 8763 5620 to book an appointment. If you are unsure if your child is due a vaccination or has missed a vaccination, please check their red book or contact us and we can check for you. For adults, it is never too late to catch up your MMR vaccinations, please contact us to book an appointment.

Published: Nov 1, 2023