NEWSLETTER FOR THE GENERAL PRACTICE LINK OFFICE
DECEMBER 1998 ISSUE 56
The General Practice Link Office is always looking for articles to be included in Link News. If there is anyone out there involved in General Practice who would like to submit an article, please contact us with any contributions, which will be warmly welcomed.
STOP PRESS
The General Practice Link Office would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
CONTENTS
CROYDON DOCTOR URGES WOMEN TO MAKE USE OF FIRST CLASS SERVICEDEVELOPING CHILD MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN CROYDON
CHANGES TO THE SCHOOL NURSING SERVICE
CROYDON DOCTOR URGES WOMEN TO MAKE USE OF FIRST CLASS SERVICE
Croydon’s very highly regarded breast cancer service, which treats approximately 4,700 women a year, has made further advancements over the last year. Croydon received an extra �79,500 from the Government in 1997 to invest in the breast care service. Almost half of this amount was spent on the setting up of additional clinics and making available complex and thorough testing methods at Mayday Hospital.
The Croydon service totally exceeded the targets set by the Government for improvements to the already top class service in the first year. Three extra clinics have been set up. Patients wait less than a week between referrals by their family doctor and their first appointment. This is followed by expert assessment (three different tests), which is available to all patients attending the clinics at the discretion of the clinicians. Only 19% of trusts offer this service to all patients.
John Shanks, Director of Public Health Medicine, said: "It is good news that our excellent service continues to improve. However, despite this first class service, the survival rates from breast cancer in Croydon are worse than average. This is partly because many Croydon women still do not take the opportunity to have the simple breast screening test which can detect cancer at a very early stage.
All women between the ages of 50 and 65 get an invitation to have a breast screening test once every three years. Those over 65 are also encouraged to ask for a screening appointment if they have never been screened before. So when you receive your invitation to attend, please go – it could save your life".
Andrew Davies
Business and Communications Manager
Croydon Health Authority
The new Burns Unit will open at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on 14 December 1998. The delay in opening this new Unit is due to the complexity of constructing the air-handling unit. However, as planned, the Burns Unit closed at Queen Mary’s Hospital on 23 October 1998, although there remains day surgical facilities, dressing and follow-up clinics led by specialist nurses. There also remain therapy and consultant follow-up clinics.
At present all major burns patients are taken to other units, such as Mount Vernon and Queen Victoria in East Grinstead, and these units have confirmed that they are managing to support this demand. In discussion with the other Burns Units, it was agreed that Chelsea and Westminster Hospital would open four beds on the Plastic Surgery ward for minor and short-stay burns patients from 9 November 1998. All other burns patients including major burns and children will continue to be taken to other Burns Units until 14 December 1998.
If you have any queries about this service, please contact the Surgical Directorate at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on 0181 746 8000.
Sophie Heiser
Assistant Director Acute Commissioning
Croydon Health Authority
Salary �55.80 per 2.5 hours, or �68.70 when instructing.
Doctors are required for the following sessions within Croydon Community Trust adult health service.
 | Fridays, Broad Green Centre, 3:45-6:15. This is a dedicated Young People’s session, seeing people under the age of 20 without appointments, and other women requesting emergency contraception. We require a sympathetic and enthusiastic doctor who will be able to prescribe all contraceptive methods, and advice on other related problems. |
| Wednesdays, Thornton Heath Health Centre, 5:30 – 8:00. This session offers contraception by appointment to all ages. Ideally, the doctor appointed should be accredited to instruct. |
| Locum doctors for bank to cover as required at any of the 14 weekly sessions held at five sites. These run in the mornings, lunch times, late afternoons, and evenings. |
For all posts, DFFP and letter of competence in IUCD techniques is required.
Please apply to Personnel Department, CCHT 12-18 Lennard Road, Croydon. Closing date for applications 6 January 1999. For informal enquires telephone Dr Alyson Elliman on 0181 684 2085. Interviews 12 January 1999.
You should have recently received a letter from the Department of Health entitled "Carbon Monoxide: The Forgotten Killer". The letter contained details of the sources of carbon monoxide, diagnosis of CO poisoning and clinical information. Finally the letter listed a number of other agencies to contact one of which was the local Environmental Health Department, for whom I work.
Please note that we do not actually provide a service to measure CO levels. We can, however, effectively deal with the causes and I would therefore encourage you to report any suspected CO poisoning cases to us so that we can take the necessary preventative action. The number to call is 0181 760 5476. This is a direct-line answered by a member of staff during office hours, and is on an answer phone at all other times.
If you would like anymore information about the services that we offer, or you require copies of any leaflets for your surgery, please give me a call.
Carol Bennett
Environmental Health Officer
London Borough of Croydon
Developing Child Mental Health Services in Croydon
Mental health needs of children are of particular importance to South Thames NHS Executive. They have funded a study to find out about the extent of some of these. If this goes well it could lead to recommendations for future local service development that aims to meet these needs.
The study is also looking at the views of GPs and parents about some child mental health problems. This will enable our service to find out more about community demands, and provide better information about which problems need to be taken seriously. By looking carefully at patterns of consultations in primary care, it may well provide clearer information of which families/problems benefit from intervention by child mental health services.
We will be in contact with practices in the near future to discuss this further. In the meantime if you would like any further information please contact:
Main contact: Dr Kapil Sayal, Specialist Registrar, Tel: 0171 919 3172
or Dr Patrick Byrne, Consultant, at Child and Family Psychiatry Clinic, Lennard Lodge, 3 Lennard Road, Croydon CR0 2UL.
Dr Kapil Sayal
Department of Psychiatry
Maudsley Hospital
We thought what might be a good idea is to run a few months advice of symptomatic return from travellers abroad.
Avoidance of Malaria and Insect Bites
Biting insects can pose many threats to travellers abroad. Malaria, dengue fever, cellulitis and leg ulcers can occur following insect bites.
| Avoidance |
As well as taking anti-malarial tablets, which help to reduce the risk of catching malaria, travellers must take steps to avoid being bitten.
| Use an insect repellent which contain DEET (Diethyl-Toluamide). These are available at most pharmacies. |
| Malaria mosquitoes bite at night so remember to cover up, legs and arms especially, between dusk and dawn. |
| Use insect repellents during the day to avoid insect bites potentially causing cellulitis and ulcers. |
| Remember that Dengue Fever is caught by day time biting insects. |
This information has been brought to you by the Croydon Practice Nurse Group Committee.
Changes to the School Nursing Service
The School Nurses would like to update you on the current provision of school nursing in Croydon. Due to the service reduction the following changes have been put into place.
( Telephone Advice Line 0181 655 3579
This will be available from 9:30am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday term time only. This is for young people, parents/carers and teachers to discuss their concerns with a School Nurse.
Drop in Clinics
Young people and parents/carers are able to "drop in" to School Nurse Clinics at certain Health Centres after school (please see poster).
Regular visits to the schools by the Nurse are no longer possible. However, the School Nurses will maintain
| Child Protection/ "Children in Need" work |
| Immunisations, Final School Boosters and BCGs |
| A number of selective Health Checks |
It is not possible to carry out routine health screening on all children. However, hearing screening will be made available in schools.
The School Nurse Team would appreciate your help in advertising their Advice Line and Drop In Clinics by displaying posters that will be sent directly to your surgeries.
Alison Tormey
School Nurse Team Leader
Croydon Community Health
NEW YELLOW FEVER CENTRE
Dr P Boffa and Partners is a new Yellow Fever Centre.
Old Coulsdon Medical Practice
The Surgery
Court Avenue
Old Coulsdon
Surrey CR5 1HF
Tel No: 01737 553393
Date: Tuesday 8 December 1998
Time: 7:30pm – 9:30pm (Sandwiches, Soft Drinks and Mince Pies)
Venue: Croydon Postgraduate Medical Centre, Mayday Hospital
Topic: "Good Practice in the Administration of Depot Neuroleptics"
Speaker: Sue Baden Locality Development Nurse GPLO
RSVP to GPLO: 0181 401 3990
The GPLO does not necessarily endorse or support any of the positions, products or people advertised herein.
CROYDON HEALTH AUTHORITY
Practice Management Advisers
One day per week
An opportunity has arisen for three Practice Managers, one for each Primary Care Group, to utilise their valuable skills and experience to promote practice management by assisting practices in developing their staff and services in order to deliver improved patient care.
A key role for the Practice Management Advisers will be to establish and maintain a good working relationship with all practices within the designated Primary Care Group.
To obtain a job description and further information about the post, please contact Gail Tarburn, Personnel Manager on 0181 – 401 3926 quoting reference number GT147.
Applications are invited from Practice Managers registered in the Clearing House in the first instance.
Closing Date for receipt of applications: Friday 11th December 1998
Working Towards Equal Opportunities
Receptionist required for minimum of 14 hours per week (i.e. three sessions) for friendly hard working team. For more information contact Jacqui Smith Practice Manager Fieldway Medical Centre, New Addington 01689 841999 (Monday to Thursday).
Receptionist required approximately 12 – 15 hours per week plus one Saturday in eight. Afternoons and evenings plus relief cover in mornings. Hand-written replies to: The Practice Manager, Old Coulsdon Medical Practice, Court Avenue, Old Coulsdon, CR5 1HF.
Part-Time practice nurse for friendly four partner computerised (Emis) practice in Thornton Heath. 20 hours per week (one Saturday morning in three). Experience in a wide range of clinical duties, including Cytology, Childhood Immunisation, Asthma and Diabetes, an advantage. Apply with CV to Practice Manager, Thornton Heath Health Centre, 61a Gillett Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 8RL.
Tel: 0181 689 5797.
G.P. Registrar required for four partner practice from February 1999 for 12 months. Fully computerised, Co-op Out-of-Hours. Please apply with CV to: Dr P Boffa, Old Coulsdon Medical Practice, Court Avenue, Old Coulsdon, CR5 1HF.
Practice Nurse requires "F" Grade position in a dynamic friendly General Practice. Hours required – Greater than 20 plus per week. Available from 8th March 1999. I can offer you eight months of varied practice nurse experience including, Minor Surgery, Travel Immunisations, Baby Immunisations and General Practice Nursing. For more information please contact Graham Merry – General Manager, Dr P Phillips & Partners on 0181 660 8292.
Experienced Computer Clerk required to work 20 hours per week over 5 mornings for a three Partner practice near East Croydon. Please apply to Senior Partner, 1 Morland Road, Croydon, CR0 6HA or Fax 649 8477.
LOCUM NURSES
If you would like to add your name to our locum list of Practice Nurses, please send your details to Janette Swift, Practice Nurse Adviser, General Practice Link Office, Mayday University Hospital