Mental Wellbeing Matters
We are living in challenging times. Every one of us is facing new situations at work and home that can leave us feeling at best unsettled and at worst anxious and upset. It is ok to have these feelings and often they will pass off quickly but it is important to have some resources to hand that you can turn to if they start to feel overwhelming.
Simple Things Matter
Looking after ourselves physically can have a positive impact on our mental wellbeing.
- Make sure you take time to eat regularly and try to make nutritious choices — a healthy gut helps support a healthy immune system.
- Try to take some exercise outside each day, there is lots of evidence that spending time in nature is very beneficial for our mental health.
- Aim for 6-8 hours sleep a night as a minimum, too little sleep raises our stress hormones and can worsen feelings of anxiety.
- Connect with other people. You are not the only one feeling like this, sharing concerns with people around you — be they colleagues, friends or loved ones, can help keep things in perspective and the old saying of ’a problem shared is a problem halved’ often proves correct!
- Spend time doing something you enjoy each day, even better take up a new hobby — whether it is meditation, painting or learning Mandarin, developing a new skill can focus the mind and provide welcome distraction from worrying thoughts.
- Focus on the positive: Sometimes the ‘big picture’ feels too much to cope with but try and find something each day that was positive, perhaps you were able to pick up some shopping for a neighbour, maybe you were able to call an elderly relative for a chat — focusing on what we can do that has a positive impact for someone else can improve both their wellbeing and our own.
- Consider using technology to keep in touch with others – Zoom teleconference meetings could be used for coffee mornings, book groups—, etc. Lots of exercise instructors are offering live online classes to do at home, people are even doing online cookery classes. Whatever your interests there is likely to be an option that allows you to take part despite social distancing!
CALM app — available through the app store this resource offers short guided meditations as well as sleep and relaxation aids
HEADSPACE app — similar content to the above
NHS Stress and Anxiety Companion – free to download and helpful for mild to moderate stress and anxiety through cognitive behavioural techniques including breathing exercises, relaxing music and games. It helps you identify triggers for anxiety and transform negative thoughts into positive ones.
Have a look at the NHS Five ways to Wellbeing https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/improve-mental-wellbeing/or NHS Top Tips to improve your mental wellbeing https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/top-tips-to-improve-your-mental-wellbeing/for more ideas on how to look after your mental health during this time
Coronavirus
The NHS is well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases and has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.
Check online at gov.uk and at nhs.uk for advice on your travel and contact history and the latest COVID-19 information before attending the practice.
The increasing number of cases of Coronavirus in the UK is placing new and increasing challenges on our practice. Our primary concern at this time remains keeping our patients and our staff as safe as possible. For that reason, we are putting in place some pre-emptive contingencies to reduce the possibility of spreading the virus.
Please do use the 111 online symptom-checker if you are concerned about Coronavirus and do not come down to any of our surgeries. We ask for your cooperation in answering the reception teams' questions about your problem or health query so that they can help you in the most timely and appropriate way.
We are moving to a fully on the day, telephone-first system for all GP appointments, whereby a Clinician will call you and either your problem will be managed on the phone or a same day face to face appointment will be arranged. It will not be possible to book a face to face appointment for a later date and we have suspended online booking for the time being. For prescription requests and dropping in letters, please use the boxes provided at the doors to the surgery buildings. When dropping in a prescription, please write your usual Pharmacy on your request and your medication will be available for collection directly from them within 72 hours (we will send your prescription to them so that you do not need to collect it). We are trying to limit the number of people entering the surgery in order to try to protect you and your families and our team, so that we can continue to provide high standards of patient care.
We would like to reassure you that we are continually refining our plans for this outbreak and are working hard to minimise the impact on our services. We thank you for your understanding and help.
Welcome to GPS Healthcare
‘To provide high quality primary care services which improve the health and social care outcomes for the population of Solihull’
Changes to Prescription Ordering
Effective from the 1st September 2017 GPS Healthcare will no longer be able to accept prescription orders from Pharmacy’s. Prescriptions may only be ordered by Patients, their Carers or Relatives with our reception teams.
Over the last few years, many patients have allowed their Pharmacy to order their medication on their behalf, which has resulted in many medications being wasted as they were never needed or only needed occasionally .
We alongside other practices in Solihull and across Birmingham have decided to change this system. Our aim is to save NHS resources be eliminating this medicines waste.
Cervical Smear Information
Due to a national shortage of cervical smear pots, waiting list are in operation at each of our surgeries for Smear testing. This is to ensure everyone is seen with minimal waiting time when we have the pots in stock.
If you have received your reminder letter please call our reception team to book an appointment or join the waiting list. This is imperative so you are seen as soon as possible for your cervical smear!
Patient SurveyWe are delighted to announce that our 2019 Patient survey is now Closed! We are collating the results and these will be released soon.
Thank you to all who took part, your voice is essential in ensuring we achieve out best practice. |
| Friends and Family TestPlease see our Yearly Summary (April 18-Mar19) of our friends and family results Please take a moment to fill out the friends and family survey to let us know how we're doing  |
|
|
Patient Participation Group (PPG)
At GPS Healthcare we are fortunate to have a very active and engaged Patient Participation Groups across all 6 of our sites. The groups meet a few times a year to discuss the services provided, current developments within the practice and the local health community. We try to ensure that the group is representative of the practice population and would encourage people of all ages and ethnicities to join the group. We welcome feedback from all patients irrespective of whether they join the PPG. If you would like to be involved, please contact the reception team at your local practice or alternatively view the PPG information board at your local practice.
Practice Newsletter
Please see our latest Patient Newsletter for Winter 2020! CLICK HERE!
Collaboration between Tanworth Lane and Village surgeries
Please read the Patient Newsletter for more information about the increased collaboration between Tanworth Lane and Village surgeries.
Follow us on Twitter
Practice Leaflet
Click here to register for our online services - Online Booking
(Site updated 16/03/2020)
For appointments and prescriptions please use the
Online Services link above. Alternatively, just click
here.