BANK HOLIDAYS

 The practice will be closed on the following Bank Holidays In 2008

 25th August,          25th & 26th December

CARERS
Do you look after someone who is ill, frail, disabled or has a mental illness?

We are interested in identifying carers, especially those people who may be caring without help and support. 

We know that carers are often "hidden", looking after a family member or helping a friend or neighbour with day to day tasks, and may not see themselves as a carer.  Caring for someone is an important and valuable role in the community, which is often a 24 hour job that can be very demanding and isolating for the carer.  Carers should receive appropriate support by way of access to accurate information on a range of topics such as entitlement to benefits and respite care and not least, a listening ear when things get too much.

If you are a carer please ask at reception for a carers form which you can complete, to let us know about your caring responsibilities.

Useful contact telephone numbers:-

 Social Services on 0845 053 0009           Social Services Out of Hours Emergency Duty Team  0845 602 1043

 Carers Contact on 704604                     Young Carers 835728                    

Carers Contact at CVS (Fax) 835908   Minority Ethnic Carers Development Workers  01254 387444

Age Concern  427222                                Welfare Rights  470570                 

Visit the Carers contact website at www.bprcvs.co.uk/cc to download up to date newsletters.

REFFERAL INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS
When we refer patients to other services the referral is administered by the local NHS in a referral management centre. This referral management centre is responsible for allocating your referral to other services and normally sees full information about the referral, including any confidential information. If your GP is referring you to other services and you feel there is any information you wish to withhold from the referral management centre please inform your GP as soon as possible.
If you do not receive confirmation of your appointment within two weeks,please contact the referral management centre on 0845 053 9078
PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU CONFIRM WITH OUR RECEPTION THAT WE HOLD YOUR CORRECT NAME,ADDRESS & TELEPHONE NUMBER.

Changes in Out of Hours Arrangements With effect from 1st October 2004, Burnley, Pendle & Rossendale PCT will be responsible for the provision of the out of hours service. If you feel you have an urgent medical problem whilst the surgery is closed, and this cannot wait until we open, you should ring 08452 26 26 26.
After answering basic details, you will speak to a nurse who will be able to assess your medical needs and direct you to the person and place most appropriate to meet your requirements.
If you need health information and emergency dental treatment, call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

Our Relocation to The St. Peter's Centre. The move to our new premises at the St. Peter's Centre went very smoothly and we are settling in well now.The surgery has a lot more consulting rooms and extra space for everyone. We are on the second floor which is just one level up from the main reception area on the first floor.You can go up the travelator to the first floor then into the blue lift to level two. We now also have a drop off box for prescriptions which is allocated on the side wall of the pharmacy just inside the main entrance, next to the travelator.

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MINOR AILMENT SCHEME

This is a scheme that enables the you  to access your local community pharmacy for a number of conditions including nappy rash,teething pains,threadworms and sore throats amongst many others.This means that you do not need to come to the doctors for an appointment but when you are complete with a passbook you can access your local pharmacist for expert professional medical advice.

For more information please contact the surgery on your next visit.

PATIENT SELF CHECK-IN

On your future visits to the surgery you can now check yourself in at our touch screen self check in monitor.This enables you to let the doctor  or nurse know you have arrived for your appointment without having to wait behind a long queue at the reception desk or when the receptionist is occupied on the telephone.

WHAT'S COMING UP 

A new development for the future is access to the appointment system on line.This will enable you to make your own appointments on line via the  internet.This is not up and running yet but I will let you know as soon as it is. This has now been piloted, and anybody interested in being able to book appointment on line, should contact our IT Manager, Gill Drake.

NEW ADDITION TO THE PRACTICE

We would all like to take this opportunity to welcome our new partner Dr Aslam to the Practice. He  joined the Practice on 1/8/08 and replaced Dr Arif who left us in June this year.He is newly qualified and is Burnley born and bred and  we would like to wish him a long and happy stay with us.

PATIENT ADVICE AND LIAISON SERVICE (PALS)

What is PALS?

The patient Advice and Liaison Service helps patients, their families and carers through the healthcare system.They work with healthcare staff to solve your problems and concerns.

What does PALS do?

The PALS officers listen to a wide range of patient queries, concerns and comments.They help to point you in the right direction if you need more specialised services.They work with NHS staff to make the system work better for patients.

If you have any concerns comments or suggestions you can contact PALS by :

Writing:         FREEPOST,RRJY-ASBJ-AKTA,East Lancs PCT-PALS,Nelson BB9 5SZ

Calling:         0845 6031 068

Text line:   0788 4180 309

Email :       PALS@eastlancspct.nhs.uk

Website: www.eastlancspct.nhs.uk