Wychwood Surgery

Dear patient

We have been asked to share the following important information with you.

This practice is supporting vital health and care planning and research by sharing your data with NHS Digital. For more information about this see the GP Practice Privacy Notice for General Practice Data for Planning and Research." =

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research

This collection will start on 1 July 2021

If you do not want your data to be shared with NHS Digital please register your Type 1 Opt-out with your GP practice by 23 June 2021.

What data is shared:

Data may be shared from the GP medical records about:

- any living patient registered at a GP practice in England when the collection started - this includes children and adults

- any patient who died after 1 July 2021, and was previously registered at a GP practice in England when the data collection started

NHS Digital will not collect patients’ names or addresses. Any other data that could directly identify patients (such as NHS Number, date of birth, full postcode) is replaced with unique codes which are produced by de-identification software before the data is shared with NHS Digital.

This process is called pseudonymisation and means that patients will not be identified directly in the data. NHS Digital will be able to use the software to convert the unique codes back to data that could directly identify patients in certain circumstances, and where there is a valid legal reason.

If you would prefer that your identifiable patient data is only shared for your own health care purposes, you can opt-out by registering a Type 1 Opt-out or a National Data Opt-out, or both.

These opt-outs are different and they are explained in more detail below. Your individual care will not be affected if you opt-out using either option (or both, because data about your health held by other healthcare providers, such as hospitals, may also be shared with NHSD by them).

A Type 1 opt out has to be registered by your Practice; please let us know if you want to register a type 1 opt out.

A National Opt out can be done without contacting your practice, at https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/ or via the NHS Digital Contact Centre: 0300 303 5678 – Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).

Type 1 Opt-out (opting out of NHS Digital collecting your data)

NHSD will not collect data from GP practices about patients who have registered a Type 1 Opt-out with their practice. More information about Type 1 Opt-outs is in the GP Data for Planning and Research Transparency Notice, including a form that you can complete and send to your GP practice.

This collection will start on 1 July 2021 so if you do not want your data to be shared with NHS Digital, please register your Type 1 Opt-out with your GP practice by 23 June 2021. If you register a Type 1 Opt out after this collection has started, no more of your data will be shared with NHSD. They will however still hold the patient data which was shared before you registered the Type 1 Opt-out.

If you don’t mind the NHS making use of your data for planning and research, but object to sharing of it with other organisations, then you only need the 2nd type of opt out:

National Data Opt-out (opting out of NHS Digital sharing your data with other organizations)

NHSD will still collect data from GP medical records about patients who have registered a National Data Opt-out. The National Data Opt-out applies to identifiable patient data about your health, which is called confidential patient information.

This opt out means NHS Digital won’t share any confidential patient information about you - this includes GP data, or other info, such as hospital data - with other organisations, unless there is an exemption.

To find out more information or register your National Opt-out, follow the link below or call the NHS Digital Contact Centre: 0300 303 5678 – Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-collections/general-practice-data-for-planning-and-research/transparency-notice

National Booking System (NBS) appointments at Chipping Norton Health Centre for eligible 1^st dose Covid vaccination patients.

Next week's NBS Clinics will be made live today 12/05/2021 at 7pm for eligible patients from Groups 1-10. As demand is likely to be high for these appointments and the general public can book into them from anywhere in the country they are likely to be booked very quickly. Please note you will also have to book your 2^nd dose appointment at the same time.  Also note that you will need a booking reference number when you attend your appointment, otherwise you are likely to be turned away.

Please do not contact the practice about these clinics as we are not able to book patients into the National Booking System nor do we have any access to this system.

Update on latest Covid Vaccination Campaign Strategy

You may have seen the news about different variants of coronavirus circulating in some parts of the country.

It is important that we quickly respond to this. That is why, in line with government and JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) guidance, we are bringing forward when people who are at greater risk of getting seriously ill from coronavirus, get their second dose of the vaccine, if they haven’t already had it.

If you are in a higher risk group it will ensure you can get maximum protection from the virus earlier.

If you are in a higher risk group, you will be contacted with information on how you can book an earlier appointment. Please be assured we will be in touch as quickly as possible, so there is no need to contact the practice about this.

We would also strongly encourage everyone who is eligible to come forward to book their vaccination appointments – whether first or second dose - when we contact you.

You can find more information about the COVID-19 vaccination programme  Book a coronavirus vaccination - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Second Dose Vaccine

The current guidance from Public Health England is that anyone aged 40 and over who has already had a first dose of an approved vaccine (Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna) should be given the same vaccine at their second dose appointment, unless there are exceptional clinical circumstances which include a serious anaphylactic allergic reaction to a first dose or an extremely rare blood clotting condition.

If you have not experienced any serious clinical reactions following your first dose of vaccine, you will be given the same vaccine when you attend your second appointment. Please do not ask for an alternative vaccine as we cannot offer it.

You need to have the two doses of a vaccine to give you longer lasting protection. Please take up your second dose vaccination when you are offered it.

You can find more information about who is currently eligible for vaccination and details of the approved vaccines  Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

The following clinics will go live at 6pm Thursday, 21^st May

Wednesday 26th May 

•  18:00 - 21:00 
• 210 appointments 

Thursday 27th May

• 18:00 - 21:00
• 210 appointments

As you may have seen in the media, there have been reports of an extremely rare adverse event of blood clots and low platelet count following the first dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 Vaccine in a small number of patients. 

After consideration by the MHRA and JCVI, amended guidance has been issued.

The JVCI now advises that it is preferable for adults under 30 years of age without underlying health conditions to be offered an alternative vaccine as a precautionary measure, if available.  Individuals may make an informed choice to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to receive earlier protection. 

Therefore, as a precautionary measure, these patients will be offered an alternative vaccine (i.e., the Pfizer BioNTech), which should be made available shortly.  If an appointment is currently booked for the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine, then this will be cancelled.

All other patients, including those under 30 who have already had an AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccination, are unaffected.  This means that this amended guidance is only likely to currently affect a small number of patients until we reach the stage where those under 30 years old, as a general cohort, are vaccinated later in the spring/summer.  

We are pleased to be able to say that we have offered a first vaccination to nearly all our patients in Groups 1-9. If you are a patient in these Groups and have not received an invitation for vaccination please contact the surgery by emailing Vanessa.newman@nhs.net as soon as possible. If you are unable to email then please contact reception on the usual surgery phone line. Please note that the preferred method of contact us about Covid vaccinations is Vanessa.newman@nhs.net

We are also offering vaccinations to household members of those who are immunosuppressed due to medication or diagnosis. If you think you fall into the immunosuppressed category and you have household members who are 16 or over who have not yet been vaccinated please contact Vanessa.newman@nhs.net and we will look into whether your household members qualify or not. Please note household members must share the same address as the immunosuppressed patient and may be asked to prove this. The immunosuppressed individual must give consent for household members to be contacted in the first instance, again please contact Vanessa.newman@nhs.net for further information.

If you are an informal carer for a relative or friend who relies on you and cannot cope without your “caring” and you have not yet been vaccinated please contact Vanessa.newman@nhs.net giving full details and we will look into this matter further.

2nd dose vaccinations – we are currently well into the programme of 2nd dose vaccinations and if you or a relative reaches 11 weeks since your 1st dose vaccination without being offered an appointment then please contact Vanessa.newman@nhs.net and we will look into this matter urgently.

Please remember that your 2nd dose vaccination should be at the same venue as your 1st dose wherever possible and it must be of the same vaccine.

If you are > 65 years old or 18-64 years old and are considered “at risk” please contact reception on 01993 831061 to book an appointment for your flu immunisation.

For further information on who should have the flu vaccine please go to https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/ or contact the surgery.

Patients in the 50-64 years old age group can book an appointment for their flu immunisation from 14^th December 2020.  Please contact reception on 01993 831061 to book an appointment.  Do not turn up at the surgery unless you have booked a prior appointment.

Covid vaccincation 2nd dose health screen form to download.

With effect from Monday, 15^th June 2020 we are asking all patients, members of the public and contractors to wear face coverings before they enter the Wychwood Surgery premises, this will include those visiting Wychwood Pharmacy.  Face coverings will be required to be worn at all times during your visit unless you are advised otherwise by a member of the practice team.

Please bring your own face covering with you as the practice will not be able to supply these for you.

Very young children, disabled people, or those who have breathing difficulties and respiratory problems that may be exacerbated by wearing a face covering are exempted from this requirement.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our patients and volunteers for their patience during these difficult times. 

The Management team

tAs you will be aware Oxfordshire launched the new NHS 111 first service today. Now, people who need urgent clinical advice but aren’t in a life-threatening emergency are encouraged to contact NHS 111 first before attending their local Emergency Department.They will then be assessed and, if appropriate, booked into either the John Radcliffe or Horton General Hospital Emergency Department for treatment.For more information, visit the OUH NHS 111 First webpage.

For an update of the current grant, please click this.

Patients are reminded that currently all GP appointments will be triaged by a telephone consult with a GP &, if they think that you need to be seen face to face, you will be given an appointment. For some health matters or medication reviews, we may be able to help you over the telephone. 

If you need to speak to a GP, call the surgery between 08.15 & 17.00 & a receptionist will give you further instructions. Please note that the receptionist will ask for details of the nature of your call so that the GP can prioritise his/her calls.

This form of appointment is likely to be the norm for some months to come.

If you are unwell or have symptoms you are concerned about please do not hesitate to contact the surgery.  We are adhering to Social Distancing guidelines as required by the NHS and Public Health England and are trying to keep footfall in the surgery to a minimum. 

If you require a blood test or appointment with the nurse or Healthcare Assistant these appointments must also be prebooked by contacting reception. 

Help us prevent any outbreaks in your local area.

The app is now available for download at:

https://covid.joinzoe.com/

Please see below for stories and information that we would like to share with you and your residents regarding health and adult social care:

New coronavirus clinics to help patients across Oxfordshire:

https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/new-coronavirus-clinics-to-help-patients-across-oxfordshire/

Praise for Oxfordshire's inspirational care teams:

https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/praise-for-oxfordshires-inspirational-care-teams/

New hotline for diabetes patients during COVID-19

https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/news/article.aspx?id=1225

Health and well-being services affected during the coronavirus:

There are a range of well-being and health services that are affected during this period. If you need to find out about services such as: support to quit smoking, sexual health clinics and weight management sessions, please click here

Local information about services affected during the Coronavirus:

Updates about critical frontline services such as fire and rescue, waste collections, highways and children’s social care:

https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/coronavirus-information-from-the-government/

For information and updates about other services, please go to: https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/?h=1&all=1

We're all stuck inside and unable to do our usual routine. The NHS has put together a video for workouts that you can do yourself at home.

Check it out on: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/for-your-body/move-more/home-workout-videos/

Guides:

With patients' needs at the heart of everything we do, our website has been designed to make it easy for you to gain instant access to the information you need.

As well as specific practice details such as opening hours and how to register, you’ll find a wealth of useful pages covering a wide range of health issues along with links to other relevant medical organisations.

Telephone calls to the Surgery

Calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes in line with GDPR regulations.