Welcome to the first post. It will be a long one as it contains information that you will normally get in a newsletter and will in future be able to get by logging in to the site. You can have a look around at the site though you won’t be able to log in and visit other pages just yet. Ed’s patience with my technophobia has been immeasurable and only his threat to withdraw hosting the page has prompted me to try again! The blog/website is intended to be a community resource, the idea being that you will be able to upload information that you have found useful for the benefit of other doctors. Like all infants, I am sure it will have its tantrums and teething problems, but I hope it will be endearing for all that! Please send anything that you would like to see included to me or to Ed Penman.
Don’t forget the meeting on Wednesday evening (you can also see meetings link for details of where and when). This is at the Shrewsbury Club on Sundorne Road, SY1 4RG. We are going to be discussing the new Shropdoc service using UCPs amongst other things. Come along at 6:30 for supper and networking and find out what Shropdoc can offer you in terms of continuing professional development and find out why and if you should work for the organisation. Julia Visick is presenting from 7:30pm and there will be an opportunity beforehand to talk about future developments in the Soapbox Session beforehand.
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and o give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.
” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Oh for a little advancement, and not just the sort that moves towards the brick wall. I cant remember who coined the phrase “get an attitude on gratitude!”, however it is good to remember and acknowledge personal gratitude from time to time. Here is some of mine:
- Thank you for your patience. The time challenges of a full time portfolio career have meant that the newsletter has been like atrial fibrillation, “regularly irregular”. The Blog/Website will help (thanks Ed!)
- Thank you to the many anonymous doctors who have fed back to their appraisers that the SSGPN is invaluable in keeping you up to date, or sane, or both!
- There are now 160 doctors on the email list however, I know that there are many out there that I have not yet learnt about and thank you to those of you who are spreading the word and telling me about potential interest.
- Several of you have volunteered support over the years but have time pressures of your own and have not been able to continue. Please keep the feedback coming as well as the offers to help the Shropshire Sessional GP Community play its increasingly important role in the local workforce.
- Thank you to those who have supported us over the past three years with voluntary donations. Funding from Shropshire CCG supported our monthly meetings until recently and so we have replaced voluntary donations with a membership scheme. Whilst the annual fee is deliberately low, we know that many of you are in negative equity in an attempt to stay in the workplace, so just let us know, as we do not wish to exclude anyone on grounds of affordability.
- Thank you to Dr Fintan Last who is our Treasurer and who has set up an online payment system to make life easier.
Round Up of Events and News
Tree-planting days are taking place. The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) are working in partnership with the Shropshire Wildlife Trust to plant 2,000 trees at the Princess Royal Hospital and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on the following dates:
- Wednesday 22 March 2017: Princess Royal Hospital, Telford
- Thursday 23 March 2017: Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
If you can spare a few hours or a full day to get involved, please book your place using the contact the Volunteer Office at SaTH on 01743 261473 or email members@sath.nhs.uk. This is a free event, open to all aged 16 and over.
REMINDER: Urgent ophthalmology services
There has been some confusion over recent weeks with the categorisation of “urgent” referrals for ophthalmology and where these should be directed. Please note the pathways below:
- 48 hours – Urgent Eye Clinic (UEC) is for emergency referrals to be seen within 48 hours and is via telephone triage.
- Within two weeks – Urgent referrals to be seen within two weeks should come through the normal referral pathway via the booking centre- if there is any doubt a telephone call should be made to UEC to discuss. Please note that for Glaucoma and General Ophthalmology these need to be processed to The Practice and not to SaTH.
- Urgent Medical Retina (WET AMD) – should be sent via the rapid access fax – Secretaries (261680).
General ophthalmology referrals are being triaged by RAS and TRAQs too:
15 March 2017 – Contraception in Primary Care
Shropshire Education and Conference Centre, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, SY3 8XQ 12pm – 4.15pm
Further information is available on the educational calendar
15 March 2017 – ENT in primary care
GP evening education meeting
Speaker: Dr Jennie Bailey
Severn Fields Health Village, Sundorne Road, Shrewsbury, SY1 4RQ
Wednesday 15 March 2017, 6.30pm buffet, 7.15pm meeting
To book a place: email sctw.education@nhs.net
18 March 2017 – Shropshire Women Doctors’ Coffee Morning
Trinity Centre, Meole Brace Church, SY3 9HF
Saturday 18 March 2017, 10am – 12pm
Open to all female doctors working in Shropshire, so come along and network with peers from primary and secondary care
This time consultants from SaTH talks about ‘How did I get here?’ If you have used the creche before and were thinking of using it again, please check with Debs as it is not mentioned in the poster!
18 March 2017 – Travel Health Study Day
Travel Medicine Symposium: Providing a travel medicine service in 2017. Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 66-68 East Smithfield, London, E1W 1AW
Saturday Further information is available on the educational calendar
20 March – Inhaler workshop
10am-12pm at Louise House, Shrewsbury
If, like me, you have forgotten all the nuances for the different inhaler types, or perhaps you have never known them, then this practical workshop, led by Community Respiratory Nurses, looking at correct techniques for inhalers and spacers could be for you! To book a place please e-mail: Catherine.chaplin@shropcom.nhs.uk. Take your own lunch
22 March 2017 – Diabetic foot conference
Shropshire Education and Conference Centre (SECC), Royal Shrewsbury Hospital from 1.30pm-4.30pm
Open to all staff treating diabetic foot ulcers with talks by Mr Chris Marquis, Miss Merriman and Dr Moulik
Further information is available on the educational calendar
22nd March 2017 – in Shrewsbury
An event for Veterans with potential or actual health needs
6 April 2017 – GP workforce development workshop
The workshop aims to showcase new roles such as Physician Associates, Urgent Care Practitioners, Clinical Pharmacists, Care Navigators as well as promoting Apprenticeship and Advanced Nurse Practitioners. I am told that the reason that sessional GPs are not represented is that their pot of money comes from elsewhere.
Shrewsbury Football Ground at 12.30pm
Further information is available on the educational calendar
6 April 2017 – MSK Skills Day
On 6 April 2017 Dr Louise Warburton and Olivia Barker (Nuffield Health) will be hosting a day of GP educational focused on MSK Skills. This day has been especially designed for the GPs of the Telford area and will feature lectures and interactive workshops from some of the leading Orthopaedic Consultants in the area. The event will commence at 9am at The Telford Whitehouse Hotel, Watling Street, Telford, TF1 2NJ – refreshments will be served throughout the day and there will also be Nuffield Health Physio’s on hand to deliver complimentary neck & shoulder massages throughout the day.
The agenda for this day was not attached so watch this space if you would like to attend. It is highly recommended for the 1:3 consultation (1:5 quoted by some sources) of MSK consultations. If you would like to register for this interactive education day, day then please contact Olivia Barker.
26 April 2017 – Sepsis and microbiology update
GP evening education meeting
Speakers: Dr Ian Tanswell and Dr Graham Harvey
Severn Fields Health Village, Sundorne Road, Shrewsbury, SY1 4RQ
6.30pm buffet, 7.15pm meeting
To book a place: email sctw.education@nhs.net
2 and 16 May 2017 – Advance Care Planning in Non-Malignant Conditions, Sharing Practice Conference
Two-day conference, provided by the Joint Training team and funded by Health Education West Midlands.
Shrewsbury Training and Development Centre, 5 Racecourse Crescent, Shrewsbury SY2 5BP
Day 1 – Tuesday 2 May 2017, 9.30am – 4.30pm
Day 2 – Tuesday 16 May 2017, 9.30am – 4.30pm
Further information is available on the educational calendar
17th May – Respiratory Interest Group (RIG) meeting
6.15pm – 8.30pm at the Ramada Hotel, Telford, TF3 4NA (Junction 5 M54)
Topic is Interstitial Lung Disease. The meeting is led by Geraldine Burge, one of the Clinical Nurse Specialists and there will be a question and answer session with the Community Respiratory Team. The meeting is sponsored by drug companies and a meal will be available. To book a place please e-mail Catherine.chaplin@shropcom.nhs.uk
16-17 May – General Practice Leadership Development Programme
Keele Clinical Leadership Academy, Keele Hall, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG
Tuesday 16 May and Wednesday 17 May 2017 (and Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th October 2017)
Further information is available on the educational calendar
18 May 2017 – Dementia Conference
Changing Dementia Care Conference
Shropshire Education and Conference Centre, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Shrewsbury, SY3 8XQ
Thursday 18 May 2017, 8.45am – 4.30pm
Further information is available on the educational calendar
Friday 19th May The 5th annual GP update at RJAH, run by Dr Fiona Hay.
She has chosen the topic of dementia as this is a massive problem in primary care that is growing with an increasingly elderly population and a diminishing community service and NHS. Fiona wants to inspire you all to think laterally and consider other ways of improving your patients’journey other than completing a care plan. By attending this day you will be able to explore options that are simple, inexpensive, community based and will offer support when there appears to be none.
Here are some of the participants for that day:
Playlist for life – set up by journalist and broadcaster Sally Magnusson after the death of her mother.
Deb Alma – the Emergency Poet
Prof Jolley – talking about the award winning Gnosall Project
Heather Rodenhurst – Shropshire librarian discussing community outreach projects
Severn Hospice – how to start up CoCo volunteers, Mindfulness and why everyone benefits and advance care planning, how to have the chat.
Ann Johnson – Outreach Sister talking about young patients with dementia and Al’s café
and more…..
The final agenda will be released shortly but get the date in the diary and study leave booked, do come and be inspired!
Contact Dr Fiona Hay
23 May 2017 – Endocrinology
GP education evening meeting
Speaker: Dr Moulik
Severn Fields Health Village, Sundorne Road, Shrewsbury, SY1 4RQ Tuesday 23 May 2017, 6.30pm buffet, 7.15pm meeting
To book a place email sctw.education@nhs.net
6 June 2017 – Frailty
GP education evening meeting
Speaker: Dr Suzy Thompson
Severn Fields Health Village, Sundorne Road, Shrewsbury, SY1 4RQ
6.30pm buffet, 7.15pm meeting
To book a place: email sctw.education@nhs.net
Updates from the Inbox
I have put a link to Healthwatch which is a nationwide independent consumer champion of health and social care. It aims to give people a voice in the development of their local services and ensure that people’s voices are heard when commissioning services. Feedback into the organisation is essential and they are able to investigate independently of other organisations such as CQC. To get a feel for what they do, have a look at the report from December 2016 on A&E services at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital which can be read in conjunction with the report on the Urgent Care Centre, or on the access to GP appointments in 2015.
Back pain – the most amazing link – keep watching to see how removing limiting beliefs is the difference that makes the difference
When you have worn yourself out trying to explain to the 99% of patients with back pain that there is nothing seriously wrong with their backs (see the above link), you may well experience the symptoms of ‘burnout.
Dr Kate Little has set up a blog about this topic and it makes fascinating reading. Dr Clare Gerada and the Hurley Group (one of a handful of GP practices with over 100 000 patients registered has set up what she calls the “GP Health Service” (am I the only one who gets irritated by the suggestion that any doctors’ illness must be a mental health issue?). They are keen to link up with any doctor with mental health issues from depression to addiction and there are services available around the country. There is a new Balint Group starting up in March, facilitated by Tammy Ratoff who is a trained psychotherapist from a background of psychiatric social work and she is also an organisational consultant. She has run other courses on behalf of T&W CCG and they have been well received. If you want to know more about Balint Groups let me know and I will put you in touch with someone who belongs to one locally, so you can find out more. The flyer for the new Balint Group is attached to the email, meetings are in Lightmoor on Monday evenings starting at 7:30pm and if you want to know more, email tammyratoff@gmail.com
Chronic Pain and SIRPA
Once your energy levels are back up you may wonder how to help people presenting with chronic pain and Georgie Oldfield, a trained physiotherapist, has worked with Dr John Sarno, who was the Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at the New York University Medical School. He noted the association of chronic pain with other medically unexplained symptoms and started to develop an approach to treating patients with what he termed Tension Myoneural Syndrome (TMS). Georgie has taken the work of John Sarno further and the SIRPA Pain Recovery Programme is a result of this. There is a high level conference at the Royal Society of Medicine on 15th October 2017 and it looks like good value for money. For more information visit www.sirpauk.com
BMA Survey of Sessional GPs – a message from Deb Shepherd
Deb has put a link on the Shropshire Sessional GP Network Facebook page. She says “there is virtually no data on the size, or composition of the sessional workforce, and therefore planning and other major decisions disregard us and our potential contribution. Please take 5 minutes to complete the survey so that the BMA can lobby on our behalf”.
I have had a go at filling in the online survey and typically it is not a “one size fits all” and my method of working doesn’t fit the tick boxes! It would really help Zoe and the BMA get a feel for our situation if as many people as possible answer. Thanks all!
Locum Organiser has a useful blog which might be worth reading if you use one of the other billing organisations.
Finally the April SSGPN meeting is Mr Richard Foon talking about incontinence matters. It is the Easter Holidays and he is happy with that so I hope that as many as possible will be able to attend – please let me know if you can attend (or even if you can’t).
Enjoy!
Alison
Now I’ve managed to get logged in at last, I see there’s a great deal useful info & links here, well done Alison (&Ed)
A work in progress! It hopefully will develop into a really useful resource, and save Alison a lot of time, at least that’s the plan. And we’re also looking for contributors: if anyone would like to write a page about setting up as a locum for instance let us know.