THE TRAINING PRACTICE

We have, sadly, said goodbye to our Registrar, Dr Joanne Inkson, who has moved on to her next placement but we welcome Dr Gail Barclay who began her time with us in February and will be with us for a year. Dr Barclay is familiar with both the Practice and the area since, until very recently, she resided in Culloden. No doubt over the next few months patients will get to know her.

As a Training Practice, all of our GPs are involved in the education of new GPs. Each year we take on a Registrar GP who works with the Practice for either six months or a year. These people are qualified Doctors who are considering moving into General Practice as a career.

We also take in, from time to time, Medical students who sit in with our Doctors and learn about General Practice. These students are usually in their third or fourth year of medical school.

Although being a Training Practice involves more work for the Partners and Staff it brings huge benefits. It keeps a Practice fresh and motivated as all of the staff are involved in the education and training of new GPs. Registrars, usually coming to us from the hospital setting, bring new and innovative ideas into the Practice and keep us on our toes.

Every three years Training Practices are inspected by a group of assessors to ensure that they are offering a quality service to both the patients and the trainees. The Surgery has just undergone its latest Training and Practice Accreditation visit and passed all areas without any problems.

Other Community Services

The Practice offers Community Psychiatric Nursing appointments with Mr Sam Smith and Mrs Angela MacLeod. Your GP can refer you to these services if appropriate.

Mrs Lorraine Geddes offers a Physiotherapy Service at the Surgery. Again GP referrals are made to this service.

Lastly, but by no means least, is the Community District Nursing Service. We have a team of Community Nursing Staff who are based at the Culloden Clinic and visit a number of our patients in their own homes.

If you would like further details about any of the services offered at the Practice please contact the Surgery.

REACT

Some of our patients will have heard of REACT. This is a locally devised system of training and education for people working in the medical profession. On one afternoon per month, GP practices are closed in order that staff can receive up to date training on subjects relating to their day to day practice.

During these afternoons NESSDOC provides emergency cover. However, for patients a little bit of forward planning can help. If you are aware, for example, that you need repeat medication it is useful to order in advance if you know that we will be closed on certain days. So, to provide notice, REACT sessions will be delivered in Inverness this year on:

30^th April 27^th May 25^th June 26^th August

24^th September 28^th October 26^th November

All town Practices will be closed on these days from 1.30pm onwards. Therefore, on these afternoons Surgeries will not be open for appointments, repeat medication orders, advice or results. Emergencies can be dealt with by NESSDOC.

Help us to help you….

A new way of ordering repeat prescriptions…..

To try and free up the Surgery phone for urgent calls and appointments and to ensure patient safety we are introducing a new and easier way to order your repeat prescriptions.

The next time you get a repeat prescription, a request slip will be attached to the prescription. This slip lists the medicines you can order on repeat prescription.

From 1^st May 2003

Use this slip to order your repeat prescriptions instead of telephoning the Surgery.

From the list on the request slip decide which medicines you need this time.

Tick the box next to the name of each medicine you need.

If you wish your prescription to go to a chemist or be collected please ensure that this information is recorded on the request slip.

Hand the request slip in to the Surgery, by hand or by post.

Allow 2 working days for the Surgery to produce the prescription.

Collect your prescription from the Surgery or the chemist along with your request slip for the next time.

Help us to help you….

Think in advance Only order the medicines you need

Order your medicines one week before you need them. Never run out of medicines.

The request slip lists the medicines which you can order on repeat prescription without needing to see your doctor each time.

If there is a medicine listed on the request slip that you no longer take please tell the Surgery.

The Practice Nursing Service

Sister Tracy Moore

Sister Tracy Moore joined the Practice in the summer of last year, following work as a Practice Nurse in various town clinics. She offers a range of Nurse Led Clinics including Well Woman and Well Man, Asthma, Diabetes, Blood Pressure Monitoring, Blood testing, and Travel Advice.

Sister Moore also undertakes routine vaccinations. One of the clinics she runs is the Meningococcal Group C clinic and if you are aged between 16 and 24 years of age and you have not yet received the Meningococcal Group C vaccine you could telephone the Surgery and make an appointment to see Sister Moore.

This vaccine is now being targeted at both young children and those aged 16 –24. Young People within the age group 16 – 24 are often at a time in their lives when they are about to embark on Higher Education, a new job, new living arrangements, new friends and relationships. The need for a good diet, early nights and healthy living does not always come high on their list of priorities. It is, therefore, very important that they do not fall prey to new infections. Meningococcal Group C can be a very serious and potentially fatal illness. But a vaccine can be provided to reduce the risks of infection.

If you would like further information please contact the Surgery.

The Health Visiting Service

Mrs Pam Gasking

During her Wednesday clinic held here at the Surgery, our Health Visitor Mrs Pam Gasking, delivers a range of developmental checks, provides general advice and offers immunisations to children and young people.

This time of year is particularly busy as Mrs Gasking begins to see all the children who are about to start school. Between the ages of four and five years your child will be invited to see Mrs Gasking for his/her pre-school developmental check up. If you have not already received an invitation please telephone the Surgery for an appointment to see the Health Visitor.