NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

Welcome to our practice newsletter, in which we aim to keep you up to date with developments in the practice. Below you will find a series of articles from our present and past newsletters which deal with practice services in more detail.

Appointments (2011)

As a practice that runs an appointment system, we are acutely aware of the need for such a system to run well. We are constantly trying to do just this, and we regularly make changes to our appointment structure. Unfortunately, some delays are inevitable in medical practice, but please rest assured that we are trying to minimize them and that we are very conscious of when they occur.

  

You can help us help yourselves in a few ways...

Please ring in advance for non-urgent appointments where possible.
For urgent problems, we will make every effort to see you on the day.  In late 2010 we introduced a Rapid Access Clinic for urgent appointments. Every effort will be made to see you on the day, however it may be with whichever doctor is available rather than the one of your choice. To make this run smoothly for all, we will be unable to deal with non-urgent issues in these consultations.
Please notify the receptionist at the time of booking the appointment if you are requesting a special service e.g. vaccination, maternity, travel clinic etc.
If you have a list of problems, consider writing them down, and let the doctor or nurse know at the start of the consultation. We will try but may not get through them in one day!

 

If you are ringing for advice, please remember that a request for an “urgent” call back takes the doctor away from seeing patients in the surgery.
If you cannot attend for your appointment, please let us know so that it may be offered to someone else

 

Louth Access Award (2010)

The awards aim to recognise best practice in accessible service provision in businesses throughout the county and is supported by People with Disabilities in Ireland and Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland. We are honoured and delighted to have won the inaugural ward in the category of medical practices, and thank members of the public who voted for us.

Nursing Award (2008)

Everyone in the practice would like to congratulate Joan Pentony who has received the Excellence in Practice Award 2007 from the Irish Practice Nurses Association.
This is is a great honour for Joan reflecting both her experience and the continuing development of her role in the practice.

also feel it recognises the support and skills of both her nursing colleagues and our office staff working behind the scenes.

 

 

Well People Checks (updated 2007)

As a practice, we subscribe to the idea of prevention being better than cure.This isn't always possible, but there is a lot that can be done to help.Our nurses are already offering a simple well woman check which includes a check of blood pressure and cholesterol level, as well as cervical smear and breast examination. We also look at lifestyle factors as there is plenty that you can do to help yourself!

 

The practice has more recently introduced a well man check, with a focus on prevention of heart attack and stroke. Details of this are available from any member of the practice or on our practice notice-board.

 

 

Training for General Practice (updated Summer 2011)
This may seem an unusual topic for a patient newsletter, but the doctors in Wheaton Hall are very pleased to be involved in training. We feel that it is helpful for tomorrow's doctors to experience general practice here, and we hope that the training which takes place here will encourage the maintenance of high standards.

  

We are involved in teaching in 2 ways. Some of you may already have met one of our visiting medical students from Trinity College, Dublin. These students are near the end of their training to be a doctor and come to us for a week to observe and learn. They will usually be sitting in with your doctor and you should always be notified of their presence.

  

More recently we have been appointed to be one of the training practices in the North East region. In this capacity, the practice will be welcoming doctors who are already extremely well qualified and who are completing their transition from hospital medicine to general practice. Each of these doctors will join us for 1 year as a fully fledged member of the practice team. Our first registrar was Dr. Aoiveen Matthews who worked with us for 1 year from July 1st 2003, and who was well liked and respected by all. Our registrar for 2011-12 is Dr. Susan O'Shea

 

 

Diabetes (updated 2007)

In previous editions of this newsletter, we have highlighted our plans to set up a specialist clinic for our diabetic patients. This clinic has now been in effect since the start of 2003.

  

Why did we want this clinic?

Best treatment of diabetes has been shown to significantly reduce the possibility of serious complications. Poorly controlled diabetics have a higher risk of suffering from heart attacks, visual problems, kidney failure and foot problems. However, people who suffer from diabetes can live a healthy life and minimise the chance of falling victim to these illnesses.

Our aim is that all diabetic patients of the practice will initially be offered a comprehensive assessment twice a year. This will look at all aspects of care including not just their medical treatment, but also lifestyle advice and other preventative care.

  

We hope that all our diabetic patients are being offered a clinic appointment regularly. If you or your relation are a diabetic patient of this practice and have not yet been contacted, please talk to your doctor or nurse about this.