Phoenix Surgery
Dunwich Drive
Toothill
Swindon
SN5 8SX
Tel: 01793 600 440

News:

Out of Hours
On weekdays between the hours of 6.30pm and 8.00am, and all day and night at the weekends and on bank holidays, services are commissioned by the Swindon Primary Care Trust. Please call 01793 541111. After assessment of your symptoms you may be invited to attend the Out of Hours Centre which is located in the Clover Unit at The Great Western Hospital.

Home Visits
If possible please try to telephone reception before 10am if you require a home visit. A doctor or nurse may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or indeed arrange a hospital attendance.

Cancelling Appointments
If you are unable to attend an appointment with one of the doctors or nurses, please telephone as soon as possible.

Announcements

01 Sep - 01 Oct
NHS Smokefree

Find out about all of the free NHS services available to support you as you go try to give up smoking.

01 Aug - 01 Oct
NHS Summer Health

Stay safe in the sun, including sunscreens, sunburn relief, heat exhaustion, eczema and moles. Summer holidays are great fun for children, but can bring risks. Find out more

01 Jul - 01 Oct
Change for Life

Would you like loads of tips and help to make changes for a healthier future? As part of Change4Life, you will receive tons of helpful information, recipes, tools, tips, and games for the kids.

Yahoo Health

Cholera kills 41 in Central African nation of Chad (AP)

AP - Health officials in Chad say an outbreak of cholera in the Central African nation has killed at least 41 people.

Can home cooking be hazardous to your health? (AP)

AP - Could your kitchen at home pass a restaurant inspection?

Botox maker to pay $600M to resolve investigation (AP)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Margaret Hamburg speaks to reporters during a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, Wednesday, Sep. 1, 2010, regarding a major settlement with a pharmaceutical company for False Claims Act and off-label marketing violations. Allergan Inc., the maker of wrinkle-smoothing Botox, has agreed to pay $600 million to settle a years long federal investigation into its marketing of the top-selling, botulin-based drug. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

AP - Allergan Inc., the maker of wrinkle-smoothing Botox, has agreed to pay $600 million to settle a yearslong federal investigation into its marketing of the top-selling, botulin-based drug.

New test seen as big advance in diagnosing TB (AP)

This undated photo released by Cepheid, shows a Cepheid Xpert MTB/RIF cartridge. The cartridge is part of a test that is a major advance in diagnosing tuberculosis and can reveal in less than two hours, with very high accuracy, whether someone has the disease and if it's resistant to the main drug for treating it. (AP Photo/Cepheid) NO SALES

AP - Scientists are reporting a major advance in diagnosing tuberculosis: A new test can reveal in less than two hours, with very high accuracy, whether someone has the disease and if it's resistant to the main drug for treating it.

Journal editors question sale of diet pill Meridia (AP)

AP - Editors of a top medical journal call Meridia "another flawed diet pill" and question whether it should stay on the market as a study shows it raises the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with heart problems.

Benefits seen for high-risk women in ovary removal (AP)

AP - Surgery to remove healthy ovaries gives a triple benefit to high-risk women: It lowers their threat of breast and ovarian cancer, and boosts their chances of living longer, new research suggests.

Study: Diet Drug Meridia May Boost Heart Risks (Time.com)

Time.com - A new study finds that some users of the weight-loss pill Meridia may have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke

For Bonobo Males, Mom Is the Best Wingman (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - To most human males, the thought of your mother anywhere near your sex life is probably horrifying. Not so for the bonobo, one of our closest primate relatives. A new study confirms that hanging out with mom boosts male bonobos' chances of getting intimate with a fertile female.

Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 3, 2010 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Parents Can Take Steps to Boost Kids' Health, Well-Being (HealthDay)

HealthDay - SATURDAY, Sept. 4 (HealthDay News) -- As children head back to school, parents can help make sure their little ones stay healthy and happy all year, an expert suggests.

MedPage Today

Washington Week: Insurance, State Actions Top News

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- Several studies highlighting insurance issues were released this week, including one on federal programs for kids and two others focused on employer-provided medical coverage.

FDA Approves New Eye Pressure Drop Formulation

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- The FDA approved a new formulation of the drug bimatoprost (Lumigan) in a 0.01% solution as a first-line treatment to reduce elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Kids on HAART Would Benefit from Revaccinations (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Children with HIV who received standard childhood immunizations before starting on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) could benefit from revaccination, a review suggests.

New Guidelines Out for Pneumococcal Vaccine (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Adults with asthma and those who smoke should receive the 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine to prevent pneumococcal disease, according to new recommendations from the CDC.

OSHA Should Dictate Residents' Hours, Group Says

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- The consumer group Public Citizen is urging the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to regulate the work hours of resident physicians.

Four Factors Increase Risk of Opioid Dependence (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- A combination of four factors appears to significantly increase the risk of opioid dependence among patients taking prescription painkillers, researchers have found.

Low IgG Poses Infection Risk With Rituximab (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Certain subgroups of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, particularly those who have low levels of IgG, are at risk for severe infections when treated with rituximab, French investigators found.

ESC: Stockholm Take Home Message -- Watch the 'Not' Warfarins

STOCKHOLM (MedPage Today) -- An investigational antiplatelet -- ticagrelor (Brilinta) -- emerged as a big winner from the five-day long European Society of Cardiology congress, but the buzz here focused instead on a trio of investigational oral anticoagulants -- dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban.

Admitting Clinical Errors Not Always Best Policy

(MedPage Today) -- Wide-scale disclosure of clinical errors seems intuitively to be the ethical choice for hospitals and physicians, but researchers from the University of Washington suggest that disclosure should be decided on a case-by-case basis rather than a one-size-fits-all solution

PTSD May Be Risk Factor for Dementia (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Older veterans with a history of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at increased risk for developing dementia, even if they had not been wounded in battle, researchers found.

WHO Swine Flu

Influenza - update 115

Worldwide, H1N1 2009 virus transmission remains most intense in parts of India and in parts of the temperate southern hemisphere, particularly New Zealand and more recently in Australia.

Influenza - update 114

The situation in New Zealand and India remains largely unchanged since the last update. Influenza H1N1 (2009) virus transmission remains locally intense in parts of India and New Zealand.

Influenza - update 113

Influenza H1N1 (2009) virus transmission remains locally intense in parts of India and New Zealand.

Director-General statement following the ninth meeting of the Emergency Committee

The Emergency Committee held its ninth meeting by teleconference on 10 August 2010.

WHO recommendations for the post-pandemic period

The world is now in the post-pandemic period. Based on knowledge about past pandemics, the H1N1 (2009) virus is expected to continue to circulate as a seasonal virus for some years to come. While the level of concern is now greatly diminished, vigilance on the part of national health authorities remains important. Such vigilance is especially critical in the immediate post-pandemic period, when the behaviour of the H1N1 (2009) virus as a seasonal virus cannot be reliably predicted.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 112

As of 1 August 2010, worldwide more than 214 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 18449 deaths.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 111

As of 25 July 2010, worldwide more than 214 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 18398 deaths.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 110

As of 18 July 2010, worldwide more than 214 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 18366 deaths.

Monitoring patterns and levels of worldwide activity

As part of regular monitoring of H1N1 pandemic influenza, the WHO is in close dialogue with public health experts in countries worldwide, specifically to determine whether H1N1 activity has returned to levels and patterns normally seen for seasonal flu.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 109

As of 12 July, worldwide more than 214 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 18337deaths.

Latest Practice News

NURSE TRIAGE SERVICE. In order to improve our service to patients we shall be trialing a Telephone Triage Service with effect from 2^nd August 2010.
Patients calling for telephone advice or for an emergency appointment may find that their call is passed to a nurse who has been trained in telephone triage and minor illness. The nurse will assess the care that is needed and, where required, will make arrangements for the patient to be seen by either a nurse or doctor within an appropriate timescale.
We are hopeful that patients will find that this new system speeds up access to appropriate medical attention but will be monitoring its performance closely over the next month or two.
NEW APPOINTMENT SCHEME. We have recently changed our appointment structure with the aim of improving overall availability and avoiding the early morning rush that many patients found very restrictive and frustrating. As a result of this change, patients are now free to book any available GP appointment up to two weeks ahead and are also able to attend open surgery sessions on Monday and Thursday mornings. If you consider your consultation to be urgent but find that appointments for that day have already been taken by other patients, a short (5 minute) appointment as an 'extra' will be provided to discuss the urgent matter only. We hope that you will find this change beneficial but would be pleased to receive patient feedback.
GP REGISTRAR NEWS. Dr Lucy Ansell finished her six month placement at the practice in early August. Her replacement, Dr Sudhendra Prabhu, joined us in mid-August and will be with us for a year. He has already commenced his surgery sessions and appointments with him can be booked either through reception or using our online service, EmisAccess.

£145 RAISED BY CHARITY BOOK SALES. Thanks to the generosity of our patients who have donated books and those who have bought them, we have been able to make two donations to the Help for Heroes charity this year - £73.00 at the end of April and a further £72.00 in mid-July. On behalf of the surgery and Help for Heroes, a big thank you to everyone involved.

Pandemic H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccination for travellers to the Southern Hemisphere. The Department of Health advises that H1N1 (2009) influenza vaccine should be offered to all travellers to countries in the Southern Hemisphere during their influenza season (April to September). This includes travel to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Vaccination should ideally be completed two weeks before travel to enable an adequate immune response. The vaccine itself is provided free of charge for NHS patients but this practice makes a charge of £16.00 PER DOSE for preparing and administering the vaccine. However, patients included in the original Swine Flu vaccination priority groups are entitled to receive the vaccine free of charge. Please ensure that you clearly advise the reception staff if you are booking for this immunisation as the preparation of the vaccine is time consuming and needs to be done prior to the appointment.

NEW TELEPHONE SYSTEM. Just a reminder that we insatlled a new telephone system earlier this year and, as a result, calls to and from the practice may now be recorded for training and quality monitoring purposes.

emisAccess

ONLINE APPOINTMENT BOOKING We are pleased to advise that after significant work and extensive testing our online booking facility, EmisAccess, went live in November 2009. Over 500 patients have registered for the service so far and this number continues to grow daily. Please note that in order to access this feature patients will first need to register in order to obtain the relevant personal access codes from the surgery - please download, print, complete and return this form to register.

CREDIT AND DEBIT CARD PAYMENTS. The surgery is now able to accept payment by debit or credit card (except American Express/Diners) for private services such as medical examinations, reports, passport forms etc. We hope that our patients will find this facility beneficial.

Further Information

For quick medical advice online or on the telephone contact NHS Direct