Woodsend Patient Participation Group Newsletter

March 2024

Welcome to the first edition of the Woodsend Patient Participation Group newsletter. In each issue, we aim to provide you with useful insights into our practice's activities and initiatives.

Our focus is on ensuring you have access to the right help and support when you need it, without necessarily requiring a doctor's visit. In each edition we will feature one of the wider practice team, so you can understand the full range of support that they can give you. 

Mental Health Awareness Week 

May marks Mental Health Awareness Week, running from May 13th to May 19th, 2024. This year, the focus is on "Movement: Moving more for our mental health."

Movement plays a vital role in our mental well-being, and during this week, we encourage ways to move in your daily routine.  

Corby MIND will be hosting various events throughout the week including: 

• Nature Walk around Corby boating lake on Wednesday 15th May, 10.00 – 11.30 
• Movement Meditation 13.45 – 14.30 with a focus on Qigong motion 

What is your role at Woodsend Medical centre? 

I’m a clinical pharmacist and I manage a team of pharmacists who work across all our sites. We work as part of the practice team to help improve the value and outcomes from medicines that our patient’s use.

What does a typical working day look like for you? 

I start my day reviewing blood test results that I may have requested, then work on processing discharge and clinic letters and make any medication changes that may have taken place. Often, I may need to call patients to confirm changes or even contact the hospital to clarify any queries.  

I prescribe for diabetes so I will then complete some diabetes reviews, including a medication review.  After lunch I tend to work on medication queries. This includes supplying alternatives for medications that are out of stock, giving side effect advice or checking for drug interactions. Some afternoons we will run clinical audits to ensure that we are prescribing medications safely.  

What do you think the role of the clinical pharmacist adds to the practice?

Our role is pivotal to improving the quality of care and ensuring patient safety and helps the GPs manage the demands on their time.  It means that GPs can focus their skills where they are most needed e.g., focusing on diagnosing and treating patients with more complex or acute conditions.  

Pharmacists are experts in medicines and being based in practice maximises our potential. We can take over the management of chronic conditions e.g., increasing or reducing dosages of medicines to optimise care. 

What are the three most important things that patients need to know about how a pharmacist can help them?

We are experts on medications, so we know a lot about how to manage a condition once a diagnosis has been made. Giving advice about when and how to take medication, side effects, interactions and how to best manage the condition itself. These are all things that the pharmacist knows a lot about. 
Secondly, when we do our medication reviews, it’s not just about the medications. We take a holistic approach and assess how medications are impacting your life, so we will ask you about your circumstances, just to see if there is anything more we can do to help.  

My third point is for patients to talk to us regarding their condition. Even if we are not able to help, we will likely know where to get the help from.