NHS Sussex would like to invite you to share your views on what the NHS needs to focus on locally and nationally over the next 10 years to improve health and care services through a range of face to face and virtual workshops.

Last year we published our five-year health and care strategy Improving Lives Together, which set out our ambition for people living across Sussex. Since then, much work has been underway to address the immediate and long-term improvements that all health and care partners want to see in Sussex.

At the same time, the Government is developing a 10-year plan to improve health and care services.

We would like to invite you to join with us to hear more about what is happening in Sussex, the next steps, and to hear your experiences and ideas so that these can contribute to our Sussex plans and to be shared as part of the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan. 

Details of the workshops: 

West Sussex

• Date: Friday 17 January 2025
• Time: 12:30-15:00pm (doors open at 12:00)
• Location: Charis Centre, West Green Drive, Crawley, RH11 7EL

Brighton and Hove

• Date: Friday 24 January 2025
• Time: 10:00am -12:30pm
• Location: Brighthelm Centre, North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YD

East Sussex

• Date: Wednesday 29 January 2025
• Time: 10:00am -12:30pm
• Location: Hampden Park Community Centre, Brodrick Road, Eastbourne, BN22 9NR 

West Sussex

• Date: Thursday 1 February 2025
• Time: 10.30am – 1pm
• Location: The Sussex Barn, Field Place Manor House and Barns, The Boulevard, Worthing, BN13

We will also be holding one public online workshop on Saturday 1 February 2025, 9.30 – 11.30am so that those who can’t attend the face-to-face events can participate.

To sign up to either the face-to-face or virtual workshops please visit Project: Change NHS 10 year plan - events registration | NHS Sussex

1. Leaf Hall Community Arts Centre 51 Seaside, Eastbourne BN22 7NB 8^th, 10^th , and 15^th Jan 9am-3pm
2. Eastbourne Library, Grove Rd, Eastbourne BN21 4TL   11th, 18th, 25th of January 2025 10:30am-2pm
3. East Sussex Hearing Chantry House, 22 Upperton Rd, Eastbourne BN21 1BF  9th and 16th of January 9am-3pm
4. Civic Community Hall, 9, 20 Vicarage Ln, Hailsham BN27 1BE 17th and 31st of January 9am-12:30pm
5. Downs Leisure Centre Sutton Road Seaford BN25 4QWB  7th, 14th, 21st, 28th of January 0am-3:30pm
6. The Lighthouse Medical Practice 6 College Rd, Eastbourne BN21 4HY  8th, 15th of January 09:30am-3:30pm
7. The Lighthouse Medical Practice Milfoil Dr, Eastbourne BN23 8BR 7th, 17th of January 09:30am-3:30pm
8. Hellingly Community Hub, Hellingly BN27 4EP 16th and 23rd of January 2025 9am-3pm 
9. Polegate Community Association 54 Windsor Way, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 6QF 9^th and 13^th of January 2025 9am-3pm
10. Collington Surgery 23 Terminus Rd, Bexhill-on-Sea TN39 3LR 12^th of January 2025 9am-1pm

South Downs Health and Care (SDHC) will provide eligible patients (aged 65 and over, 18 to 64 years old in a clinical risk group and pregnant) with the Covid-19 vaccination. Patients will receive a text message with a booking link to book into one of the many scheduled clinics. Patients can also ring to book their appointment on 01323 402530. SDHC will be holding Covid clinics at various locations in Eastbourne including:

• Shinewater Sports Centre, Milfoil Drive, Eastbourne, BN23 8ED
• Langney Shopping Centre, 64 Kingfisher Drive, Eastbourne, BN23 7RT
• Hillbrow Health and Wellbeing Centre, 1 Denton Road, Eastbourne, BN20 7SR

The National Booking Service ceases on 20^th December 2024, after this date patients will still be able to access a vaccine at local vaccination sites via local booking systems or via walk in clinics until 31^st January 2025. 

December 2024 DNA Results

In the month of December the Practice had 165 appointments that weren't attended.  The highest number of appointments that weren't attended were for blood tests followed by pre-bookable and face to face appointments booked on the day 

These appointments are in high demand by our patients on a daily basis. 

We do ask patients who find that they are not able to attend their appointment to cancel their appointment to enable another patient to see a GP. 

Patients can easily cancel their appointment by responding to the appointment text reminder or by ringing the Practice and leaving a message on the cancellation service line.  

If you have unused and unopened surgical consumables such as bandages, catheters etc, please bring them to the Surgery and place them in the yellow Medi Tech Trust Recycling Bin in our Reception Area.  Medi Tech Trust will send them to overseas hospitals where they can be immediatly used. 

If you have larger unused medical equipment such as crutches, boots, supports etc, plese phone Medi Tech on 01323 442211 to arrange a collection.

To comply with UK legislation, NO MEDICINES can be accepted.  These must be returned to a pharmacy. 

Click here for further information about Medi Tech.

We can only perform blood tests requested by our practice GPs. For blood tests requested by other healthcare professionals outside our surgery please book using the hospital service via this link:  https://tinyurl.com/4kcbsxk3 or Bexhill Community Diagnostic Centre via this link: https://tinyurl.com/3a22693k  or call  0300 131 5560. Please do not call reception, details are in the attached letter.

Patient Letter on Practice Changes

An Advice Leaflet to parents/carers of babies and children on 'How to Keep Them Well'

New clinically validated digital screening and support service for those experiencing sleep problems including a full online programme of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBTi). This service is now available to Seaside Medical Centre.

This service is easy to access through self referral as well as through your GP.
Self Referral Link: https://www.sleepstation.org.uk/nhs_options/

WINTER NEWSLETTER

Past Practice Newsletters 

Summer Newsletter '24

Spring Newsletter '24

Winter Newsletter '23

We would like to ask patients to refrain from dropping off urine samples to the surgery for suspected urinary infections (UTI) unless a clinician has requested you to. The Practice has a protocol to follow as dip testing samples in the Practice doesn't give the clinical information required or an indication of how unwell a patient may be.  A sample may need to be sent to the hospital laboratory but before doing so symptoms must be discussed with a clinician.  

Due to new guidelines, your GP is no longer the first port of call for UTI's.  If you are female and aged 16-65 and think you may have a UTI you should now contact your pharmacy where they will assess you and provide necessary treatment.  If you have blood in your urine, pregnant or have diabetes you still need to see a GP. 

If you suspect you have a UTI and do not fit the criteria for the Pharmacy service they will advise you to make contact with the Practice for either a telephone or face to face consultation. This procedure has been put in place following NICE guidance.  For more information on this follow the links provided. 

UTI's in Women

UTI's in Men

Lose Weight - One You Sussex

Safe Working Guidance - Patient Information

Did you know that your Practice receives just £107.57 per year for each patient, whatever their health needs.  That's less than the cost of an annual TV licence, working out to be just 30p a day for every patient registered with us. We believe General Practice deserves a bigger slice of NHS funding so we can hire more GP's, Clinical and Administrative staff to enable us to deliver services you require and make it easier for you and your loved ones to get appointments to see your GP and Practice team.  

BMA Campaign - GP's Are On Your Side

The new Pharmacy First Service will enable community pharmacists to provide care for patients without the need for patients to visit their GP. 

Patients ringing into Seaside Medical Centre will be triaged by the team and depending on the condition referred to the pharmacist if it is found to be appropriate.   The pharmacists will be able to provide advice and NHS funded treatment where clinically appropriate for these 7 conditions:

• Sinusitis for adults and children aged 12 and over
• Sore throat for adults and children aged 5 and over
• Acute otitis media for children aged 1 to 17years
• Infected insect bite for adults and children aged 1 year and over
• Impetigo for adults and children aged 1 year and over
• Shingles for adults aged 18 years and over, and
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women aged 16-64 years.

A patient’s General Practice will be notified of the outcome of the Pharmacy First consultation at the pharmacy. 

·                Swollen feet

·                Tonsilitis

·                Gout

·                Shingles

·                Sunburn

·                UTI

·                Rashes

The County Council has a helpful set of Cost-of-Living Support pages, which offer helpful information about benefits, housing, foodbanks etc.  These pages may be helpful to those that are struggling mentally and physically. 

Cost of Living Support

If you are a male and aged 65+ and haven't been screened before, you are eligible for a free NHS screening examination.  

HENRY Information Leaflet

Healthy Families Growing Up

Advice and guidance to patients who access private treatment from a specialist without being referred by their GP and how Seaside Medical Centre can only prescribe 'shared care' medications initiated by an NHS provider of care.  See our information on Shared Care Agreements

If you have every been worried about visiting your local GP Practice, knowing other patients have had a good experience can help to set your mind at ease. Thanks to data gathered in the GP Patient Survey you can check how your GP surgery ranks in your area. Twice a year more than a million adults who are registered with a GP in England are sent this survey. Ratings are based on experience of access, making appointments, quality of care, patient health and experience of NHS services when a patient's GP practice was closed. Patients are also asked how likely they are to recommend their practice to others. As headlined in the Eastbourne Herald, Seaside Medical Centre has come out top in this survey with an astounding 92.2% of patients that would recommend the surgery and the care they receive. This information is available on the NHS Choices website. You can read this report also by visiting https://www.gp-patient.co.uk/report?practicecode=G81017. Or you can view your local surgery rankings by entering the location, town or postcode and filtering the list based on NHS Users Ratings, visit https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/gp/locationsearch/4.

Southdown Community Connectors are there to support patients to improve their mental health and wellbeing.  The service is free to all aged 16 and over. For more information please see the Community Connectors leaflet .

Patients can also able to self refer to the service. 

SUDI STOP information - Pan-Sussex FINAL.pdf

NHS England wants to give patients better ways to see their personal health information online.  We know at Seaside Medical Centre that patients would find it helpful so they can see their results faster without phoning the Practice and the ability to read and review notes from their appointments at their leisure. 

From Monday 30th October, we will be giving patients access to their prospective medical record.  If you are over 16 and have an online account, such as through the NHS App or another online primary care service as Patient Access, on application you will be able to see all future notes and health records from your doctor (GP).  

This means that you will be able to see notes from your appointments, as well as test results and any letters that are saved on your records.  This only applies to records from your doctor (GP), not from hospitals or other specialists.  You need to remember, prospective means you will only be able to see information going forward.  

Your doctor (GP) may talk to you to discuss your test results before you are able to see some of the information on the app.  There may be some sensitive information on your record, so you should talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

The NHS App, website and other online services are all very secure, so no one is able to access your information except you.  You will need to protect your login details.  Don't share your password with anyone as they will then have access to your personal information.

What do I need to consider about having Prospective Record Access?

For many patients this will prove a valuable tool for helping to manage their healthcare.  However, we do recognise that this isn't for everyone and this is why we have asked our patients to complete a form of consent to have this form of access given.  

You may be happy to have this level of access from a personal point of view, but please consider whether you have given access to your account to other people, maybe just so they can order your medication or book appointments for you.  

Please remember by giving us consent you will be able to view all of your consultations, medication, test results, incoming and outgoing letters etc.  Please note this is not retrospective, so you will not be able to see any records that have been added previously, access will only be viewable from the date access has been granted.    

Please see these links for the consent form and the our guidance on things to remember Application for Access to GP Online Services form.pdf

Things to Remember for Access to GP Online Services .pdf