Patient Newsletter for August 2023

Non-urgent advice: Struggled to get an appointment recently?
Missed appointments are still a frustrating reality for both our patients and team. Last month, 131 patients missed their appointments and didn’t let us know. This amounted to roughly 15 hours of potential consultation time wasted which is devastating at a time when the NHS is in such demand.
Please help us to help you and always cancel your appointment if you no longer need it or can’t attend. You can cancel easily via the text message reminder we send you or via the NHS App.

Are you flu and COVID ready?
We know! We’re only just starting to see glimpses of summer so it’s too soon to be talking flu but yes, we’re already texting patients about this year’s flu and covid jab clinic.
If you’re over 65 or in an at-risk group, you’ll be invited to Apex from 04 September onwards for your annual vaccination. We’ll be in touch with you nearer the time on how to book your appointment.

Spotting the signs and symptoms of asthma
Asthma is a very common lung condition we see in general practice. In the UK, one in every 12 adults and one in every 11 children have it. With the summer holidays in full swing, we’re reminding parents to keep a close eye out for the signs and symptoms of asthma. Don’t hesitate to make an appointment with us if you think your child may have asthma or if they already have it and are finding it hard to control.


Staff News
A fond farewell to the lovely Dr Deji who left Apex for pastures new at the end of May. He decided to take a break from GP partnership to concentrate on the needs of his young family. We miss him a lot but wish him all the very best. The Apex team carries on of course and there are plenty of things to be thankful for and excited about around the corner.
Starting with these three superstars; Tola, Vinita and Josiah. They’re our clinical pharmacists doing amazing work for the practice including your medication reviews. Pharmacists are the experts when it comes to medicines so it’s great we have them on board taking care of our medicines-related work. This also frees up our GPs to help more patients with complex health conditions and oversee the rest of our growing team. Great to have you three on board!

Non-urgent advice: Measles on the rise

Measles is on the rise in some parts of the UK right now. This is a serious concern that affects everyone, but particularly parents and carers.
To prevent this serious and sometimes deadly disease, we urge you to check your child has had two doses of the MMR vaccine, or that they are up to date for their age group if under 3.4 years. If you’re not sure, send us a quick admin message online to check.