Newsletter

Spring 2024

 

Welcome to our Loomer Medical Partnership Spring Newsletter!

We are still ensuring that the Practices are as safe as possible for all patients and staff, therefore, sanitiser stations and masks are still available in reception if you would like to use these still.

 
a dandelion

"Hay There! Top Tips to Tackle Hay Fever"

Hay fever (also known as allergic rhinitis) is a common allergy caused by pollen, and it can make spring and summer a bit of a struggle. While there’s no cure, you can manage your symptoms with a few simple steps.

Common Symptoms:

  • Sneezing and coughing
  • Runny or blocked nose
  • Itchy, red or watery eyes
  • Itchy throat, mouth, nose or ears
  • Feeling tired (especially from disrupted sleep)

Self-Care Tips:

  • Keep windows and doors closed during high pollen times – usually early morning and evening.
  • Shower and change clothes after being outside.
  • Wear wraparound sunglasses to protect your eyes.
  • Dust with a damp cloth and vacuum regularly to reduce indoor pollen.
  • Avoid drying laundry outside when pollen levels are high.

Treatment Options:

  • Most hay fever symptoms can be managed with over-the-counter treatments:
  • Antihistamines – help with sneezing, itching, and a runny nose.
  • Nasal sprays – reduce inflammation and unblock your nose.
  • Eye drops – soothe red, itchy eyes.

You can get advice and treatments from your local pharmacist!

 

Cervical Screening Awareness Week 2025

19th to 24 June 2025

Cervical Screening saves lives.

Having a smear test (HPV screening) is one of the best ways to prevent cervical cancer. It is not a test for cancer.

  • The test takes less than 5 minutes, mostly painless and undertaken by our female Nursing Team.
  • This test looks for abnormal cells on the cervix, which can be caused by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus).
  • If this virus is not found, no further tests are needed until the routine recall is due.
  • If the HPV is found the sample can be further checked for cell changes in the cervix before they turn to cancer.

cervical cancer

Cervical cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages.

Screening can catch it before it turns into cancer.

  • All women aged 24.5 years to 49 years are recalled every 3 years routinely.
  • All women aged 50 years to 64.5 years are recalled every 5 years routinely.
  • HPV is a common virus, it is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about.
  • Our uptake in Staffordshire is lower than the National Average.

Book your cervical screening appointment through the NHS App or by contacting us via telephone or through an online request. We can send you a link to book a Nurse appointment.

1 in 3 people do not attend when invited for their screening test.

Do not be the person to put it off.

 

The NHS App

Have you signed up for the NHS APP yet?

We are seeing lots of patients benefiting from signing up and the sign up is increasing weekly.

Look at what you can do from the comfort of your own home!

  • Check and order your repeat prescription
  • Access to your medical records once this is authorised on your record
  • Check on any investigations and results
  • Check on clinic letters
  • Send online consultations and messages direct to the Practice
  • View appointments at the hospital

nhs app example on a mobile phone

 

Patient Participation Group

We are always looking at ways to improve our services for you.  We rely on patient feedback whether this is good feedback or whether not so good.

We have an established PPG but are always looking for new members to join our team, and are very grateful for those within the PPG who already support us.

Our times are flexible for meetings, and we are able to offer the meetings to be on Microsoft teams if you are unable to attend in person.

If you can spare an hour of your time just four times a year, please contact reception and we can talk you through what we do.

Come along and help us improve our services for you.

 

Congratulations and success in our team

We are pleased to congratulate a member of our admin team, Pat, who has completed 25 years within Loomer Road Surgery/Partnership. We thank Pat for all her hard work and dedication to the surgery and patients.

Miriam Harvey has just completed her prescribing qualification.

Our AHP, Charlotte, has just completed her HCPC registration.

Georgios for receiving the Advanced Clinical Practice credentials.

Jane Welsh has completed her Professional Nurse Advocate qualification. Jane is now only 1 of 5 nurses in the area to hold this qualification.

Rebecca Pace for completing her Sexual and Reproductive Health Diploma.

We are also very happy to say that members in our Reception, workflow and call centre teams have completed their transcribing training, which should help speed up the process with actioning some letters.

 

5 stars

Patient feedback

by Ruth Matthews

We value all our patient feedback, whether it is a good experience or if there are areas which we can improve on.

You can leave your feedback in many ways:

  • NHS choices
  • Google review
  • Directly at our practice
  • Completing our "friends and family cards"
  • Online consultation - via the "admin" link
someone typing

If you feel you would like to talk and discuss your experience whether this a good experience or something that did not go as well as expected, you can arrange to speak to our Practice Patient Manager at the surgery or we can arrange a face to face meeting.

 

Social Media

Did you know we have a Facebook page?

We are always trying to communicate better with our patients, and we are trying to update all our patients as best as we possibly can. We will add any updates on facebook as well as our quarterly newsletter. If you see something you like give us a wave or if there is something you would like to see more of on Facebook, just let us know.

Visit our Facebook page

 

Bank holiday closures for 2025 and 2026

The surgery will closed on the following days:

If you require medical attention when the surgery is closed please call 111 who will be able to assist you. Please note if your medical need is life threatening, then you need to contact 999.

Published: Jun 23, 2025