Lister Medical Centre
Lister Medical Centre consists of nine doctors in partnership, four practice nurses, three health care assistants plus office, I.T. and
reception staff, providing medical care to over 17,000 people in the south of Harlow, Essex.
This web site is for their benefit. It aims to provide current practice news and advice. It is also interactive, so we always appreciate your
constructive comments and try to act on them where possible.
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Help us to help you
Lister House, Staple Tye
Harlow, Essex
CM18 7LU
Tel. 0844 576 9010
Fax. 0844 576 9011
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Personal Medical Services
Lister Medical Centre became a fourth wave PMS practice in October 2002. As such we guarantee 48 hour routine access to a member of the
medical team and same day nurse practitioner appointment if possible. We do this by opening up appointments daily with free slots available on
the same day. There are also Health Care Assistants who deal with specific procedures and clinical tasks. Click here to see what this might mean to you.
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Notice Board
 Surgery Closure
The surgery will be closed from 12:30pm on Wednesday 3rd February for clinical training.
In the event of a medical emergency during this time of closure please telephone 0845 070 1611.
Swine Flu Pandemic
Vaccination
 Download the Department of Health leaflet: "Swine Flu Vaccination - what you need to know".
We can only administer swine flu jabs to those patients currently registered at the Practice AND who are in one of the groups listed below.
You should have the swine flu vaccine if you are included in the groups below even if you have already had the seasonal flu vaccine this year since
the seasonal vaccine only protects you against seasonal flu NOT swine flu.
If you have received Tamiflu and are included in the groups below you should still have the swine flu vaccine. This is because it is possible that
the illness you had may not have been swine flu meaning that you are STILL at risk.
Group 1 – Individuals aged 6 months to under 65 years AND with any of the following conditions:
- Chronic lung disease; e.g. Asthmatics on inhaled steroids, patients with Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis or cancer of the lung.
- Chronic heart disease; e.g. patients with Ischaemic Heart Disease, Heart Failure, valve defects or holes in the heart.
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic liver disease
- Chronic neurological diseases; e.g. patients with MS, Motor Neurone Disease or Parkinson's.
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Immuno Suppression due to HIV, Chemotherapy, long term oral steroid and drugs like Azathioprine or Methotrexate, patients without a
spleen.
Group 2 – Pregnant women at ANY stage of pregnancy
- Evidence suggests individuals are four times more likely to develop serious complications of swine flu than those who are not pregnant.
Group 3 – Individuals who live in the same house as people who are immuno suppressed
Group 4 – Individuals aged 65 years or over AND with any of the following conditions:
- Chronic lung disease; e.g. Asthmatics on inhaled steroids, patients with Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis or cancer of the lung.
- Chronic heart disease; e.g. patients with Ischaemic Heart Disease, Heart Failure, valve defects or holes in the heart.
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic liver disease
- Chronic neurological diseases; e.g. patients with MS, Motor Neurone Disease or Parkinson's.
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Immuno Suppression due to HIV, Chemotherapy, long term oral steroid and drugs like Azathioprine or Methotrexate, patients without a
spleen.
To obtain your free vaccination please telephone the surgery on 0844 576 9010, select option 2 and ask for an appointment specifying
that it's for the swine flu vaccine.
Have You Got It?
If you think that you may have swine flu then STAY AT HOME so that you do not infect others.
Visit the National Pandemic Flu Service website at www.direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu. This website will be available 24 hours a day
and is designed to identify the symptoms of swine flu and to provide authorisation to access anti-virals.
Two telephone lines are also available, and will be open from 8am – midnight. People should call 0800 1 513 513 for information
and 0800 1 513 100 for treatment. A textphone number is available on 0800 1 513 200 for Minicom
users.
Anti-virals, such as Tamiflu, shorten the symptoms by about a day and can reduce the risk of complications. Anti-virals are only effective if taken
within 48 hours of symptoms starting.
People diagnosed with swine flu will be given an authorisation code that a flu
friend – a friend or relative who does not have swine flu – can use to pick up anti-virals from a local
Anti-viral Collection Point (ACP). People will have to provide their personal details when they contact the National Pandemic Flu Service and
their flu
friend will need to take personal ID as well as the patient’s ID with them when they go to collect the anti-virals.
If you have symptoms then STAY AT HOME - send your flu
friend to collect your anti-virals.
In the meantime, STAY
AT HOME , take paracetamol-based cold remedies to reduce fever and other symptoms, drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest.
Anyone turning up at an ACP without an authorisation number will be turned away and redirected to the National Pandemic Flu Service on
0800 1 513 100.
Please note that stocks of anti-viral medications are NOT held at the surgery.
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Flu or just a sniffle?
If you see a £50 note on the floor but do not have the energy to pick it up then you may have the flu.
If the £50 note ends up in your pocket then you're unlikely to have flu of any sort at the moment!
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Sources of Information
What measures can I take to prevent infection?
General infection control practices and good respiratory hand hygiene can help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including the Swine Flu. This
includes:
- Covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible.
- Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
- Maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to
face or to other people.
- Cleaning hard surfaces (e.g. door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.
- Making sure your children follow this advice.
Catch it, Bin it, Kill it
Measles
Measles is a highly infectious and dangerous illness which is most common in children aged between one and four years of age who have not been
fully immunised. The first dose is normally given before a child is 14 months and the second dose before they go to school.
There has been a recent rise in cases of Measles and the Department of Health has recommended that all children be immunised (up to the age of
18 years, or older if going to higher education). We urge you to take this opportunity to get your children vaccinated. Please telephone the
Practice to arrange a suitable appointment with a nurse.
We are very aware that with the media coverage over the past few years about MMR, many parents in West Essex do not know what to believe about
the vaccine. Further information is available at www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/MMR
or www.MMRtheFacts.nhs.uk.
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to discuss it with your Health Visitor or Practice Nurse.
The NHS Constitution
The NHS belongs to us all. The NHS Constitution brings together in one place for the first time in the history of the NHS, what staff, patients and
public can expect from the NHS.
As well as capturing the purpose, principles and values of the NHS, the Constitution brings together a number of rights, pledges and
responsibilities for staff and patients alike. These rights and responsibilities are the result of extensive discussions and
consultations with staff, patients and public and it reflects what matters to them.
Click
here to read more about the NHS Constitution and how it affects your rights and responsibilities.
Extended Opening Hours
From 1st October 2008 Lister Medical Centre will be offering additional extended opening hours for our patients as follows:
- Monday 7:00am to 8:00am
- Monday 6:30pm to 8:00pm
- Saturday 8:00am to 11:00am
These additional hours are for pre-booked routine appointments only. All emergency calls, home visits and treatment during these times continue
to be the responsibility of PELC; telephone 0845 070 1611.
Click here for full details of our opening times.
Advanced Booking
Routine appointments with your G.P. may now be booked up to 8 weeks in advance. Telephone 0844 576 9010 and select option 2 for
appointments.
Change of Telephone Numbers
From Tuesday 22nd January 2008 the surgery has a new telephone number 0844 576 9010.
The new fax number is 0844 576 9011.
Calls from a BT landline to these numbers will currently be charged at less than 5 pence per minute including VAT. Tariffs do vary
however, and 08 numbers are often excluded from discounted calling arrangements. Patients with a discounted calling arrangement should contact
their network provider to advise them that Lister Medical Centre is a health facility and request that it is included.
If calling from abroad the number to use is +44 (0) 870 975 8004; UK callers using this number will be charged the national
geographic rate.
PLEASE LISTEN to the new menu options or use option 2 for appointments and option 5 for general
enquiries.
GP Patient Survey
The Department of Health's GP patient surveys were developed to collect information to reward GP practices according to performance on elements of
access and choice. The results are now available from their web-site.
Internet Problems ?
Some of you are getting error reports when attempting to access pages within this web-site.
Before reporting these errors can you please ensure that you have "refreshed" your PC's internal cache with the latest version of each
page.
If using Microsoft Internet Explorer press Ctrl+F5 to perform the refresh for each page.
Choose and Book
Click here to book your appointment. You
will require your 12-digit Unique Booking Reference Number (UBRN) and your password.
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