AUTUMN 2025 NEWSLETTER

STAFF

Rosmellyn has welcomed 2 new GP Registrars. Dr Stefan Navaratnam and Dr Lewis Elvin. Both working Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

We have also welcomed Dr Laurie Fripp to the clinical team for the next 4 months who will be working as a Foundation Doctor. Within reception we welcome Sarah Gruzelier back to the team, starting at the beginning of November.

FLU VACCINES AND COVID BOOSTERS

We are currently rolling out our Autumn Booster programme. Those entitled to flu and covid vaccines will be invited either by text or letter, again, offering them specific dates to attend clinics. Most patients will be able to book their own appointment via a text message link.

RSV VACCINE AVALIBLE FROM SEPTEMBER

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus that can cause serious respiratory infections, especially in young children and older adults. The good news is that a vaccine is now available to help protect against RSV! Everyone turning 75 years old on or after the 1 September 2024 will be offered a single dose of RSV vaccine. This is because older adults are more at risk of serious complications from RSV. You can still get the vaccine up to the day before you turn 80.

The RSV vaccine will be given as a single, one-off dose and is expected to give you good protection for a few years. This vaccine will not be routinely given at the same time as your Covid-19 and influenza vaccine as it can affect the immunity efficacy of the vaccines.

We will invite you for a vaccine once you turn 75 years of age, or if you are already aged 75 – 79 years of age.

URGENT CARE – WAITING TIMES

Rosmellyn works in Partnership with local and NHS service providers and groups. The Urgent Treatment Centre at West Cornwall Hospital is open 8am until midnight for people needing urgent medical care for injuries and conditions such as minor burns, simple fractures, minor cuts and falls and urinary infections. The link attached takes you to the Urgent Care Centre waiting times list: Urgent care waiting times | Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust

PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP

We are actively seeking new members who better reflect the patients attending the practice. Current members are over 50 years of age, mostly female, white British in origin and have no significant disabilities. We can enable members to join meetings via the internet and will endeavour to make meetings accessible to all. We would love to welcome patients who would widen the scope of the group along with those groups already identified. It’s your engagement that counts!! If you would like to get in contact with the group their email address is: rosmellynppg@gmail.com

CARERS

We are currently updating our carers register; if you are a carer for a member of your family or a friend and you would like to receive some more support and advice, please leave your details with a member of our reception team who will be in contact with you. The surgery contact for carers is Sian Williams.

SEASONAL VIRUSES

Seasonal viruses will circulate every year. A key part of avoiding catching the flu virus and Noro virus is good personal hygiene. If you cough or sneeze, use a tissue and then throw it away safely. Then wash your hands.

SHINGLES VACCINATIONS

We are contacting patients who are eligible for their Shingles vaccine. We have a long list of patients to get through, but you will hear from us and we will get you booked in.

MMR VACCINATION

Are you aged 17-30? You may have missed your MMR vaccination as a child. Now that measles is spreading it’s even more important to know your vaccination status and ensure you are protected against measles, mumps and rubella. Contact our surgery to find out if you have been vaccinated and make an appointment to get free MMR vaccinations if you missed out on this critical protection in the past.

Measles cases are rising in England. Two doses of the MMR vaccinations can help stop you becoming seriously unwell with measles.

DID YOU KNOW?

Your local Pharmacy can treat these conditions: Urinary Tract Infections, Skin conditions such as Impetigo, Nappy Rash and Sunburn as well as Conjunctivitis. Pharmacists are fully trained to advise in minor illness and medication reviews. They have onsite consulting rooms available for use.

NURSE APPOINTMENTS

We are very lucky to have a highly qualified and experienced team of Nurses who are specialists in such things as asthma, diabetes, learning difficulties and wound care. Two of the Nurses are also able to prescribe medicines for you; the Doctor will often advise that one of our Nurses is the best person to see for common and minor illnesses.

REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS – DAY LEWIS

We have been asked by Day Lewis Pharmacy to highlight to all patients that due to the high volume of patients and prescriptions they are labelling between 400-700 prescriptions every day. They are currently working at 2 to 3 days behind and this is standard for the pharmacy industry at this current time. Please allow 7 to 10 working days before your prescription is needed, this will ease the rush and pressure on the pharmacy. Thank you!

EVENING & SUNDAY APPOINTMENTS We offer weekly evening appointments on alternate Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 6.30pm. Occasionally we will run a Sunday morning clinic. These clinics have doctor, nurse and HCA appointments available and prove popular. You may book ahead for these appointments if it is more convenient for you.

WHEN YOU PHONE THE SURGERY

When you contact us for an appointment, we aim to find the best route for you to the right care, with the right clinician as quickly as we can; please help us to achieve this by telling the receptionist something about what ails you so that they can help the doctors to get your care right. It may not always be appropriate to see a doctor, depending on your condition; our nurses and healthcare assistants are all very highly trained and competent in many areas of care. The receptionists are trained to advise you of the most appropriate care path but will always direct you to the doctor if unsure or if it is obviously appropriate. Every conversation you have with everyone in the surgery is held in the strictest confidence, and the doctors ask that you help us in this way. All calls are recorded.

MOBILE TELEPHONE NUMBERS & EMAIL ADDRESSES

Please keep us informed of your email address and contact numbers so that we can be sure to contact you if we need to; we will not send you emails or text messages if you ask us not to.

TELEPHONE MESSAGES

As a rule we do not leave a telephone message on patients’ phones to notify them that we have called. However, if you are happy for us to leave a message, please let the Receptionists know.

RCGP’s GREEN IMPACT FOR HEALTH TOOLKIT AND AWARDS

Rosmellyn has been working towards the Royal College of General Practitioner’s Green Impact for Health Award. We are pleased to have achieved the Silver Award in 2025. We will continue to work towards Gold in the future.

The toolkit helps General Practices in the UK make better decisions in this climate and ecological emergency. The NHS is responsible for 4-5% of the UK’s carbon footprint. This toolkit can help general practice improve sustainability, reduce harmful impact on planetary health, adapt to the risks of climate change and reduce practice expenses. The toolkit focuses on all areas of sustainability and answers the question – ‘What can you do in your practice?