We are pleased to share with you that the work on our roof is now complete. We will however have further periods of disruption ahead because the flat roof on the side of the practice building is also showing signs of leakage. We anticipate for repair works to start on the side of the building to start from the first week of December 2024, dependent on the weather. 

We apologise for any inconvenience caused during this time.

Beauchamp House no longer offers private GP services relating to fitness to  - drive, work or study, as well as fitness to travel for all patients . If you require letters for any of these services, you will need to do so via an alternative provider.  Please follow this link to a revised list of services and their charges.

Non NHS Price List

We sadly announce the death of Dr Sally Dilley who was a partner and GP trainer at Beauchamp House Surgery for 29 years. After fighting cancer for over 6 years, Dr Dilley died peacefully at Farleigh hospice on 2nd October 2024 surrounded by her family. 

Dr Dilley was highy respected as a GP, GP Trainer and GP appraiser in Chelmsford and the wider MidEssex area. Dr Dilley lived in Chelmer Village and enjoyed her family life, particularly walking during family holidays. She was also an active member of the congregation at Chelmsford Cathedral where she set up a Book Group reflecting her keen interest in reading. 

She will be sorely missed. May her soul rest in perfect peace. 

A condolence book has been opened at the surgery. Tributes can also be made via the link  https://sallydilley.muchloved.com/ .

There will be a service of thanksgiving for Dr Dilley's life in Chelmsford Cathedral on Thursday 21st November at 12pm, to which all are welcome. At that service Dr Simon Schultz and Dr Bassey Okon will be giving the tribute to Dr Dilley as a doctor, colleague and friend.

Parking at the Cathedral is very limited, but there is parking available nearby in High Chelmer Car Park,  or slightly further away at the Meadows Retail Car Park (usually less busy).

Those travelling into Chelmsford may wish to use the Park & Rides instead (Sandon or Chelmer Valley) https://www.travelessex.co.uk/park-and-ride - both of these services stop in Duke St, almost outside Chelmsford Cathedral (to the left).  Chelmsford Cathedral is also only a short walk from the railway station.

Falling as we get older is quite common. 1 in 3 adults over 65 and half of people aged 80+ will have at least one fall a year and although
most falls don't cause serious injury, they can really dent our confidence, causing distress or embarrassment. Worse still, they can
threaten our independence.

The good news is there’s lots of things we can do to reduce the risk of falling and stay steady on our feet – and all these tips are
available in one handy guide.

‘Fall Proof’ is a 12-page booklet with a checklist of actions to take to reduce the risk of falling, including sections on trip hazards,
hydration, balance, blood pressure, eyesight and exercise.

The guide is available online at: Improving your strength and balance and preventing falls - Mid and South Essex ICS

You can also visit Active Essex - Able like Mabel to access information on how to reduce your risk of falling by doing simple
movements and exercises at home, to keep yourself strong and steady.

From boosting your immunity to swapping slippers, now is the time to take action to stay well this winter. As the colder months approach, it’s essential to take steps to protect your health and that of your loved ones. The NHS in mid and south Essex is encouraging everyone to ‘Be Prepared for Winter’ by following key health advice early in the season to help prevent illness. 

Key actions to take 

Get vaccinated: Ensure you and your family are up to date with flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccinations if eligible. These vaccines are especially important for older adults, those with underlying health conditions, and pregnant women. 

Practice self-care: Keep your medicine cupboard well-stocked with essentials and know how to manage minor illnesses at home. For minor health concerns, your local pharmacy should be your first point of call. Pharmacists are trained professionals who can offer advice and treatment without the need for an appointment. Using your local pharmacy can help you get care quickly. They may also be able to offer treatment and prescription medication for some conditions without you needing to see a GP, a service known as Pharmacy First. 

Using community referral tools like Essex Frontline can connect you with vital support services in your local community. Whether you need help staying warm, managing energy bills, or accessing food and healthcare, Essex Frontline is ready to guide you. 

Look after your mental health and boost your immunity: Winter can be challenging for mental wellbeing, so take steps to stay connected, active, and mindful. 

A balanced diet and regular physical activity are crucial for maintaining a strong immune system. Even in colder weather, try to incorporate fruits, vegetables, and exercise into your daily routine. Drinking enough water is also essential, even in winter. It helps your body function optimally and prevents dehydration, which can weaken your immune system. 

Prevent falls: Take precautions to prevent falls, especially if you're older or caring for someone who is older. For more information, resources, and guidance on winter fall prevention, visit the Preventing falls and staying well guide, developed in partnership with Active Essex. 

Subscribe now to uncover the secrets to winter health 

Winter can be a challenging time for health, but with the right information, you can stay safe and well. The NHS winter email series offers regular tips, advice, and updates on how to manage your health and wellbeing during the colder months. 

Don’t miss out – subscribe today and have expert advice delivered straight to your inbox. https://pages.comms.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk/pages/p47-jbh74hh1 

We are pleased to be offering our stop smoking service again - to access this book an appointment with reception. Full details of which can be found here:

Smoking Cessation

Stoptober is back, calling on smokers in England to join the 2.5 million others who have made a quit attempt with the campaign previously. Over 5 million adults in England still smoke. Smoking causes 64,000 deaths a year, making it the biggest cause of preventable illness and death. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. That’s why this year’s Stoptober campaign is encouraging smokers to join the thousands of others who are committing to quitting for the month of October – quit smoking for 28 days and you’re five times more likely to quit for good. When you stop smoking good things start to happen – quitting will allow you to start moving better, breathe more easily and give you more money to spend. Stoptober offers a range of free quitting tools including the NHS Quit Smoking app, daily email support, Facebook support group, information about quitting smoking with a vape and expert support from local stop smoking services. Simply search ‘Stoptober’ for more information or visit the Better Health Quit Smoking Website.

In England, nearly two women die a day from cervical cancer. Don't ignore your cervical screening invite, and if you missed your last one, book an appointment with your GP practice today.

If you wish to decline the appointment booking offers, it is very important that you let the receptionist know you wish to decline this offer so we can update your medical records.

Cervical screening saves lives. For more information visit: NHS Cervical Screening

These sessions are designed for support and activities for mental health, based at our Chelmsford Sport and Athletics Centre. We offer inclusive activity sessions for adults who want to improve their confidence, wellbeing and mental health. Our team of Activity Coordinators and Mental Health First Aiders will support you at each session. We will provide an area to speak openly to our support team who can help with signposting you to services.

Sessions are on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 2-4pm and the first session is FREE!

We are pleased to announce our autumn/winter one-off events timetable at out With you in Mind sessions:

• Trampoline – Thursday 12^th September from 2.30-3.30pm
• Table Tennis – Wednesday 9^th October from 2.30-3.30pm
• Card Making – Thursday 21^st November from 2.30-3.30pm

Therapy dogs - All sessions are from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

• Friday 18 October
• Friday 15 November
• Friday 13 December

For more information about the sessions please go to www.chelmsford.gov.uk/withyouinmind or call 01245 606569.

Please accept our apologies for the noise from the practice building works. We want you to know that the repair work is set to be completed by the last week in September 2024. 

Beauchamp House Surgery.

We’re proud to support #ArmedForcesDay, when the nation unites to honour the selfless service of the entire Armed Forces community.

RESERVES DAY - 26TH JUNE 

ARMED FORCES DAY - 29TH JUNE

As an armed forces accredited practice we support all members of our community who have served, regardless of which service or for how long. We strongly encourage you to come forward and tell us about your service history so we can best support you.

Further information about the help and support available to you can be found on our Veterans Support pages. 

You don't always need to speak to a doctor. We are part of Chelmsford City Health PCN and can book you appointments with a range of healthcare professionals, the benefits of which include being seen quicker and also having support tailored to your needs.

For more information please follow this link

Chelmsford City Health PCN Limited - Beauchamp House Surgery

For advice and guidance on how our Health and Wellbeing team can support you, as well as for self care and self referral pathways please follow this link

Health and Wellbeing Team - Beauchamp House Surgery

Life with diabetes can feel like number, check and test overload. You might feel fine, or feel like you don’t have the time. Or maybe you’re not sure what checks you should be getting. But these regular diabetes health checks are vital to keep you healthy, so you can continue living life to the full.

If you require more information about keeping well with diabetes you can request an appointment to speak with our Diabetes Lead Pharmacist - Rashmi Patel

Dementia Intensive Support Service (DISS) provides joined-up mental health and physical health support for people living with dementia or suspected dementia in mid Essex

The service offers:

 Rapid support for people who are in crisis

 Intensive support and treatment at place of residence

 Signposting to further advice and support You do not need to speak with health or social care professional to be referred as self-referrals are accepted.

CALL: 01245 515 313 for advice, support and referral. The helpline is open 7 days a week: Monday to Friday 9am – 7pm, weekends and bank holidays 9am – 5pm.

111 option 2 outside these hours if you are concerned about mental health needs.

We have introduced a new way to request your Fit Notes and Progesterone Only Pill. You can Contact Us Here by following the link or via the NHS App. 

For Fit Notes please allow 7 working days for these to become available.

For Progesterone Only Pill please allow 3 working Days/72 Working Hours for your prescription to be made available.

As part of the ongoing renovation works scaffolding will be going up by the front door from 6th March 2024. Whilst the builders will aim not to impact on the patient parking area at the front, this may not be possible, so do please consider this when attending for your appointment. 

At the NHS, we want our patients to have the best experience possible and having continuous patient feedback is crucial in helping us deliver what patients want and need. 

The national Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) asks for feedback from cancer patients (16 years and over*), to inform and improve local cancer services across England. Those who were treated for cancer as an inpatient or day-case, and left hospital in April, May or June 2023, will be invited to take part in the survey. 

The survey takes no more than 20 minutes to complete and can be done online, on paper, or over the phone. If you need support completing the survey or need it made available in another language, you can call the free helpline number: 0800 103 2804.  

The NHS and cancer charities use the results to understand what is working well and which areas need improvement. The results enable them to identify national and local priorities and work with patients and partners to deliver change.

The survey is anonymous, and all personal data will be kept safe.

The results of the survey will be available in Summer 2024. 

For more information on the survey and how to access help and support in completing it, please visit www.ncpes.co.uk. 

*For those aged 16 and under, feedback is collected via the Under 16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey: www.under16cancerexperiencesurvey.co.uk. 

There have been important changes made to the way that the surgery now collects in Urine Samples for testing.

IN FUTURE WE WILL NOW ONLY

ACCEPT URINE SPECIMENS BETWEEN THE HOURS OF

8am AND 11am MONDAY TO FRIDAY.

Please ensure all samples include full name, date of birth, sample date and time.

Any samples received after 11am

WILL BE DISPOSED OF.

We have introduced a new annual review recall process.

We hope the new process will be more efficient and less time consuming for patients.

We want to give our patients with Long Term Conditions the best outcomes and guidance that we can. To do this we need to ensure that we have an organised process for reviewing our patients on at least an annual basis.

This new review process provides a better way of reviewing a patients needs, especially for patients who may have more than one Long Term Condition.

What Is a Long Term Condition?

A Long Term Condition includes illnesses such as:

• Respiratory disease,
• Heart disease,
• Stroke,
• Diabetes,
• Kidney disease,
• High blood pressure,
• Rheumatoid arthritis,
• Epilepsy,
• Mental health problems,
• Other long term health issues that affect the health or lifestyle of a patient.

These conditions require an annual review to ensure that the condition is being managed appropriately (by you the patient and also by us as your healthcare provider), identify any problems or concerns and ensure patients are confident to deal with their condition between reviews.

How Does The Process Work?

Patients with long term conditions will be invited for their annual review within the month of their birthday. Some patients have more than one long term condition. If this is the case, all relevant conditions will be reviewed within the one annual review process. This ensures that you are only attending the surgery when you need to and that we are not asking you to attend the surgery unnecessarily. You will recieve a Text Message/Letter/Phone Call which explains what to do next.

For some conditions, it may be necessary to have more than one appointment, for example, a blood test appointment with the health care assistant (to ensure results are available for the review) and tehn a review with the practice nurse, or in some cases, it may also be necessary to have an appointment with the GP. Most reviews take place with our specialised nursing team who have knowledge and experience of managing long term condition patients.

Some conditons may require an interim review e.g. at six months this will be discussed at the annual review where it is felt to be appropriate.

We hope you find this new process straight forward and easy to use. If you have any questions with regard the annual review process, please do not hesitate to contact us. As this is a new process, we would appreciate any feedback on how the system works for you or if you didn't hear from us, please contact the surgery on 01245 265522 if you have any of the conditions listed above.