Addictions campaign urges people to 'see the person, hear their story' to fight stigma.

Chadwick Practice is working alongside the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB) to share a message about stigma and addiction across the region.

Stigma Kills is a campaign created by the NHS Addictions Provider Alliance, a collaborative of addiction services working to ensure quality, knowledge, and care in addiction services across the UK.

The digital campaign asks health and social care workers, and the public too, to 'see the person, hear their story.'

Sarah Hulse is the Strategic Manager for Alcohol, across the full North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System, and she is leading the team bringing the campaign to our region. She said:

"Our attitudes to addiction, and specifically the prejudiced ways we can think about people living with addiction, can have very tragic, real-life consequences.

"By asking health and care workers to look carefully at how they perceive addiction, asking them to understand it as an illness rather than a choice, the Stigma Kills campaign hopes to change both beliefs and behaviours."

The campaign urges people to 'Stop using words that hurt and isolate people, start thinking about why someone might be ill, and ask how you can help.' Designed to reach both health and care workers, and the public, it highlights how stigma and judgement can leave people alone with no access to the help they desperately need.

We would like to inform our patients that the practice shutters will be down for 2 hours on Monday 15th July between 11.30am and 1.30pm, as a mark of respect for our late Dr John Howe. The telephone lines will still be open for urgent queries. If you need to seek medical advice during these times please contact NHS111. Thank you.

It is with deepest regret to announce the very sad passing of our beloved Dr John Howe. He was an excellent caring GP to his patients and gave unconditional support and dedicated inspiration to his Chadwick family. He will forever stay in our hearts.

 Our services continue to face high demand and your decisions as a patient really make a difference.  We therefore ask if you would please consider:

 over Christmas and New Year your GP Practice will have to prioritise appointments for urgent conditions and respiratory related illnesses.  Routine and ongoing follow up care appointments may have to wait until a later date due to these pressures and we thank you for your patience at this time.

•  only using 999 and A&E if your condition is a threat to life or limb.
•  using alternative services, such as local pharmacies, GP's and NHS111 On line services nhs.uk.
•  attending A&E with non-emergency conditions are likely to face a long wait for treatment and may be referred to a more suitable service for their needs.
•  check your symptoms, using the online symptom checker available at 111.nhs.uk, which will re-direct you to a health professional if you need to be seen by someone. If your symptoms persist and you are not getting better, please contact your GP practice for advice.
•  If you need advice for an everyday illness or injury, please either contact your local pharmacy for help of look at the self-care advice that's available online from the NHS at nhs.uk.

 We would like to thank our communities for all their help so far this winter and ask that you continue to lend your support to us at this challenging time.  Your actions really do make a difference and by choosing the right service for your needs it helps us to prioritise care for those people who are most poorly.  Patients with urgent care needs are our priority currently.

Due to covid restrictions easing and the increased pressure on our telephone system, Chadwick Practice will no longer be taking routine repeat prescriptions by telephone.  If you are wanting to order your repeat prescription, please use the ordering methods that were in place pre-covid such as: placing in our postbox just outside our waiting area, by post or via the NHS app or Online serivces.  

Our practice has been asked to take part in a pilot with NICE.  The aim of the pilot is to test potential new general practice quality indicators in a representative group of general practices in England.

The indicators focus on dementia, depression and anxiety and people who are carers.  By taking part in the pilot, we will also be sharing the views of some practice staff, based on consent. Consent will be recorded via a form and held for the duration of the pilot. This information will be shared securely, reported to NICE and then deleted at the end of the pilot process.

Piloting is designed to improve the quality of service you receive from your GP, to develop good practices which can be used nationwide.
If you would like further information, or do not wish to take part in the pilot, please inform the practice manager.