Fairford Patients Participation Group

30/09/2025

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqje8dljz7eo

16/09/2025

04/08/2025

Book your smear test today!

For more information check out the easy read leaflet at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-easy-read-guide

24/07/2025

Please watch this video and consider the challenges the reception team at Hilary Cottage Surgery faces before your call reaches them.

Receptionists are not ‘just admin’ — they are patient advocates, navigating complex systems to get people the care they need. They are the gateway to the clinical team, and without them, there is no access. But constant rudeness and abuse is pushing them to breaking point. Burnout is rising across all teams in the NHS, and we are losing skilled staff who can no longer absorb the emotional toll.

This video is part of a campaign calling for compassion, because protecting our reception teams protects access to care. You don't know what happened on the call they just took.

Thank you

Receptionists are not ‘just admin’ — they are patient advocates, navigating complex systems to get people the care they need. They are the gateway to the cli...

24/07/2025

Mounjaro® on the NHS – managing weight loss with tirzepatide

There has been a lot of media attention given to the weight loss drug being available on the NHS.

In order to qualify, a patients must have:
• A BMI of 40 or more, and
Four of the following:
• Type 2 diabetes
• Hypertension
• Cardiovascular disease
• Obstructive sleep apnoea
• Dyslipidaemia

Also, a patient must agree to NHS Gloucestershire’s weight loss support and wrap-around care programme which includes a diet and exercise programme to help improve health. NHS Gloucester is developing these support services.

We recognise it can be difficult for some people living with obesity to access the support they feel they need and that those most likely to benefit from this medication may wish to access it as soon as possible.

We are committed to updating the public on related service developments as they occur.

In the meantime, we ask that you don’t, yet, contact your GP to ask for tirzepitide (Mounjaro®) while treatment arrangements are being finalised.
You can visit the NHS Gloucestershire website for further information about tirzepatide: https://www.nhsglos.nhs.uk/your-health-services/healthy-communities/weight-loss-medication/

What support is currently available?
Live Well advice is available on the NHS Gloucestershire website.
If your GP identifies you as being at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, they may offer you the opportunity of taking part in the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme.

We also know that there will be people who do not qualify for weight loss medication, which may cause disappointment and/or exacerbate new and existing mental health and wellbeing issues. In these cases you may find NHS Talking Therapies helpful.

21/05/2025

⭐️Join Our Patient Participation Group!⭐️

If your interested to know more send us a message 😊

26/02/2025

MESSAGE FROM HILARY COTTAGE SURGERY

Hilary Cottage Surgery: Managing appointments

During a period when we were fully staffed, the recently implemented triage service worked well, allowing the community to contact us online from 7am, and by telephone at 8:30am, allowing fairer community access to the surgery, with the number of forms available reflecting our capacity at the surgery.

Recently, following some staffing issues, all triage forms were filled online very quickly, preventing some patients from accessing the service by telephone if this was their only option.
We recognise that during times of low staffing levels, our forms had become available to online users only in the early hours of the morning.

In response to feedback from the community, we have changed our approach to have early access triage forms available at 7:00am, with the remainder becoming available at 8:30 for those who need to telephone the surgery, as well as being available online at that time.

Please remember: if you book an appointment, please cancel it if you do not need it. Other people can use your reserved appointment.

24/02/2025

Please see today's update from Hilary Cottage Surgery.