Stow Surgery

17/07/2025

Change of Process for Handling Urine Samples

From Monday 21st July we will be operating a new system with regards to urine samples. We will no longer be accepting urine samples at the Reception desk unless they have been requested by a Health Care Professional.

Suspected Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-tract-infections-utis/

Females aged between 16 and 64 years, with an uncomplicated urinary tract infection are eligible for help via Pharmacy First and will be advised to seek treatment from a community pharmacy. All of the local pharmacists are participating in this scheme and can provide antibiotics if indicated. No referral is required from the surgery.

Women with a catheter, recurrent UTIs, Diabetes, visible blood in their urine or who are pregnant will be triaged by the surgery, by phone. Please call the surgery on 01451 830625 if you fall into one of these categories. DO NOT bring a urine sample to the surgery.

Males, children and women over 65 will be triaged by the surgery, by phone. Please call the surgery on 01451 830625 if you fall into one of these categories. DO NOT bring a urine sample to the surgery.

If, after triage, a sample is requested then patients will be asked to bring it in the same day.

Urine Samples for Long Term Conditions
Patients with certain long term conditions are asked to bring a urine sample to their annual review appointment with the nursing team. We call this an ACR (Urine albumin to creatinine ratio) and it is used to check kidney function. Unless you have been advised otherwise please do not leave these samples with a Receptionist but take them into the appointment with the nursing team member.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/kidney-disease/diagnosis/

17/07/2025

If you are a Carer, pop along to Jameson Court in Moreton on Monday 4th August - see information below.

14/07/2025

Women's Health Hub

A reminder that our next Women's Health Hub is on Saturday 2nd August.

We have appointments available for cervical screening, coil & implant fitting, ring pessary fitting, sexual health testing, menopause and contraception advice.
Please call the surgery to make an appointment

Of the ladies registered with Stow Surgery 150 are overdue cervical screening. If you are worried or anxious about the screening and would just like to chat to a nurse first without committing to have a test you are very welcome to make an appointment to do this.

Read more about how cervical screening is done and what happens at your appointment.

13/07/2025

Sad to hear that a child has died of Measles in Liverpool, where there is an outbreak due to low vaccination rates.

If you or your child haven’t had full vaccination you can have a catch-up course at any time, free on the NHS, with the practice nurse at your GP surgery.

Find out about measles, a highly infectious viral illness that can be very unpleasant and sometimes lead to serious complications.

11/07/2025

Jason Spinney will be running a clinic at Stow Surgery on Tuesday 5th August in the morning. Please call the surgery on 01451 830625 to confirm a time to see him.

🌟 Success Story Saturday 🌟

Sometimes, the simplest digital tools can help people find their voices again — reminding us that digital equity is health equity.

When Jason Spinney, our Digital & Technology Inclusion Social Prescribing Link Worker, visited a couple at home, he brought more than just technology. Mr. A, living with early-stage dementia, and Mrs. A, who had lost much of her speech after a stroke, were desperate for a way to communicate.

Jason introduced an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) board, giving Mrs. A a voice again and helping Mr. A feel heard and connected. Jason also used his expertise to ensure their iPad synced, their accounts were secure, and their broadband was working so they could keep talking to the world, and each other.

Digital support is not a luxury — it’s a vital part of modern healthcare.
If you would like more information please email us at digital@grcc.org.uk.

11/07/2025

☀️ Temperatures will stay high this weekend so follow some simple steps to

☀ Stay out of the direct sun, especially during the hottest part of the day, between 11am and 3pm when UV rays are strongest

☀ If you’re going out in the hot weather, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen, wear a hat, sunglasses and loose-fitting, clothes

☀ Apply sunscreen frequently of at least SPF 30 and 4 or 5 star ultraviolet A (UVA)

☀ Drink plenty

☀ Avoid extreme physical exertion during the hot weather

11/07/2025

ReSPECT Form Audit

We have recently carried out an audit of ReSPECT forms at the surgery. ReSPECT stands for Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment. The ReSPECT process creates a personalised recommendation for your clinical care in emergency situations where you are not able to make decisions or express your wishes.

Unfortunately, hospitals don’t always share these forms / plans with GP practices and the information from them is not always updated on the shared clinical system which can be accessed nationally by NHS organisations via the Summary Care Record. In the event of an emergency it is important that health professionals can access this information quickly.

We are contacting patients where we believe there is a ReSPECT plan in place but we do not hold a copy and are not aware of the information it contains.

Additionally patient's wishes can change over time and the letter will act as a reminder that these plans can be updated at any time.

Please also remember that the ReSPECT form should be kept in a safe place at home and accessible to emergency services staff in the event of an emergency. Preferably this should be in an orange “What Matters to Me” folder or a Lions “Message in a Bottle” in the fridge.

We have some of the Message in a Bottle receptacles at the surgery if anyone would like one.

There is more information about the ReSPECT plans and the Message in a Bottle initiative on the links below.

https://www.resus.org.uk/respect/respect-patients-and-carers
https://lionsmessageinabottle.co.uk/

11/07/2025

getUBetter is providing support for Women’s Pelvic Health across NHS Gloucestershire

Alongside the MSK and Persistent Pain pathways in the getUBetter app, the Women’s Pelvic Health pathway is designed to provide women the knowledge, confidence, and insight to self-manage their condition and recognise when to seek help. Providing the access to expert advice and support they need.

Women in Gloucestershire can now access:
• Locally configured digital support across the whole pathway
• A pelvic floor trainer – Recognising women’s individual needs and abilities
• Specific support modules – Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Stress Urinary Incontinence, Overactive Bladder, Pelvic Pain, Menopause, Menstruation

To access, patients can download the getUBetter app from the app store, create an account and select Pelvic Health from the conditions page. Or, follow the link below

The app was wonderful- really clear, simple exercises plus reassurance that everything was going ok. I found the status updates really helpful - and good to know how the injury would progress.

03/07/2025

18/06/2025

📻 You can listen to Karis Ramsay, our Clinical Learning and Development Lead for Primary Care talking about today's visit to Cirencester Livestock Market with the fabulous Nurse on Tour team. Karis was talking to on the breakfast show. Listen from 1:21 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002dmn1?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

18/06/2025

DEMENTIA ACTION DAY - OPEN TO ALL
THURSDAY 19th JUNE 2025, 10.00am – 3:00pm
STOW SURGERY, Maugersbury Road, Stow on the Wold, GL54 1AX
If you would like to find out what is available in Gloucestershire, or need some advice or support, come and chat to the team:
• Information on prevention/reducing your risk of dementia;
• Worried about your memory and would like to find out who you need to contact for advice/support;
• What resources/support are available for people who have a diagnosis of dementia.
• If you are registered with Stow Surgery and are concerned about your memory, drop in, in the morning and have a FREE memory assessment with a GP
If you want to make contact with the team prior to this event, of any have questions or need any dementia support, then contact MANAGING MEMORY TOGETHER (NHS) on 0800 694 8800 or email managingmemory@ghc.nhs.uk

19/05/2025

FREE PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS STARTING JUNE 2025

We wanted to share with you details of the FREE Parent Workshops that Talk Well are running in Cheltenham, Cirencester and online via Zoom from June 2025 over a course of 5 weeks. These workshops are for parents/carers of children between the ages of 11-18 within Gloucestershire. Please note that bookings for these will close at 11.30pm on 5 June.

The established workshops are designed to inform and support parents, helping them to understand their child’s distress and discover effective strategies to improve their resilience. The workshops are also an opportunity for parents going through similar experiences to encourage, support and learn from each other in a safe and friendly environment.

Dates Day Time Location Booking Link
12 June – 17 July Thursday 10.00am – 11.30am Cheltenham https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1319937531689?aff=oddtdtcreator
17 June – 15 July Tuesday 6.30pm – 8.00pm Zoom https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1319881574319?aff=oddtdtcreator
18 June – 16 July Wednesday 7.00pm - 8.30pm Cirencester https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1319908083609?aff=oddtdtcreator

All details are on the website below: https://www.talkwell.org.uk/parents-carers/workshops

Talk Well run FREE support groups for parents and carers of young people that meet face-to-face or virtually via Teams. Discover strategies to nurture resilience, guided by trained facilitators.