The Shore Medical Summer 2025 Newsletter is also available for download here: Shore Medical Summer 2025 Newsletter
Warm welcome to Our New Clinical Director – Dr Simon Rees
We’re pleased to introduce Dr Rees as the new Clinical Director at Shore Medical. He extends his sincere thanks to Dr Nick Evans for his dedication and leadership over the past three years.
Dr Rees is passionate about the exceptional care we provide and is eager to explore new ways to enhance our services. His key
priorities include:
- Strengthening communication
- Driving data-informed improvements
- Enhancing patient care
- Supporting staff wellbeing and development
If you have any questions or suggestions, Dr Rees would love to hear from you.
What Does a PCN Clinical Director Do?
The Clinical Director plays a vital role in coordinating care delivery across the Primary Care Network (PCN). They contribute to strategic planning, work closely with leadership teams, and represent the practice at Integrated Care Board (ICB) meetings. Their goal is to ensure high-quality, effective services that align with wider NHS strategies.
Shore Champions PPG
The Patient Participation Group (PPG) are looking to gain representation from groups such as young professionals, parent of children under 5years, community minorities, people with longterm conditions.
Please follow link or scan QR code to read more and join the group if interested.
https://shoremedical.co.uk/community/champions/
Patient Coffee Morning
Hosted by the Shore Champions. Every Thursday 10.30 – 12.00. Lunch on the last Thursday of every month at 12:00. Join us at the Inn in the Park, 26 Pinewood Road, Westbourne, Poole BH13 6JS.
NHS 10 Year Plan
The NHS Plan will focus on three radical shifts:
- Hospital to Community – Designed around the patient to provide continuous, accessible and integrated care within local communities. We are now working collaboratively with the local council, voluntary sector, Dorset HealthCare, and other community services to streamline and coordinate care through Integrated Neighbourhood Teams within primary care.
- Analogue to Digital – A ‘doctor in your pocket’ in the form of the NHS App for patients and staff liberated from a burden of bureaucracy and administration. This will ensure rapid access for those in generally good health and free up physical access for those with the most complex needs. It will also ensure the NHS’s financial sustainability for future generations.
- Sickness to Prevention: The Power To Make The Healthy Choice through early interventions targeting obesity, smoking , vaccines and public health.
Heatwave: How to cope in hot weather
Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it’s too hot, it can pose serious health risks. If hot weather hits this summer, make sure it does not harm you or anyone you know. Heatwaves increase the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. Anyone can be affected but most vulnerable are older adults, young children, and those with long-term health conditions.
Tips for coping in hot weather
Keep out of the heat if you can. If you must go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter.
Cool yourself down. Have cold food and drinks, avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes.
Keep your living space cool. Close windows during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down.
Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35degrees. For more information, please visit:
COVID and Flu Vaccinations
The Spring Covid Vaccine programme has now concluded nationally. Shore did very
well, with over 4500 patients vaccinated this season, placing us 4th out of 18 PCNs in Dorset.
We will be participating in the Autumn Vaccination Programme again this year. Plans to commence administering vaccines in the first week of October are underway.
Eligible cohorts for the COVID and Flu to be vaccinated through Shore Medical will be contacted on how to book.
SystmConnect
Respiratory Hub
We are launching a new Community Respiratory Hub based at St Mary’s Hospital in Poole to provide respiratory diagnostics closer to home for our patients.
This service aims to improve access and reduce waiting times by delivering high-quality respiratory assessments and diagnostics within a community setting, ensuring timely and convenient care for those with respiratory conditions.
Plan is to start in August 2025. More details will follow.
Childhood Immunisation Schedule
From 1 July 2025, the UK’s childhood immunisation schedule has been updated to better protect children and streamline appointments. Key changes include:
- A new 18-month vaccination visit (from Jan 2026).
- Removal of the Hib/MenC vaccine at 1 year.
- Second MenB dose now given at 12 weeks.
- The first PCV13 dose moved to 16 weeks.
These updates reflect the latest clinical guidance and aim to keep your child safe from serious illnesses. Check your child’s updated vaccination schedule with your GP today
to stay on track.
Hypertension Event
Hypertension (High blood pressure)is a major cause of premature death worldwide and it is preventable.
We will be hosting an event targeting uncontrolled hypertension in September 2025. There will be an Education talk from a GP, digital support for the VISO app and the NHS app. There will also be Health Care Assistant led education on smoke-stop and health checks. Stands/stalls from various organisations will be available too. Eligible patients will be contacted by SMS or telephone.
Digital Clinics
The Digital team has provided individual sessions for over 120 patients since the digital support clinics started last year. Patients have been empowered to confidently manage their health digitally and take control of their well-being.
Request to book a session at the surgery or use SystmConnect.
Feedback from a patient: “Thank you for rectifying my NHS app so quickly. Great support from your practice as usual”
Patients are at the heart of everything we do. If you no longer need your appointment or wish to rearrange, please don’t forget to let us know, so that we can use it for someone else!
