Summer 2026 Patient Newsletter

New Location for Saturday Clinics

From 1 August, our Saturday clinics will be held at Heatherview Medical Centre BH12 4AY as part of a trial, replacing our current venue at  Parkstone Tower Practice.

The move aims to provide better access and more convenient parking, helping to make clinic visits easier and more comfortable for patients.

RSV Vaccination Programme – Expansion Update

The RSV vaccination programme continues to grow, helping to protect more patients who are at increased risk of serious illness from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Current eligibility (since April 2026) includes:

• Adults aged 75 years as part of the routine programme
• The catch-up cohort of adults aged 75–79 on 1 September 2024
• All adults aged 80 and over
• Older adult care home residents who have not yet received their RSV vaccination

Expansion from 1 September 2026

From September, eligibility will be extended to adults aged 65–74 years who have certain long-term health conditions, in line with Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommendations.

Newly eligible groups include patients with:

Chronic respiratory conditions, such as:

• Poorly controlled asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and emphysema
• Bronchiectasis
• Cystic fibrosis
• Interstitial lung fibrosis
• Pneumoconiosis
• Bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Weakened immune systems (immunosuppression) due to:

• An underlying medical condition, or
• Medical treatment

Eligible patients will be contacted by the practice and invited for vaccination as the programme expands. Receiving the RSV vaccine helps reduce the risk of severe respiratory illness and hospital admission.

Self-Administration of Medicines Project

We have now launched our self-administration of medicines project, starting with vitamin B12 injections. Patients who are suitable for the scheme will receive training to safely give their own injections at home, offering greater convenience and reducing the need for routine surgery visits.

The project is being introduced gradually by age group, and once the B12 rollout is complete, we hope to extend self-administration to other injectable treatments where appropriate.

The Patient Participation Group (PPG) are looking to gain representation from groups such as young professionals, parents of children under 5years, community minorities, people with long-term conditions.

Please follow link or scan QR code to read more and join the group if interested. https://shoremedical.co.uk/community/champions/

Hosted by the Shore Champions
Every Thursday 10.30 – 12.00

Join us at
Inn in the Park
26 Pinewood Road,
Westbourne, Poole
BH13 6JS

Loneliness Together

Are you feeling lonely, socially isolated/excluded, come and have a cuppa, chat and make new friends at a chitter chatter club near you. For club
timetable, venues, and more information, go to www.thechitterchatterclub.co.uk or email: thechitterchatterclub@gmail.com or by telephone: 07986323789

Summer Health Reminder

High temperatures can affect your health, especially if you are older, very young or living with a long-term condition.

Next time you’re visiting us, why not give it a try? Stay cool, drink water regularly and avoid strenuous activity during the hottest parts of the
day. Wear sunscreen and protective clothing when outside.

Take care in the sunshine and make the most of the summer safely.

2,581 Missed Opportunities

In three months (April–June 2026), 2,581 appointments were missed across Shore Medical. Each missed appointment carries an actual average cost of £30 to the NHS.

This average cost represents the clinician’s time, administration costs, and NHS resources that have been reserved for that appointment.

This average cost represents the clinician’s time, administration costs, and NHS resources that have been reserved for that appointment.

It also has an opportunity cost. It is an appointment that could have been offered to another patient who may be waiting for advice, treatment or a diagnosis.

By cancelling appointments you no longer need, you can help us make the best use of our services and reduce waiting times for everyone.

If you can’t attend, please cancel your

appointment as soon as possible by:

• Using the NHS App
• Using Connect via our website
• Clicking the cancellation link in your appointment reminder message
• Using our automated telephone service
• Calling the surgery

A few moments to cancel could make a real difference to another patient.

Thank you for helping us make the best use of NHS resources and improve access for all patients.

Self Service at Your Practice!

Did you know that all of our sites have a self-service kiosk available for patients to use?

Using the kiosk, you can:

• Submit an online consultation request
• Register as a new patient
• Share feedback about our services and more

Patient confidentiality is important to us. Each kiosk includes a privacy shield, and all information is automatically removed once your session
ends, ensuring your details and requests remain private and secure.

Next time you’re visiting us, why not give it a try?