Chronic Disease Support

During the pandemic we knew that appointments were taking longer due to infection and prevention control procedures. We also knew that certain patients with diabetes for example were much more prone to COVID. MPCN worked with our partners BHFT and EBPC to retrain and redeploy staff so that we could provide extra chronic disease clinics at St Marks hospital and at the homes of those patients who were housebound to make sure those who were most vulnerable could be seen either at St Marks or in their GP Surgery and not miss their regular checks due to the pandemic.

Some of the clinics that were run at St Marks, you can still access today, they are:

Diabetes checks
Serious mental illness annual reviews
Asthma reviews
Blood pressure checks
Lifestyle checks

At MPCN we realised very early in the pandemic that the same number of patients that usually attend our surgeries and incidentally are found to have raised blood pressure for example was not happening.  We did not want our community to miss out on the health checks and have their raised blood pressure for example go untreated due to the pandemic.  We also knew that people who were overweight would be more at risk of covid-19.  So at MPCN we started the lifestyle check at our vaccination site checking blood pressure, pulse checks looking for irregular heart beat ( Atrial fibrillation) and BMI checks. These were then sent through to GP surgeries who could support patients. If you need more information about any of these health issues please use the links below.

Maidenhead Primary Care Network are proud to provide the local Covid vaccination clinic at The Desborough Suite, located at RBWM Town Hall in the centre of Maidenhead.  Since 22^nd December 2020 the vaccination clinic has been run by local practices on behalf of NHS England and is a great example of collaborative working amongst health partners and the wider community.  With the support of over 200 volunteers from the local community helping manage patient flows, maintain safe infection control and an endless supply of cakes and biscuits.

We have administered over 135,000 Covid vaccinations, over 11,000 seasonal flu vaccinations and have supported local health promotion campaigns to improve the healthcare of our patients.

During the pandemic we have seen a real increase in numbers of patients asking to be seen on the day by their GP practice.  The care navigators in practices are very good at supporting whether these patients need routine or on the day appointments.  But we can see that due to patients having held back to support the NHS there are now real needs for more patients to be seen each day. 

To support our practices MPCN have started a same day service at St Marks where you may be seen for minor illness or injury by one of our staff.  This appointment must be booked through your practice as this is really important to keep everyone safe from covid-19 and make sure the right patient is booked in for the right member of staff. These are face to face appointments.

Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP)
Can see patients for minor illness and minor injuries.

COVID Recovery
Can see patients for Diabetes checks, Asthma reviews, SMI checks and smears.

Physician Associate
Clinically assess, investigate and diagnose patients. See any patients that a GP would typically see

First Contact Physio
Does not do physiotherapy, if required, a referral will be made. See patients with musculoskeletal issues. Assess, diagnose and gives expert advice!

At MPCN our practices were worried that women may not access their smear tests as usual through the pandemic.  We also knew that due to infection prevention control measures appointments were longer and we couldn’t see as many women as we usually do therefore we have additional clinics at St Marks hospital during the pandemic and continued today to allow better access for women to get these important smear tests.

Cervical screening is when a sample of cells is taken from the cervix for analysis. A doctor or nurse inserts an instrument (a speculum) to open the woman’s vagina and uses a spatula to sweep around the cervix. Most women consider the procedure to be only mildly uncomfortable.

Cervical screening is not a test for cancer. It is a method of preventing cancer by detecting and treating early abnormalities which, if left untreated, could lead to cancer in a woman’s cervix (the neck of the womb).

All women between the ages of 25 and 64 are eligible for cervical screening test every three to five years.  The programme is run by Primary Care Support England and they will write to patients directly asking them to contact the surgery when they are due for screening. The result will be sent directly to you and usually within 1-2 weeks.

The NHS website also has a page on cervical cancer screening with lots of useful information including a cartoon video demonstrating the procedure.

MPCN trained and supported volunteers to discuss bowel screening with our patients attending for vaccination. We also used staff to contact those who could not attend the site to help ensure those who wished could access bowel cancer screening.  This was really important as we know screening levels had fallen during the pandemic so at MPCN those figures rose from 49% to 91% and growing. If you wish to find out more about bowel cancer screening, please use the link below.

Bowel cancer screening aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage (in people with no symptoms), when treatment is more likely to be effective. The screening test detects tiny amounts of blood, which you cannot normally see, in your bowel motions. You can carry out the test in the privacy of your own home and the kit provides a simple way for you to collect a small sample of a bowel motion. You may think that doing the test sounds a bit embarrassing or unpleasant, but it will only take a few minutes and it is an effective way to detect bowel cancer early.

Screening is offered every two years to all men and women aged 60 to 74. The programme is run by the Southern Hub of the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. When you are due for screening, a test kit will be sent out along with step-by-step instructions for completing the test at home and sending the samples to the hub laboratory. 

There is more information on bowel cancer screening on the Cancer Research UK website including a video on how to undertake the test. Bowel Cancer UK are the leading bowel cancer cancer charity and you can find their informative website here.

The NHS website also has a page on bowel cancer screening with lots of useful information.

Breast screening uses x-rays called mammograms to look for breast cancers when they are too small to be seen or felt. All women between 50 and 70 years old are invited for breast screening every three years. The Breast Screening Service rotates through the Practices in the area on a three-yearly cycle. This means that your first invitation for breast screening will fall between your 49th and 53rd birthday, at a time when your surgery is being screened. From March 2013 the service was extended to all women who fall within the the new national screening age groups of 47 to 49 and 71 to 73. As a result of phasing in only one of the new screening age groups (either age group 47 to 49 or age group 71 to 73) will be invited along with all eligible 50 to 70 year olds.

There is more information on breast cancer screening on the Cancer Research UK website. 

The NHS website also has a page on breast cancer screening with lots of useful information.