Upper Dales Health Watch

The Patient Participation Group for the Central Dales Practice

Synopsis of the meeting held on 21^st November 2023

· Wi-fi at Sycamore Hall – This has been taken this up with the Humber & North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) as a long-term solution for Flat 4 (the Step-up Step down flat) was needed going forward. The GPs/ANP visiting Sycamore Hall would also greatly benefit from having access to wi-fi when visiting patients. 

· Cllr. Yvonne Peacock will get the wider issue of no land lines after 2025 on the agenda of the March ACC meeting in Richmond (Mercury House). 

· The Flu & Covid injections – Some 80% of the over 65s had been vaccinated.  The eligible under 65s had achieved a lower score which was disappointing.  The Central Dales Practice has now used all the Covid vaccine it had been allocated.

· Lynn Irwin hopes to start a monthly Practice Newsletter.  This would be on Facebook and in the Upper Wensleydale Newsletter.

· The Central Dales Practice is now fully staffed.  The new GP Assistant (aka Medical Secretary) based at Hawes is Karen Stanley.  The new Receptionist is Tara Batty from Bainbridge who is going to train as a Health Care Assistant.  The new Pharmacy Technician, Sahira Schutte is now in post.

· Building the Catterick Integrated Care Centre (CICC) is expected to start in January 2024 and to open in 2026.