PETERCULTER MEDICAL PRACTICE

THERE are some staff changes to report: Mrs Jenny King is welcome back after her maternity leave, and our thanks and farewells go to Mrs Sue Hampton and Mrs Lynn Smith who have been helping us with practice nursing activities in her absence. We also warmly welcome Alison Mitchell who is our new Health Visitor.

Dr Stuart Duncan continues to be of great help, intermittently doing locum sessions for us, and Mrs Lizzie Thomas has also been helping out with Health Visitor work. It is good to be able to call upon such experienced recent colleagues for assistance!

Hopefully the'flu season is now in the past, and we can look forward to longer daylight hours over the coming weeks - something which is proven to improve one's mood and spirits. Those of you thinking ahead to a summer holiday abroad should get in touch with us in good time to go over your immunisation requirements etc - please do not leave it until the last minute.

Along with other practices in Aberdeen and the surrounding area, we will be signing up to the so-called protected learning time (PLT) programme. This has been tested out over the past year in several practices including our own. It will involve an afternoon closure on a monthly basis (second Wednesday of each month - but excluding July/August and December /January), with ALL practice staff (doctors, nurses, admin staff & receptionists) meeting to engage in learning activities designed to improve the service that we provide.

It is a new concept in the Health Service but makes a lot of sense, giving appropriate importance to issues of service development. Medical cover will be provided by NHS24 (phone contact) and a GDOCS-style GP contact as needed. Further details are available via the practice and there will be a regional publicity campaign following shortly.

With best wishes

Dr Douglas Harris