I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself; I’m Lynne Hastie-Fuller, the new Chair for Whitestone Surgery’s Patient Participation Group (WS-PPG). While we have all had to make adaptions over the last couple years, did you know that your PPG continued to meet regularly and kept on building friendships?
With the surgery staff, we implemented the Whitestone Community Care Response Group. This model of ‘patients helping patients’ rapidly became an ‘essential service’ during the pandemic response, providing stability and comfort for many of the marginalised and it received positive local press coverage; click here.
We look forward to an exciting new season and we can’t wait to hear from you. Click here to join now or share this article with anyone who you think would be interested.
I would also like to commend the staff at the surgery as Whitestone Surgery was one of the very few practices in the country which never closed its doors. While they also had to make adaptions adhering to government guidelines, the team has actually substantially increased the number of available GP appointments over the last two years.
- October 2019/October 2021 an increase of 129% (72-165)
- March 2020/March 2022 an increase of 211% (61-190)
We are always on the lookout for new friends. For the new season we are urgently looking for someone to help run the Groundbreakers Allotment Club on Greenmoor road. We constantly invest in different ways to serve our community better. Please let me know if you have any ideas for new projects? We would like to invite you to consider joining one of our teams either by contacting the surgery reception or click here to drop us a line.
Our flagship programme, the Caring Café now meets on 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month. Recently, we have had some well attended events:
- Whitestone Pub Lunch – in-person gatherings resumed 3rd March 2022. We have moved location to the Whitestone Pub conservatory. It was lovely to see old friends again after such a long time and to welcome some new people. Catching up on news and how we had all coped with lockdown was the topic of conversation. Lunch was catered for with sandwiches, tea and coffee. As usual we held our raffle which is always very popular.
- St Patrick’s Day meeting – everyone had to wear something green. People wore hats and sported Shamrock hair accessories. Yet again tasty sandwiches were provided for us. We held a St Patrick’s Day quiz, all things Irish, including a prize of Guinness for the winner. Everyone joined in on all of the fun, and lots of laughs were heard.
- Easter Celebration – 7th April 2022 was our chance to celebrate an early Easter. Some of us took the opportunity to design and wear an Easter bonnet or wear Easter themed hair bands. Lunch was a usual very good and everyone enjoyed the sandwiches and had Easter chocolate cake. We enjoyed another quiz. Raffle prizes had been donated and it meant that almost everyone won a prize.
12 to 16 year olds in Whitestone can get involved in our Positive Vibes, Healthy Lives project aimed at providing activities for young people chosen by young people.
We look forward to an exciting new season and we can’t wait to hear from you. Click here to join now or share this article with anyone who you think would be interested.
