Winter 2006

The surgery is open as normal during the week before Christmas. Opening hours over the Christmas period are as follows:

We are closed on Monday 25th Dec and Tuesday 26th Dec.  but we are open as normal during the rest of that week.

We are closed on Monday 1 January but we are open as normal for the rest of that week.

Dr Goldie would like to thank all the patients and colleagues who kindly sponsored him to run the recent New York marathon in aid of the Children’s Society. He completed the course in an excellent time of 3 hours 42 mins and 31 secs.

Liz Hicks, our Health Visitor for Older People is retiring in January 2007. Her successor is Bridget Rowcliffe who has been part of our district nursing team for many years.

We have also appointed a new Staywell administrator called Pamela Porter.  Pamela has taken over from Jill Cutler who has now retired.  Pamela will be looking after all administration tasks relating to the Staywell Scheme so if you are aged 75 or over,  Pamela will be sending you an annual postal questionnaire to check that everything is going well.

John Preston has provided these very popular weekend courses, in partnership with the Phoenix Trust, for the past 10 years.

John worked for many years as a senior social services manager, counsellor and college lecturer.  For five years he trained as a monk at a Buddhist meditation monastery.  Returning to lay-life he teaches meditation as an entirely secular practice promoting health and personal growth.

Meditation is an effective way of counteracting general stress and increasing a sense of personal well-being.  More specifically the practice has been found to make an effective contribution in the treatment of a wide range of emotional and stress related conditions. i.e. high blood pressure, anxiety, depression    

Meditation can also be beneficial in helping patients through a period of life-crisis (divorce, sickness, bereavement, etc.)  It can also be part of a treatment programme aimed at weight loss, giving up smoking or reducing alcohol consumption.

Courses have been designed for those who have not meditated before or who have only limited experience. Sessions include periods of seated practice (10 – 20 minutes) using ordinary chairs.  No special postures are required. 

John’s next weekend course meets on Saturday & Sunday 24 & 25 February. 10am – 4pm at the South Cerney Health Centre, Clarks Hay, South Cerney.  Courses are open to everyone in the Cirencester area. The courses are subsidised by The Phoenix Charitable Trust and normally the weekend course fee is £20 per day.  However, to celebrate 10 years of meditation courses the Trust is promoting a special offer of “Buy One Get One Free” and inviting participants to come along for both days and only pay for the Saturday.

To enrol please phone 01559 371993 or email: beaufortmeditation@hotmail.com

Enrolments can be accepted on the day - subject to places being available.

On behalf of the many patients who have received help, the Phoenix Trust would like to thank everyone who has supported the Trust during 2006.  We are very grateful and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sarah Beasley and Liz Hicks are still running this clinic. If you are interested please ask for more information from the receptionists at the surgery.

The clinics are every Tuesday afternoon and the first and second Friday afternoon of each month.

Please only make an appointment to see Sarah or Liz if you are ready to set a “stop smoking date”.

A warm welcome back to Dr Nicola Thurston who has returned from maternity leave.