New arrangements for Elmham Surgery patients who need help with a medical emergency at night or over the weekend are due to come into force in July. 

An outline of the changes was given at the latest meeting of the Patient Participation Group by a senior representative of the East Anglian Ambulance Trust, which has won the contract to provide out-of-hours service for surgeries throughout Norfolk. This will replace the service that has been provided for the Elmham practice by Primecare over the past year.

The essence of the new arrangements is that they will draw on the local facilities which the ambulance service has created already. Callers ringing the surgery after 6 p.m. or during the weekend will be connected to a call-centre in Norwich. The scheme provides for contact with a doctor over the ‘phone. In some cases, this might be followed by a home visit. In other cases, it could be possible to see a doctor at the local ‘care-centre’: for Elmham patients, this will be Dereham hospital.

The details of the new scheme, and how it will work, will be published nearer the event, around the expected launch-date in July.

In the meantime, the branch surgery at Swanton Morley is  now part of the established scene while work goes on with the detailed preparations for the building of its permanent home next to the Lincoln House nursing home. The hope is that the dispensary at the new surgery, together with the recently-instituted delivery service for repeat prescriptions in selected villages, will go a long way towards cutting down the queues at the dispensary in Elmham. That is in addition to the extra working-space the Elmham dispensary itself has gained in the new extension.

And, talking of the extension, there’s still a treatment room that could turn out to be a dental clinic. Have you registered your view on a voting-slip that’s available at the surgery?

FIELD TRIP TO SNETTISHAM - In much better weather than forecast 20 of us set out to observe the waders  that winter on the Wash. Led by Charles and Fran Neale, who also organised the tides for us, we were treated to the spectacle of thousands of waders feeding on the mud flats and thousands more wheeling in flight as the tide came in. A total of 46 species were recorded which also  included a Marsh Harrier and a Little Egret. A truly amazing experience. 

The indoor meeting in March was our first AGM which was followed by a fascinating presentation by Alan Hale on Bird migration through Senegal. 

Our next  outdoor meeting is Saturday May 1st . Meet at Sparham Pools at 4.30 a.m. (yes a.m.) for a Dawn Chorus followed by bacon butties.  

Next indoor meeting is at Lenwade Village Hall 7.30 pm on Thursday May 20th. A talk on Birds and Wildlife of East Anglia by Peter Ransom. Non- members are always welcome. 
 

BECK WI

Aleathia opened our April meeting and introduced our speaker, Miss Valerie Bailey. Carol then read the minutes for the last meeting and Aleathia reminded us of the Beck WI stall to be on Reepham Market Place on Saturday 15th May. This stall will be manned from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, selling home-made cakes and pastries, gifts, books etc and members checked their times on the 'duty roster'.
 
We then listened to Valerie as she spoke movingly about the plight of the Tibetans, who for generations have suffered dreadful persecution. She showed us slides of the Tibetan exiles in their settlements in India - and some lovely shots of the monasteries in the hills. We enjoyed looking at the many books, photographs, rugs, prayer wheels etc. that she brought with her. Since 1991 she has visited the settlement every year and has made many friends of these lovely friendly people.
The raffle was won by Aleathia. We meet again on 10th May at the Old School Room, Sparham at 7.30 p.m. when we will be told about the forthcoming Resolutions. We look forward to seeing you all - and of course, any new members.