The coffee morning sessions at Whaddon House Surgery have now been running for about 3 years. Senior citizens get together on Tuesday mornings at the surgery. At present they are managing to run these sessions themselves with little help. A representative from Age Concern spends one morning per month advising especially elderly patients.
This helps patients to, somehow, cease to feel intimidated by coming to the surgery for the coffee morning. It seems to encourage them to feel safe. They associate the event with a visit to the Doctor. The group has instant access to those of the staff who meet their needs. Recently they have started organising events by themselves and have opened their own bank account. The flu vaccination programme was organised as a result of this project for the care of the elderly.
The project is now at a stage where it is difficult to accommodate the numbers for the session and their activities such as fund raising events.