Patient parking at Ashfields
The recent building works at Aldi has put immense pressure on our patient car park. If you are unable to park at the surgery, please use other car parks in the town to avoid congestion around the building. Please note, parking at McDonald’s car park may result in a fine.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused during the building period.
Know your numbers
Do you know your risks of high blood pressure numbers?
High blood pressure usually has no symptoms. The only way to know you have it is to have a blood pressure check.
The facts
- High blood pressure contributes to half of all heart attacks in the UK
- High blood pressure is the biggest cause of chronic kidney disease
- Those with high blood pressure are three times more likely to develop heart disease
- High blood pressure causes 60% of preventable strokes in the UK
- High blood pressure increases the risk of vascular dementia
You can get your blood pressure checked at a number of places.
- Some pharmacies
- Your GP Practice (some practices even have a device in reception available to use)
- Some workplaces
- At home – you can now buy blood pressure monitors to use at home
If you are worried about your blood pressure, book your appointment at your practice.
You can find out more information about ‘Know Your Number’ week at their website.
Organ Donation Week
This week is organ donation week and this years campaign is aimed at encouraging people to share their organ donation decision with their families.
Many people don’t realise that family support is needed for organ donations to go ahead. Have you ever talked about organ donation with your family? If not, chat to them about it during organ donation week! It makes a difficult situation easier when families have already had a conversation about organ donation.
You can also register to become an organ donor at the organ donation website.
Migraine Awareness Week
This week is Migraine Awareness Week and aims to raise awareness of the condition and highlight the impact it has to people living with it.
A migraine is usually a moderate or severe headache felt as a throbbing pain on one side of the head. Many people have symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and increased sensitivity to light or sound.
Migraine is a common health condition affecting around one in every five women and around one in every 15 men. They usually begin in early adulthood.
Simple painkillers such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen can be effective for migraine. However, be careful not to take too many painkillers as this could make it harder to treat headaches over time.
You should make an appointment to see your GP if you have frequent migraines (on more than five days a month), even if they can be controlled with medication, as you may benefit from preventative treatment.
Practice closed for August Bank Holiday
Our Practice will be closed for the Summer Bank Holiday on Monday 27 August 2018. We will
re-open as normal on Tuesday 28 August 2018.
If during this time you require medical advice or treatment you can:
Visit your pharmacy
Your local pharmacy can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaints. Opening times for local Pharmacies can be downloaded or you can visit NHS Choices.
Call NHS 111
If you need urgent medical advice but your condition is not life threatening, NHS 111 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.
A&E or 999
For a genuine medical emergency including; loss of consciousness, acute confused state and fits that are not stopping, persistent and or/severe chest pain, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding that cannot be stopped call 999 or go to your nearest A&E.
Snack well this summer
It can be even more of a challenge during the summer holidays to make sure your little ones aren’t eating too many sugary snacks.
Too much sugar can lead to the build up of harmful fat on the inside that we can’t see. This fat around vital organs can cause weight gain and serious diseases in the future like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
There is a surprising amount of sugar in popular kids drinks and snacks, so the NHS Change4Life programme have a number of healthy drink and snack alternatives for you try such as:
- Fruit kebabs
- Watermelon fruit lollies
- Carrot sticks
- Apple and celery rice cakes
- Carrot and courgette muffins
- Adding fruit pieces to water
Many more alternatives and healthy recipes can be found on the Change4Life website.
Too much sugar can also lead to painful tooth decay and shockingly in England, every 10 minutes a child has a rotten tooth removed in hospital. You can help stop tooth decay by ensuring your child:
- Has less sugary drinks and snacks
- Brushes their teeth twice a day
- Only has fruit juice once a day and with a meal rather than sipping it throughout the day
- Has regular check-ups at the dentist
You can find your nearest NHS dentist at NHS Choices.
Has your first aid kit got everything you need for the Summer Holidays?
The schools are out for summer which means the fun can begin! We may not be able to predict the weather for the holidays but we can prepare for any minor illnesses or injuries that may occur. Having a well-stocked first aid kit at home can help when you need to self care for minor ailments and injuries.
There are a number of things you can have in your first aid kit for any such eventualities:
- Thermometer
- Painkillers such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen (or infant paracetamol for children)
- Cough medicine
- Throat lozenges
- Diarrhoea relief
- Antiseptic cream
- Antihistamine tablets
- Plasters
- Tweezers
- Sterile gauze dressings
- Bandages
- Alcohol-free cleansing wipes
Your local Pharmacy is a great place to stock up on all the above items and you can find your nearest one and view their opening hours at NHS Choices.
Please remember to make sure your first aid kit is kept in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children.
Patient Research Experience Survey – The Results
A few months ago The National Institute for Health Research asked for feedback on the patient of clinical research taking place in the NHS.
Thank you to all those that took part, your responses will help improve the way clinical research is delivered in the NHS. You can view the final report below.
Patient Research Experience Survey – Final Report
All bets are on for a hot week ahead
With the weather for the week ahead predicted to be a scorcher, make sure you have the skills to enjoy it.
This week temperatures are expected to reach 28°c and although that means you can enjoy the delights of a BBQ with friends to enjoy the World Cup, we don’t want you to be out of the game too soon!
Read our top tips to avoid an early knockout:
Be sun aware
- Apply a good amount of sunscreen of at least factor 15 and four-star UVA rating. You should follow the guidance on the bottle of how often you should reapply
- Drink plenty of water or cold drinks to keep hydrated
- Remember that alcohol increases your risk of dehydration
- Stay in the shade between the hottest hours of the day 11am & 3pm
- Cover up and wear sunglasses
- Don’t forget to check on elderly family, friends and neighbours who may find the heat too much.
BBQ Safety
- Make sure you defrost food overnight in the fridge or if this is not possible, using a microwave on the defrost setting directly before cooking to stop harmful bacteria growing
- Store raw foods separately from ready-to-eat foods, covered on the bottom shelf of your fridge
- Ensure the meat is steaming hot throughout, there is no pink meat visible when you cut into the thickest part and the meat juices run clear
- Ensure your BBQ is on a flat surface away from sheds, fences or trees
- Never leave the BBQ unattended
If you feel unwell after being in the sun, call NHS 111 for advice.
You can find more information on protecting yourself in the sun at NHS Choices.
Practice Closed for Spring Bank Holiday
Please note that the practice is closed on Monday 28 May 2018 for the Spring Bank Holiday. We will re-open as normal on Tuesday 29 May 2018.
If you need medical advice or attention when the practice is closed you can:
Visit you pharmacy – Your local pharmacy can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaint. Visit NHS Choices to find a pharmacy open near you.
Call NHS 111 – If you need urgent medical advice but your condition is not life threatening. NHS 111 Is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.
A&E or 999 – for a genuine medical emergency including; loss of consciousness, acute confused state and fits that are not stopping, persistent and/or severe chest pain, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding that cannot be stopped.
