HIGHLANDS SURGERY NEWSLETTER

Transcription

1 HIGHLANDS ISSUE 4 Spring 2011 SURGERY An outbreak of Bank Holidays! Inside This Issue 1 An Outbreak of Bank Holidays 2 Therapy for you 3 Hay Fever 3 Pathfinder 4 Bowel cancer screening 5 Preventing Sunburn 6 Message in a bottle 7 Applications 8 And Finally By the time you read this, we hope that the very long winter is almost behind us and that the sun is not just a distant memory but a regular feature. With the spring comes the Bank Holiday season in earnest, and some dates to note when the surgery will be closed. These are: Good Friday 22 nd April, Easter Monday 25 th April, Royal Wedding day 29 th April, May Day Monday 2 nd May and Spring Bank Holiday Monday 30 th May. Out-of-hours medical emergency Please contact the surgery on and you will automatically be directed to the out of hours service. Local pharmacy opening hours Please see local press for details. Message in a bottle Reminder Please remember to update the personal and/or medical information on your Message in a Bottle form if any changes have occurred.

2 PAGE 2 HIGHLANDS SURGERY One in 4 Therapy for you That s how many people are likely to be affected by some sort of mental health or psychological problem during their lifetime. These problems show up in a wide range of conditions including anxiety and stress, depression, bereavement and loss, life changes and events, sleep difficulties, family and relationship problems and eating disorders. This isn t a complete list, just some of the things that cause us concern and affect the way we are able to work, socialise, or simply deal with day-to-day life and what it brings us. Your GP will be able to provide you with support and guidance if you are concerned about any of the above, and may offer you a referral to the Therapy for You service. The service offers support though therapy and treatments for Highlands Surgery patients will normally be held at the Leigh Primary Care Centre in the London Road. If you would like to know more about how Therapy for You works, (either for you or someone you love), their website is at or telephone

3 HIGHLANDS SURGERY Hay Fever PAGE 3 The hay fever season is upon us and for those of you who have this condition here are a few reminders/suggestions to help avoid exposure to pollen:- Hay Fever Keep an eye on the pollen count (often included in weather reports) and stay inside as much as possible when the pollen count is high. If possible wear wrap-around sunglasses to help prevent pollen getting in your eyes. Keep car windows closed and switch on air conditioning (if available) to prevent pollen entering the car. Keep bedroom doors and windows closed in mid-morning and early evening when pollen levels peak. Fortis awarded Pathfinder status You may have seen the articles appearing in the press relating to the sweeping changes that will take place in the NHS over the next two years. One significant change is that GP practices who work together in consortia will gradually take on responsibility for commissioning local health services. The first GP consortia were announced on 8 December by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley and the Fortis Group is one of the pathfinders leading the reform to local services. GP practices within the Group will be consulting widely with patients so that their views and feedback will help inform the provision of front line services in the future. For more information relating to the NHS changes log on to Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) within the Fortis network will be working together to bring patients updates and information as progress takes place. Please let your practice or PPG know if you would like to become involved. It s not necessary to attend meetings; we are happy for patients, their families and carers to participate by if that would be easier.

4 PAGE 4 HIGHLANDS SURGERY LET S BE CLEAR ABOUT BOWEL CANCER Stay Safe in the Sun Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK and when it comes to cancer deaths; it s the second biggest killer. Sunburn is caused by over exposure to sunlight which contains ultraviolet radiation (UV rays). UVA and UVB are the two types of ultraviolet rays that cause sunburn. Sunburn can also be caused by exposure to other sources of UV light such as tanning beds and photo-therapy lamps. A cancer awareness campaign, to highlight the early signs and symptoms of cancer, was launched by the Department of Health this year. The campaign Be Clear on Cancer, aims to increase cancer survival rates through early detection. NHS South East Essex is supporting this important campaign locally, by. working with other NHS organisations, the public sector, community groups and the public, to raise public awareness about the early signs and symptoms of bowel cancer. People over 55 years old will be encouraged to seek advice and treatment if they believe they may have the symptoms of bowel cancer. The earlier symptoms are checked with a GP, the better the chance of successful treatment and survival. HOW TO SPOT IT.For the last 3 weeks: Have you been passing blood with your bowel movements? Have your bowel movements been looser? If you are over 55 and have experienced one of the above symptoms (in the last 3 weeks) you should visit your GP. Other signs and symptoms can include: persistent change in bowel habits; bleeding from back passage; pain/discomfort in the abdomen; a lump in your abdomen. Bowel problems are quite common and it doesn t necessarily mean you have bowel cancer if you experience these symptoms; they could be symptoms of other conditions such as hemorrhoids (piles). However you should not try to diagnose yourself, you should visit your GP and if it isn t serious your mind will be put at rest. If it is a serious condition, such as bowel cancer, the earlier it is diagnosed, the more treatable it is.. visiting your GP could save your life! If you require more information please contact your GP practice, or visit the bowel cancer website at

5 HIGHLANDS SURGERY PAGE 5 Preventing Sunburn To prevent getting sunburn, avoid strong sunlight whenever possible, particularly if you are fair skinned, and cover up with loose clothing and a hat. If possible avoid going out when the sun is at its strongest, around midday. When buying sunscreen choose one with a sun protection factor (SPF) that is suitable for your skin type and protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Apply a generous amount of sun cream with an SPF of at least 15 about 1/2 an hour before you go out in the sun so it has time to absorb into your skin and dry. It is very important to use a generous amount of sun cream and when applying pay particular attention to the skin near the edges of clothing such as straps and necklines as these areas can easily be missed. Reapply sun cream regularly (at least every 2-3 hours). Water resistant sun creams should also be reapplied after you come out of the water as the sun cream can be rubbed off when drying yourself with a towel. Use a stick application with a high SPF for exposed areas such as your nose, ears and lips because these areas tend to burn more easily.

6 PAGE 6 Message in a Bottle HIGHLANDS SURGERY All the town's libraries have teamed up with Southend Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) to offer the free "Message in a Bottle" scheme at branches across the borough. The Message in a Bottle scheme is aimed at people on long-term medication and has already proved to be a great success in the UK. To date this voluntary scheme has saved the lives of 120 people living in Essex. The "Bottle" is a small plastic container which is kept in the fridge and contains details of the person's Carer or next of kin, medical condition, allergies, medication and GP etc. This information can be easily found in an emergency and acts as a simple but potentially effective lifesaver. The scheme is also fully supported by Southend Police, Essex Fire and Rescue Service, the Ambulance Service and Southend Borough Neighbourhood Watch. To obtain your free bottle, which comes with full instructions, contact your local Library or Police Station. Highlands Surgery has a limited amount of bottles available on a first come first serve basis.

7 HIGHLANDS SURGERY PAGE 7 Application to join Highlands Surgery Patient Participation Group I am interested in joining Highlands Surgery Patient Participation Group. My details are as follows. Name Address Tel Age group over 65 Availability: Daytime Evenings CUT Newsletter topics. Surgery Information... Health Promotions...

8 PAGE 8 HIGHLANDS SURGERY