Newsletter June 2013

Transcription

1 Newsletter June 2013 West Malling Group Practice Patient Participation Group Our Next Patient Information Evening Wednesday 7th August pm at West Malling Surgery We have 2 speakers attending Jackie Thompson from the Maidstone & Malling Carers Project also Nicola Mallett from Kings Hill and Mereworth Explorer Scouts unit who wish to offer FREE help with shopping, gardening or just a bit of company and a chat. All are welcome but please advise us you are going to attend so we have enough seats out. Are you a Carer? If you look after a family member, partner or friend who needs support because of disability, illness, addiction or frailty, you are a Carer. Maidstone & Malling Carers Project provides advice, support & guidance for Carers living in Maidstone, Malling and the surrounding rural areas. We provide information about local services and support systems, benefits, your rights and entitlements. We run Carer support & activity groups, as well as providing training to help you cope with your role as a Carer. We offer the Kent Carers Emergency Card which provides peace of mind & pre-arranged planned care for the person you care for if you are taken ill or involved in an accident. If you would like to find out more about our services or need support, please call Jackie Thompson on or by on jackie.thompson@vam-online.org.uk June 2013 Page 1

2 MALLING AREA COMMUNITY SERVICE volunteer car scheme. Do you enjoy driving? Could you spare some time to help people who don t have transport? Malling Area Community Service is looking for more volunteer drivers for our transport scheme which takes people to their appointments. The drivers receive a mileage allowance to cover their out-of-pocket expenses and you give as little or as much time as you wish. The scheme takes people for doctors, dentists, clinic, hospital, foot clinic and other medical appointments, for shopping and for social appointments. The communities in the Malling Area include Addington, Aylesford, Birling, Bluebell Hill, Borough Green, Burham, Ditton, East Malling, East Peckham, Eccles, Ightham, Ivy Hatch, Kings Hill, Larkfield, Leybourne, Mereworth, Offham, Plaxtol, Ryarsh, St Mary s Platt, Snodland, Stansted & Fairseat, Trottiscliffe, Wateringbury, West Malling, West Peckham, Wouldham and Wrotham many of which have poor public transport provision, so our scheme is very important in enabling people, including the elderly, to go about their daily lives. Please help us to provide this much-needed service. To find out more please call Malling Area Community Service on We look forward to hearing from you. June 2013 Page 2

3 New NHS website for help & advice Our Health website offers: a wealth of information about stroke & dementia links to over 5000 stroke & dementia services in Kent & Medway, Surrey & Sussex info on how your local services are performing an online forum to share information and experiences with others Your Nurse Practitioner The role of a nurse practitioner is complimentary to the role of a GP. The NP is trained to assess, diagnose and treat adults and children over 2 months. The NP is able to order investigations including blood tests, x-rays and scans and is trained to prescribe medication. She is able to screen for disease risk factors and for early signs of illness and is able to refer to secondary care consultants and/or for emergency admission. Your NP is a very experienced nurse with degree training please make full use of her we have two highly experienced NPs Sarah Witmond and Isobel Hibbard both of whom have availability every day and can see most of the things you would see a GP for. June 2013 Page 3

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5 Practice Voice (Surgery News) New Apprentice WMGP are delighted to announce that we have successfully recruited an apprentice to join us in May. Our apprentice will work with us for 12 months and will learn all aspects of general practice, from patient registrations, to taking blood pressures and doing ECGs to working on reception and helping patients. We are very excited to work with her & look forward to you meeting her at some stage - we are delighted to have been able to offer such an exciting opportunity to the younger people in our area. MMR Vaccination If your child is aged and has not previously been vaccinated for MMR. Please consider doing so now to protect them against, in particular, measles, due to the recent outbreaks. Please call us to arrange an appointment. It s that time of year again, and many people are starting to get all the classic hay fever symptoms sneezing, running nose, itchy and watery eyes. The onset has probably been delayed this year by the wet weather in April, so the symptoms we are now seeing are due to grass pollen (the commonest cause of hay fever symptoms). June 2013 Page 5

6 What is hay fever? Hay fever is caused by an allergy to pollen, mostly grass pollen (May to July), but also tree pollen (March to May), and weed pollens (Spring to Autumn). Who gets hay fever? Hay fever is very common and affects about 2 people in every 10 in the UK. It can run in families, and is more common if you have eczema or asthma. What are the symptoms? Most commonly, runny and itchy nose, blocked nose, sneezing; itchy and watering eyes, and an itchy throat. Less commonly, people can get loss of smell, facial pain, sweats and a headache. People can also get symptoms such as wheezing and breathlessness, which are worse if you have asthma. How is it diagnosed? Usually hay fever can be diagnosed on the basis of the symptoms you have, and your response to simple treatments. If in doubt, allergy tests can be arranged by your doctor. Treatment: A very simple treatment is to try to avoid over-exposure to pollens. The following may help if the pollen count is particularly high: Stay indoors as much as possible and keep doors and windows shut Avoid cutting grass, large grassy areas, and camping Shower, and wash your hair, after being outdoors, particularly in the countryside Wear wrap-around sunglasses when outside Keep car windows shut, and consider buying a pollen-filter for the car Keep your bedroom windows closed June 2013 Page 6

7 Medication: Most medication can be purchased over-the-counter at a pharmacy or chemist, and the pharmacist will be happy to advise you. Antihistamine nasal sprays: These can rapidly ease itching, sneezing and watering (within 15 minutes) but are less effective at easing blocked noses Antihistamine tablets: Tablets (or liquids for children) are very effective at relieving most symptoms of hay fever (apart from blocked nose). They can work within an hour or so. Chlorphenamine (piriton) works quickly, is safe for children, but can cause drowsiness. Loratadine (clarityn) or cetirizine (zirtek) are only once a day and do not usually cause drowsiness. They have been shown to be as good, if not better, than some prescription-only antihistamines. All three can be bought over-the-counter at a pharmacy. Steroid nasal sprays: Steroid nose sprays work very well with all nasal symptoms (including blocked noses), by reducing inflammation. They are also very good at easing itching and watering eyes. They can take several days to start working, and it has been recommended that you start using these a few weeks before the pollen count rises, if possible. Sprays such as beclometasone (Beconase) and fluticasone (Flixonase) can be bought over the counter. If these are not effective, mometasone (Nasonex) may be prescribed for some people. Eye drops: Antihistamine eye drops can work quickly, and can be used regularly. Mast cell stabilisers (sodium cromoglicate) are very effective at preventing the release of histamine in the eye, but do need to be used regularly. Both types of eye drops can be bought at the pharmacy. June 2013 Page 7

8 Severe symptoms: Some people can suffer very severe forms of hay fever, which can be very disruptive for work or school. Often the best treatment is to find the correct combination of nasal spray, antihistamine tablet and, if necessary, eye drops. If these are not successful, your doctor may prescribe treatments more commonly used in asthma, or even a short course of steroid anti-inflammatory tablets (usually for 5-7 days). Steroid injections, which were used in the past, are not generally recommended anymore. Referral to an allergy specialist may occasionally be necessary in severe cases, and a specialist may consider treatments such as immunotherapy (desensitisation), either by a series of injections or medication to be placed under the tongue. Dr Jonty West May 2013 Falls Prevention Have you had a fall in the past? Do you fear that you may fall when at home or out and about? Would you like to join a tailored exercise programme to reduce the risk of falling? If yes, come and join our postural stability exercises classes at various locations around Maidstone and Malling. Contact: Amanda Duddle / amanda.duddle@vam-online.org.uk For electronic readers Click Here For Leaflet June 2013 Page 8