Practice Newsletter: September 2024

Flu Season 2024/2025

Whilst flu seasons can differ in severity, during most seasons, adults 65 years and older, and those with other underlying conditions, bear the greatest burden of severe flu, making it especially important to be  vaccinated.

We have ordered our vaccines taking into account the number of patients on our register.

Please support us this year by having your flu vaccination at the Practice. By going elsewhere for your flu vaccination, we will have excess vaccines resulting in wastage. The vaccine is free to you if:

• You are aged 65 or over (by 31 March 2025)
• You suffer from diabetes, heart disease, chronic renal, liver disease
• You suffer from a respiratory disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• You are a Carer
• You are pregnant
• Frontline Health and Social Workers
• Close contact with immunocompromised individuals
• You live or work in a residential care or nursing home
• You are housebound

Remember, anyone can get flu but it can be more serious if you suffer from other health problems. Please ask your GP or Practice Nurse if in doubt.

We have now taken delivery of our flu vaccines and will be running clinics from October. We will shortly be advertising details of our clinics and sending reminder texts. It is essential that you respond and attend when invited.

You may also be offered a vaccination against pneumococcal and/or shingles to reduce the chance of getting these conditions.

Gestational Diabetes

The Healthier You GDM program is an available tool to access support for those with gestational diabetes.

How will the Healthier You GDM programme help?

It is a 9-month programme which has been specially designed to connect women and empower them as they learn more about their health and wellbeing. With flexible options, including online and in-person group support, they can pick a path that suits them and be led by experts towards making positive, sustainable lifestyle changes. They’ll learn more about female health and look at their health as a whole, covering nutrition, sleep, alcohol, exercise and hot topics like intermittent fasting and belly fat reduction. We’ll give them all the tools they need including extras like a recipe book and journal as well as unlimited access to our online gym.

For more information visit Healthier You

Call: 0333 047 9999 (phonelines are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, local charges apply) or sign up directly by completing the form.

Wasted Appointments

It is important that you cancel if you are unable to attend your GP or nurse appointment. We have made it very easy for you to cancel your appointments. You can cancel by calling the surgery and, when prompted, enter your date of birth or, by following the prompt on our reminder text. We are only able to offer your unwanted appointment if you cancel.

In August, of the 7738 appointments we offered, 237 (3.06%) people who booked, did not show up and failed to cancel.

Stoptober – Stop Smoking this October

Did you know that if you complete Stoptober, you are 5 times more likely to stop smoking for good?

Smoking is the number one cause of preventable deaths in the UK, killing over 100,000 people in the UK every year. It is also one of the biggest causes of lung disease and accounts for around half of all lung disease deaths.

We offer support to help you quit smoking. Please book an appointment with Maria, our Smoking Cessation counsellor, and she will be happy to offer smoking cessation support. Call 0800 0820 388 to get local NHS support and medication and quit for good.

October is Stoptober!

1000’s of people will be quitting, so could you!

Eating Disorders

• Are you aged over the age of 16?
• Do you suffer with the symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder and/or Bulimia Nervosa?
• Do you want to help improve the identification of eating disorders?

The NIHR School for Primary Care Research is looking to map out the current practices in relation to the identification and management of Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa.

If you answer yes to the above, you may qualify to take part in this study. For further information please visit the University of Exeter website. The study ends in February 2025.

Published: Sep 6, 2024