Lordshill H/C

Newsletter

Spring/Summer 2016 Edition1

Welcome to the spring/summer edition of our Newsletter. We hope you are finding them informative and easy to read. Please do let us know if there is anything you would like added in future editions.

Debbie Charman

Practice Manager

Travelling

Abroad?

Travelling abroad is exciting, but with so many things to see and do when you get there, the basicsof health and safety is often neglected. Every year, people living in the UK go on more than 60 million trips abroad. Most have a safe trip, but some peopleget ill or have an accident and need medical treatment while they’re away.

Travel kit checklist

  • antiseptic
  • sunscreen
  • after sun lotion
  • insect repellent
  • antihistamines
  • anti-diarrhoea pills
  • rehydration sachets
  • first aidkit

Sun protection

Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK, and it’s a growing problem. Each year, around 2,600 people die from skin cancer. Skin cancers are caused by damage from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.Protecting the skin from the sun can help prevent these cancers.

Whether you're on holiday or at home, you can protect yourself by followingCancer Research UK's SunSmart messages:

  • Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm.
  • Make sure you never burn.
  • Aim to cover up with a T-shirt, hat and sunglasses.
  • Remember to take extra care with children.
  • Then use factor 15 or moresunscreen.

Report any changes to moles or any unusual skin growths to your GP.

Always take special care of children’s skin.

Travel vaccinations

Start preparing foryour trip six weeks before you go.Read the latest health advice for the country you're travelling to and check thetravel safety updateswith the Foreign& Commonwealth Office.

You may needtravel vaccines or,if diseases such as malaria are a risk, you may need to start protecting yourself well in advance.

Travel insurance

Make sure your policy covers your destination and the duration of your stay, as well as any specific activities you might do. For example, don’t assume your winter sports policy will cover off-piste skiing.

When travelling in Europe,make sure you have a validEuropean Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This will entitle you to free or reduced-cost medical care.However, the EHIC won’t cover you for everything that travel insurance can, such as emergency travel back to the UK

Before you go……..

  • check travel advice pages for the country you are visiting. Sign up for email alerts and you’ll get the latest updates for that country
  • find out where the nearest embassy will be – check their website to find out what services they offer and their opening times
  • you can call 112 to contact the emergency services in any EU country
  • research the health risk on the NHS travel health information page as soon as possible before travelling, and if necessary visit your GP or a travel clinic
  • if you have a pre-existing medical condition, make sure you take enough medical supplies for the duration of your visit and any unexpected delays. Medical supplies may be subject to supply constraints in some countries and in remote areas
  • make sure you’ve got correct visas for the country you are visiting and that your passport is valid
  • all first time adult passport applicants must now attend an interview to verify their identity. It now takes up to six weeks to get a first passport.
  • for certain countries your passport must be valid for 6 months after the date you travel – check the entry requirements before you go
  • make a note of your passport number and consider taking a photocopy with you and/or storing it online using a secure data storage site
  • make sure you fill in the emergency contact details in your passport. This will make it much easier to be contacted if necessary
  • tell family and friends where you are going and leave them your contact details, insurance policy details and your itinerary and/or store them online using a secure data storage site
  • make sure you have enough money to cover emergencies and any unexpected delays. Consider taking more than one means of payment with you (cash, debit/credit card)
  • find out if travellers cheques are appropriate for your destination and keep a separate record of their numbers
  • invest in a good travel guide to help you plan your trip
  • if you’re going to be driving abroad, make sure your licence is current and valid and be aware of the driving laws in the country you are visiting
  • check the HM Revenue & Customs Travel website for information on duty-free allowances, banned goods etc

Hay fever?

Hay fever is a common allergic condition that affects up toone in five people at some point in their life.

Symptoms of hay feverinclude: sneezing, a runny nose, itchy eyes

You'll experience hay fever symptoms if you have an allergic reaction to pollen. Pollen is a fine powder released by plants as part of their reproductive cycle. It contains proteins that can cause the nose, eyes, throat and sinuses to become swollen, irritated and inflamed.

You can have an allergy to:tree pollen, released during spring, grass pollen, released during the end of spring and beginning of summer, weed pollen, released late autumn.

Many people find their symptoms improve as they get older.

Hay fevertreatment

There's currently no cure for hay fever, but most people are able to relieve symptoms with treatment, at least to a certain extent.

Treatment options for hay feverinclude antihistamines, which can help to prevent an allergic reaction from occurring and corticosteroids (steroids), which help to reduce inflammation and swelling.

Hay fever can often be controlled using over-the-counter medication from your pharmacist. However, if your symptoms are more troublesome it’s worth speaking to your GP, as you may require prescription medication.

Screening in adults

Screening is a way of identifying apparently healthy people who may have an increased risk of a particular condition. The NHS offers a range of screening tests to different sections of the population.

The aim is to offer screening to the people who are most likely to benefit from it.

Cervical Cancer Screening is offered to women every 3 years between the ages of 25 and 49 years, and every 5 years between the ages of 50 and 64 years. If you are not up to date with Cervical Cancer Screening please do contact the Surgery and make an appointment with the Practice Nurse to have it carried out. If you have had a Cervical Cancer Screen abroad within the last 5 years you would still be eligible for an NHS Screen

Bowel Cancer Screening is offered to all men and women every 2 years between the ages of 60 and 74 years. It involves collecting a small stool sample, which you wipe onto a special card and send back to the screening laboratory in a hygienically sealed envelope. If you have not been sent a home testing kit call the national helpline: 0800 7076060.

Breast Cancer Screening is offered every 3 years to women between the ages of 50 and 70 years although this is being extended to women between the ages of 47 and 73 years. Women over the age of 70 years can self refer. Contact the Breast Screening service on: 023 8120 4959or Email

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) Screeningis a way of detecting a dangerous swelling (aneurysm) of the aorta–the main blood vessel that runs from the heart, down through the abdomen to the rest of the body. This swelling is far more common in men aged over 65 than it is in women and younger men, so men are invited for screening in the year they turn 65. Screening involves a simpleultrasound scan of your stomach (abdomen), which takes about 10-15 minutes. Men over 65 can self-refer.

Diabetic eye screening

Eye screening is a key part of your diabetes care. If you have diabetes, your eyes are at risk of damage from diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to sight loss if it's not treated. Diabetic retinopathyoccurs when diabetes affects small blood vessels, damaging the part of the eye called the retina. When the blood vessels in the central area of the retina (the macula) are affected, it is known as diabetic maculopathy. Screening is a way of detecting the condition early before you notice any changes to your vision. If retinopathy is detected early enough, treatment can stop it getting worse.

Why do Doctors’ Appointments run late?

There are several reasons for this and we offer some suggestions to help

Patients come to a single appointment with many problems

The time allocated for your appointment – ten minutes – is usually only sufficient for the doctor to deal with a single problem (although we will never cut a consultation short as we do believe in giving your problem due consideration if it takes a little longer to deal with). If you feel you will need to spend more time with the doctor, or have a number of issues you wish to discuss, please book a double appointment.

Patient receiving bad news

We are often in the position of breaking bad new to some of you. Maybe even the worst news of all. If that person was you, would you want us to get you out the door as quick as possible?

Patients arriving late for their appointment

Please try to arrive on time for your appointment. If you are late every patient seen after you will probably be seen late. Although we will usually try to “slot you in” somewhere if you are late, you may have to wait until the end of the surgery. We cannot guarantee we will be able to see you if you are more than 10 minutes late.

Other family members wish to be seen at the same time

Please could we request one patient only per appointment, please?

Emergencies

Due to the nature of our work, unpredictable, inevitable and unavoidable emergency telephone calls, requests for help from other staff members, emergency consultations and home visits do occur. We ask for your understanding and empathy when these situations arise.

If your doctor is running late, it is likely to be for a good reason and we will be happy to provide you with an explanation.

Out of Hours

Weekends, bank holidays and eveningsHUB ACCESS –To help improve our access, we are now able to offer patients who need to be seen in the evening or at the weekend an appointment with a GP or HCA at a hub. The West hubs are at Aldermoor Surgery and The Grove. All consultations are reported back via the computer system so patients clinical notes are kept up-to-date (consent will be required for this).

Appointments at the hub are booked via Lordshill Health Centre.

Please note this is NOT a walk-in-service

You can also attend: The Minor Injury Unit, Royal South Hants Hospital, Brintons Terrace, Southampton, SO14 0YG

Open every day from 8.00am to 10.00pm.

NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED

IN THE EVENT OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY PLEASE DIAL 999