Breastfeeding Celebration Week 2020

This week is Breastfeeding Celebration Week, and as such there are new online resources to help if you, or someone you know, are looking for help with breastfeeding.

Please visit https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/breastfeeding/ for more details. There are useful sections of the site to help with breastfeeding, expressing, bottle feeding, maintaining a healthy diet, overcoming difficulties, and what to do when you need to return to work.

One new interesting tool is the 24/7 support service available to those with an Amazon Alexa or Google Home device. You can get answers to your questions, when you need them. Please visit https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-help-and-support/ for more details.

We do have a local support service which can be accessed via your Health Visitor or Midwife. If you are struggling to get referred then you can contact the Infant Feeding Coordinator on 01926 495321, Extension 8584.

Young Minds: COVID Support

Young Minds is an organisation that provides mental health and wellbeing support to young people and parents alike. In these difficult times, those of us who suffer with symptoms of low mood, depression and anxiety may require further support. As such Young Minds have developed new support materials regarding Coronavirus & Mental Health - feel free to visit at https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/looking-after-yourself/coronavirus-and-mental-health/

Getting Help: Domestic Violence & Abuse

Domestic violence or abuse can happen to anyone. Find out how to recognise the signs and where to get help.

Please see https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/getting-help-for-domestic-violence/ for further details.

If you need help you can (as described in the webpage above):

• talk to a doctor, health visitor or midwife

• women can call The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night. The staff will offer confidential, non-judgemental information and support

• men can call Men's Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 (Monday and Wednesday, 9am to 8pm, and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am to 5pm) for non-judgemental information and support

• men can also call ManKind on 0182 3334 244 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm)

• If you identify as LGBT+ you can call Galop on 0800 999 5428 for emotional and practical support

• anyone can call Karma Nirvana on 0800 5999 247 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) for forced marriage and honour crimes. You can also call 020 7008 0151 to speak to the GOV.UK Forced Marriage Unit

• in an emergency, call 999

You can also email for support. It is important that you specify when and if it is safe to respond and to which email address:

• women can email helpline@womensaid.org.uk. Staff will respond to your email within 5 working days

• men can email info@mensadviceline.org.uk

• LGBT+ people can email help@galop.org.uk

Bank Holiday 25th May

The surgery will be closed on Monday 25th May

If you have a life-threatening emergency, please call 999 immediately

If you think that you may have Covid-19, please visit www.111.nhs.uk or call 111 for assistance

For any other medical advice whilst we are closed, please call 111

If you need to visit a pharmacy, the following are open on Bank Holiday Monday:

Lloyds Pharmacy (09:00-17:00), Shires Retail Park, Leamington, CV34 6RH, 01926 881701 

Boots the Chemist (10:00-17:00), 31 The Parade, Leamington, CV32 4BL, 01926 424945  

Cervical Screening Tests Resume from Wednesday 27th May

The national cervical screening programme will restart next week. If you are due a screening test, you can book an appointment from Wednesday 27th May. Please note that these appointments will be available on Wednesdays and Fridays initially, and can only be booked on the day.

We have been alerted by Public Health England of a possible scam concerning cervical screening.  There are reports of some women being contacted by text message, claiming to be from the screening test call and recall service, advising patients that they are overdue for cervical screening. The message asks recipients to call a mobile number and provide personal details. These messages are not from the NHS Cervical Screening Programme and are a scam.

COVID19: Returning To Work

Advice regarding returning to work during Covid Pandemic

 The government advice on the 11th May regarding relaxing the lockdown has caused a lot of confusion. Employers and employees are understandably anxious about whether it is safe to open up.

The essentials of the advice are as follows:

If you are in an extremely vulnerable group (and you will have had a letter from the government or the surgery telling you that you are in this group) then

• ·         you should continue shielding yourself until the 30th June at least

• ·         you should not be returning to your workplace (but it is safe to work from home)

• ·         people who live with you do not have to shield themselves but must practice safe distancing. If they cannot practice safe distancing (eg children at school, work place not organised for it), then they should not be returning to school or work until the situation improves.

• ·         More information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

 If you are not in the extremely vulnerable group then

• ·        If you can work from home, then you should continue doing that·

•     If you cannot work from home, then you need to discuss it with your employer to see what support they can give you to ensure safe-distancing

• ·         If you or your employer do not think they can provide a safe-distancing arrangement, you need to discuss your position with your employer. This is not a medical issue.

• ·        If you do not agree with your employer’s request to return to work, this needs to be something you need to discuss with your employer or union.

 Can the doctor give a sick note to say you should not return to work?

 The doctor can only give a sick note if you are medically unfit to work. Disputes between employers and employees regarding distancing arrangements are not something the doctors can issue sick notes for.

 Can I still take time off work if I or a family member  develops  symptoms of Covid 19?

 The situation has not changed regarding what you should do if you develop a fever or cough or if a family member does. If you think you have Covid 19, you should self-isolate for 7 days, and family members should self-isolate for 14 days.

 You do not need to see the doctor to take time of work under these circumstance – you can apply for an Isolation note from NHS111 at https://111.nhs.uk/isolation-note/

 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested

 You can ask to be tested if:

 You work in the NHS or social care and do or do not have symptoms (depending on latest NHS guidance)

• You are an essential worker with symptoms (see the full list of essential workers)

• You are over 65 with symptoms

• You have  symptoms and are going to work and cannot work from home (for example, construction workers, shop workers, emergency plumbers and delivery drivers)

• You are anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus and lives with any of those in the above groups

Welcome Libby!

Libby Paynton has joined the team this week as an admin assistant. We are thrilled to have her on board!

Thank You Red Arch Manufacturing

Red Arch Manufacturing have very kindly donated 10 visors to the surgery team here.

We are so grateful to them for thinking of us and helping us to keep our patients, GPs and staff safe.

Thank You JLR

Jaguar Landrover has kindly made and donated 10 visors to the team here at St Wulfstan (and to all other South Warwickshire practices).

We are all very grateful to all the team at JLR for this very generous and unexpected gift

What does Self-Isolation mean?

The latest recommendation is that people who have a persistent cough or a fever, should self isolate for 7 days, or until better - whichever is the longer period. Travellers, or people who have been in contact with infected people  and have symptoms should self-isolate for 14 days.
So what does it mean to self isolate? Find out when to do it, and how to do it here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Self-Isolation notes available online from NHS111

If you have symptoms of Coronavirus, or live with someone with coronavirus symptoms, or fall into any of the groups that have been told to self-isolate, you can get your Self-Isolation notes from NHS111 at https://111.nhs.uk/isolation-note/
Please do not contact the surgery for this. We need to keep the lines open for people with non-Coronavirus illnesses.

Dr Coker has a new role at the surgery

As many of you will know, Dr Coker retired as a Partner at the practice yesterday, but we are delighted that he is still working with us as a Salaried GP, doing the same number of clinics each week. Any patients who were registered with Dr Coker have now been transferred over to one of the other GP Partners. There is no need to contact the practice about your registration as this is a purely administrative process and you will not see any changes in your care.