Children's Flu Vaccines - Age 2/3 - Book Now

We are now taking bookings for nasal Flu vaccinations in children aged 2 or 3 years old.

These are best booked online via the NHS App or Patient Access and you can book these appointments now (appointments are called ‘Fluenz for 2 to 3 yr olds’). If you have any difficulty booking online then you can book by calling the surgery.

Which Children are Eligible?

  • Children aged 2 or 3 on 1st September 2020 – that is, children born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2018

School aged children will be offered their vaccination at school

How is the Vaccine Given?

  • The vaccine is given as a single spray squirted up each nostril. No needles!

Children should avoid the nasal vaccine if they have:

  • a severely weakened immune system

  • a severe egg allergy with anaphylaxis that's led to intensive care hospital admission

  • severe asthma, that is, those being treated with steroid tablets or who have needed intensive care because of their asthma

  • are currently wheezy or have been wheezy in the past 72 hours

  • an allergy to any of the vaccine ingredients, such as neomycin

  • a condition that requires salicylate treatment

Why should my child have the flu vaccine?

  • Reduce the risk of suffering from the symptoms of flu. Flu can be serious even in children.

  • Reduce the risk of spreading flu to other vulnerable people, such as parents with chronic disease or grandparents.

For more information see the NHS.UK website

Dear Life... Mental Health Support

Love Your Life

Are you worried about your own mental health, or the mental health of a close friend, relative or loved one?

Dear Life (dearlife.org.uk) is a new website which provides advice and support to those who are worried about their own, or someone else’s, mental wellbeing. There are lots of links to support numbers and advice which you may find useful.

There are some really useful numbers (some of which are given below) and links with advice on how to look after yourself and others in need, and links to bereavement support if needed.

If you are in a crisis right now or find yourself in a crisis at some stage, there are options:

  • your local NHS Mental Health Crisis Service can be contacted on 0300 200 0011, available 24/7

  • Samaritans can be contacted free on 116 123

  • A text service can be accessed by texting Shout to 85258

For emotional support:

  • Call the Coventry & Warwickshire Helpline on 0800 616 171. Free, confidential, and available 24/7, or chat online using the webchat.

For Children and Young People:

  • If you are under 18, or worried about somebody who is, call 02476 641799 between 8am-8pm. Outside of these hours, please call 0300 200 0011.

Couch to 5K: Have you tried it yet?

Man Running on dirt road with blue sky and clouds

Want to get active? Loose weight? Feel better? Improve your health and reduce the risk of series disease from COVID-19?

Download the free NHS Couch to 5K app. It will help you start running, for free. We have had really positive feedback from users so why not give it a try? They tell us it’s really easy to use, fun, engaging, and saves on the cost of a gym membership!

couch to 5k

Phone/Computer Outage - Resolved

Update - 5/8/2020 11:10 - ALL SERVICES HAVE NOW BEEN FULLY RESTORED

We have just been made aware that at present our phone lines and computer systems are not working as of this morning.

We are currently unable to receive telephone calls and access our clinical systems and as such we cannot take booking’s this morning, but we hope this will be resolved later this morning to resume a normal service this afternoon.

We will contact all those who have pre-booked appointments and we will keep you updated throughout the day.

Our deepest apologies for this disruption in service.

Weight Loss - Now is the Time!!

If you think you could do with loosing some weight, then NOW is the time to act!

There has never been a better time to think about optimising your weight. Being overweight is linked to an increased risk of suffering with heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, joint pain, back pain, and even suffering death from COVID-19 infection. Public Health England have recently reported “One study found that for people with a BMI of 35 to 40, risk of death from COVID-19 increases by 40% and with a BMI over 40 by 90%, compared to those not living with obesity.” (see here). And we know loosing weight can improve self-esteem and improve our mood.

And we are here to help. There are 2 really good services available. Choose the NHS app below to start a 12 week programme straight away, with one simple download on your mobile device. Alternatively we can refer you to a local weight loss service which includes services from Slimming World, Weight Watchers, and local group exercise programmes.

the app

NHS WEIGHT LOSS PLAN APP

This app takes you through a 12 week plan which will help you set weight loss goals, plan your meals, make healthier food choices, get more active, and record your progress.

It’s free and convenient so why not give it a try?

the referral

FITTER FUTURES

This free service offers access to Slimming World, Weight Watchers, and local group exercise programmes.

To be eligible you must be registered with a Warwickshire GP, be aged 12 or over and have a body mass index (BMI) of 30+ (for the NHS BMI Calculator click HERE - you will need to know your height and weight).  

Please see below for the finer details.


MORE DETAILS ON THE SPECIFIC SERVICES AVAILABLE WITH FITTER FUTURES: 

Please see: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fitter-futures 

Slimming World·       

  • an amazing no-hunger eating plan that you’ll love·       

  • recipe and menu ideas for every occasion·       

  • family friendly eating in and eating out ideas!·       

  • our fabulous lifestyle activity programme, Body Magic·       

  • awards and celebrations for every achievement·       

  • loads of help, encouragement and motivation when you need it most·       

  • slimming strategies that will help you lose weight beautifully and keep slim for life! 

Weight Watchers·       

  • With our proven SmartPoints® system at is core, WWFreestyle® makes deciding what to eat easy.  Combined with our fantastic app, over 200 delicious and satisfying ZeroPoint™ foods, inspiring community and 24/7 support from our expert coaches, we have everything you need.      

  • Those following WW were 7x more likely to reach a 5% weight loss at 6 months than those who tried to lose weight on their own.      

  • The programme is designed to help you lose weight at a healthy rate of up to 2lbs a week (creating a personalised, safe energy deficit for a healthy rate of weight loss), whilst encouraging healthier, more satisfying food choices.  This enables flexibility to learn skills for sustaining weight loss and integrating physical activity.       

  • WW workshops are welcoming, motivating, supportive, friendly and great fun!  They are run by coaches who themselves have successfully lost weight and got healthier with WW.  They have learnt how to deal with the challenges of improving their lifestyles and are about supporting others to do the same.      

  • Every week in your workshop which lasts about an hour, different topics are discussed, ideas and practical solutions shared on how to build healthy habits and manage your weight. You will have individual, confidential support at your weekly Wellness check-in to help you achieve your goals.   

  • In addition, you’ll have access to all the digital and mobile app tools for 16 weeks.  This digital support includes a personalised assessment when you join, food and activity tracking, thousands of foods and recipes to inspire you, fun ways to get active and ways to take care of yourself and de-stress. 

Everyone Health – Southam Leisure Centre 

Our Everyone Health programme supports behaviour change around healthy eating, weight management and physical activity to manage weight loss and maintain this long term. 

Everyone Health fitness groups run once a week for 12 weeks and each session lasts for 90 minutes. You can join at any time as groups run on a rolling basis. Each group consists of about 10-15 people who are also looking to lose weight and feel healthier.

Each group session has two parts; the first part focuses on healthy eating, topics include portion sizes, eating out and food labelling. The second part is an activity-based session, this will allow you to improve your health and fitness in a safe and encouraging environment.

The sessions are delivered by a team of nutritionists and physical activity specialists who will help you lose weight permanently by making small but significant changes to their lifestyle, avoiding unrealistic and gimmicky diets.

The programme has been designed with pregnancy and the postnatal period in mind and, under these circumstances, additional support is available.

COVID-19 Surgery Update

Interior of office with safety direction posted all around.

Welcome to our latest COVID-19 update.

St Wulfstan Surgery is committed to putting quality & compassion at the heart of everything we do.

COVID-19 has presented new challenges, and as such we have had to adapt some of our procedures to continue to deliver care, but in a way that ensures the safety of patients and staff alike.

Face Coverings

  • We are now requesting our patients wear face coverings when attending the surgery as an additional means of protecting patients and staff

Face Coverings - Please do not request an exemption letter

  • We have had calls from people requesting letters to exempt them from wearing face masks in public

  • Irrespective of the reason, we have been advised that GP surgeries are not to provide such letter so please avoid asking

Online Bookings

  • We have now increased the availability of appointments in our Online Booking system, to help improve the flexibility of the service we offer you

  • You can now book GP telephone appointments up-to 7 days in advance

  • You can also book blood tests and some Nursing appointments up-to 7 days in advance

  • To book online please consider downloading the NHS App (https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/nhs-app/) or visit https://www.stwulfstan.co.uk/appointments

Photographs

  • Please avoid sending us your photo’s via e-mail

  • If at the time of your telephone consultation you and your GP feels a photo would be useful then they will send you a text message. You will then be able to reply to the text message with your photo’s which will then be sent directly to your GP

Attending the Surgery - Please don’t come too early!

  • As we try to maintain social distancing measures please enter the surgery at the time of your appointment and not before - this will really help us keep our patients and staff safe

Self-Help

  • If you are looking for medical help or advice, please do not forget you can visit NHS.UK which provides excellent ‘self-help’ advice and resources for a broad range of medical problems

We would also like to again thank you all for your support, we remain open and here to help you all!

Text Message Problems - Resolved

It appears we are having some problems with text messages (SMS) at the moment

Some patients have reported that they have not been getting text messages regarding results or appointment reminders. We have reported this to our service providers and expect a resolution shortly.

In the meantime, if you have not heard about recent results then please sign up for online services so you can view your results online. Please click the ‘Online Services’ link at the top of the page for details on how to access these services. If still in doubt then please contact reception

Update 3rd August 08:00 - SMS services have now been fully restored.

Family Health Lifestyle Sessions

“The Change Makers healthy lifestyles team are now providing free online sessions, helping families learn about healthy living topics through a range of fun activities.”

Change Makers are offering a variety of healthy lifestyle online workshop sessions, suitable for all the family. Sessions include live cooking, live family exercise and parent/carer workshops. During these sessions you will be able ask questions about diet, exercise and healthy living.

It sounds fun, it’s free, it may make you and your family healthier, so why not give it a try this Summer.

Please see https://www.compass-uk.org/make-a-change/ to register or find out more.

COVID-19 & Dog Welfare?

Pug dog lays on floor with calm sad looking face.

The Dogs Trust are a UK canine welfare charity and they are looking for our help!

They are running a research project to ascertain how recent changes in response to COVID-19 have impacted on human-dog relationships and dog welfare.

They state “Your participation will be extremely valuable to enhancing our understanding of the impacts that COVID-19 lifestyle changes are having on dog ownership.”

To participate they are asking people to fill in a questionnaire.

For more details visit: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/news-events/blog/2020/take-part-in-our-study-on-dog-ownership-during-covid-19

Mental Health Support for Young People

New support numbers are available for children and young people struggling with a mental health crisis. You are not alone, and there is help and support available to you RIGHT NOW.

For urgent calls, for children and young people who are experiencing a mental health crisis contact the Rise Crisis team:

  • between 8am-8pm call 02476 641799 

  • or call 0300 200 0011 outside of these hours.

This service is available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, with an advice-only service outside the core hours of 8am-8pm.

https://cwrise.com/need-help-now

COVID-19 Testing: Call 119

A new helpline has been setup for those who have COVID-19 symptoms and wish to arrange a test.

Please call 119 where you will be able to ask questions regarding testing, and book a test.

Alternatively this can be online at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Just to recap the symptoms of COVID-19 to be aware of are:

  • a high temperature,

  • a new, continuous cough,

  • or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

You need to get the test done in the first 5 days of having symptoms.

Diabetes Support Numbers

OneTouch device lays on red fabric

For those with diabetes, and more specifically those using insulin we have details of 2 new support numbers.

Warwick Hospital have a direct number you can call on 07775 012696, it is open 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm. 

Additionally Diabetes UK offer a helpline for adults using insulin requiring immediate advice on 0345 123 2399 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm.