Flu Vaccine - Aged 50-64? - Please DO NOT CALL

Flu

It has been previously announced by the Government that those aged between 50-64 who have previously not been eligible for a flu vaccine may well be entitled to the flu vaccine this year.

This has not yet been confirmed as it is dependent on the national supply of vaccine, and as such we are awaiting confirmation from the Government.

We will contact patients individually as and when further guidance is released.

For more details on who is eligible for a flu vaccine please visit our Flu vaccination 2020 page

Stoptober - Quit Smoking for October!

There has never been a better time to quit smoking. And there has never been more support to help you quit. The idea behind Stoptober is that if you can stop smoking for 28 days, you are five times more likely to stop for good.

We know that smoking increases your risks of suffering with lung cancer, chronic lung disease (COPD), heart disease, stroke , and increases your risk of severe disease or death from COVID-19. It also hammers your wallet.

In order to help you, the NHS website has plenty of resources to help at www.nhs.uk/oneyou/for-your-body/quit-smoking/

In addition there is an NHS app which you may find useful, and an appointment can also be booked at the surgery with our Nurse - see below…

Links to THE app

SMOKEFREE APP

Start a 4-week programme that puts practical support, encouragement, milestones and tailored advice in the palm of your hand.

Links to THE Referral

SEE OUR NURSE

Alternatively you can access the Stop Smoking service at the surgery. This will involve one-to-one sessions with our Nursing Team. If you wish to sign up then please click the button below to complete the registration form, and call the surgery a few days later to book your appointment.

Access Your Medical Records Online

Did you know that you can view your medical records online using either the NHS App or Patient Access?

Some key benefits include the ability to:

  • View your blood test and scan results online

  • View and print letters from your hospital Consultants including clinic letters and hospital discharge letters

Step 1:

Firstly you will need to register with either the NHS App or Patient Access if you haven’t done so already. Basic features include the ability to book and cancel appointments, and order repeat medications online.

The NHS App is for use on smartphones and tablets, whilst Patient Access can be used on desktop computers and laptops.

Step 2:

Click the button below to view our Patient Guide, read it, then click the link at the end of the document and complete the questionnaire. You will be asked to upload 2 forms of ID (photo ID & proof of address). We will then process your request and activate access within 2 working days. We will email you once the process is completed.

COVID-19 Testing: Call 119

COVID 19 Virus model grey sphere with red raised crowns

We have had numerous call from people asking about COVID-19 testing. GP Practices are not part of the testing process, so if you wish to book a COVID-19 test the either:

Just to recap if you have any of the symptoms below you are eligible for a test:

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)

  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

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

Join Our Team - Reception Vacancy

Outside view of St Wulfstan Surgery Building

Want to join our incredible reception team?

Our practice is rated Outstanding by the CQC, and the most recent GP Patient Survey 2020 found that:

  • 100% of our patients find it easy to get through to us by phone,

  • 98% of patients find our receptionist helpful

  • 97% describe their experience of making an appointment as good

We are looking for a new recruit to join us, working 17.5 hours per week.

Please click for further details and to find out how to apply.

Flu Vaccinations - Book Now!

We are now taking bookings for flu vaccinations.

You can book a flu vaccine online via the NHS App or Patient Access. If you struggle to book online then please feel free to ring reception. We will continue to add further clinics over the coming weeks, and we will be working hard to keep you safe by maintaining social distancing and additional measures.

Who is Eligible?

  • adults 65 and over

  • adults aged 18 to 64 with specific conditions (see below)

    • Asthma (requiring daily inhalers), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

    • Chronic heart disease such as heart failure

    • Chronic kidney disease

    • Chronic liver disease

    • Diabetes

    • Parkinson’s Disease, Motor Neurone disease, Multiple Sclerosis

    • a significant learning disability

    • Problems with your spleen (e.g. splenectomy)

    • Being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above)

    • Weakened immune system (e.h. HIV, AIDS)

  • pregnant women

  • people living with someone who's at high risk from coronavirus (on the NHS shielded patient list)

  • frontline health or social care workers

Later this year the flu vaccination maybe made available to those aged 50-64 who are not in an ‘At Risk’ group but this will not be until November at least. We await government guidance.

What about children?

  • Children aged 2 or 3 on 1st September 2020 – that is, children born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2018 are eligible for a flu vaccine - this can be booked online in a specific clinic or booked via reception

  • School aged children in Reception to Year 7  will be offered their vaccination at school

For further details about the flu vaccine please visit the NHS.UK website

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.