Surgery News
We are recruiting for a part time receptionist to join our friendly team.
The successful candidate will work as part of team delivering our front of house services, this includes opening and closing, booking appointments, processing repeat prescriptions and samples. We are looking for a new recruit to join us, working 16 hours a week.
For further information and how to apply please click here or here
Closing date is 12th November 2021
Happy Diwali and Bhandi Chor Divas to all our patients. Wishing you all good health and happiness!
Dr Viswa shares with us some tips on how to enjoy the festivities:
Diwali (Festival of Lights) symbolises the triumph of good over evil. As a community, we have responsibility to celebrate it in a safe and green way.
Make Rangoli with flowers, turmeric and rice flour to make it chemical free and beautiful.
Be considerate towards pets and elderly when doing fireworks as unexpected loud noises can cause fear and anxiety. Low noise fireworks are very popular this year and they are the quietest fireworks with same visual effects and colour but no loud noises.
Do remember the fire risks and do not to leave the candles or oil lamps unattended and never place them near curtains/decorations.
Traditional Diyas (oil lamps) are made of clay and are environment friendly.
Switch to healthy versions of sweets with nuts, millets and jaggery instead of refined sugar. Avoiding food wastage is vital to save our planet.
Say ‘No’ to plastic cutlery and plates and opt for reusable plates or biodegradable compostable plates like bamboo for guests.
Organic/eco gifts like indoor plants and buying local would make valuable gifts and help our community small businesses. Avoid wrapping gifts in shiny plastic coated papers instead use fabric/recycled paper.
Finally, it is important to wear masks in gatherings and do regular lateral flow tests to protect yourself and others during the current pandemic.
Everyone from St Wulfstan’s surgery are wishing you all a very happy Green Diwali 2021.
Dr Viswa
Stress, It affects us all. November 3rd is officially National Stress Awareness Day.
To help, Mental Health UK have kindly put together some really useful videos with tips and advice on how to better manage stress.
You can see the clips by visiting their website.
We have a fantastic local service If you are personally affected by stress and anxiety that can offer help and support. The local service can be accessed by visiting our local IAPT website, where you can self-refer for further help. And of course, you are welcome to speak to one of our GP’s if needed.
Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service
The first call for help takes courage. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or wellbeing, expert help is available from Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.
If you’re due to leave the Armed Forces, just left the Armed Forces or left many years ago, Op COURAGE is here to help. You will be able to speak to people who:
understand the Armed Forces and military life
are either from the Armed Forces community or highly experienced in working with Serving personnel, Reservists, Veterans and their families
will work with you to make sure you get the right type of specialist care, support, and treatment.
The service can be contacted directly by yourself or you can ask your GP, a charity or someone else, such as a family member or friend, to do this on your behalf.
What will happen when you contact Op COURAGE
To make sure you get the right care and support, you will first have an assessment by someone who understands the specific needs of the Armed Forces community.
The service offers a range of treatment, which includes:
working with Defence Medical Services to make sure you get mental health care and support as you transition from the military to civilian life
recognising the early signs of mental health problems and providing care and treatment for this
therapeutic treatment for more advanced mental health conditions and psychological trauma
intensive emergency care and treatment if you’re in a crisis
helping you to access other NHS services if needed, such as ‘Improving access to psychological therapies’ (IAPT) and eating disorder services
working with charities and local organisations to support you with your wider health and wellbeing needs, such as housing, relationships, finances, employment, drug and alcohol misuse and social support.
For more information, visit the NHS website at www.nhs.uk/opcourage
For the Midlands Call 0300 323 0137 or email mevs.mhm@nhs.net
Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service is the new name for the Veterans’ Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS), Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS) and Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service (HIS). The new name has been developed following feedback from veterans and their families to make it easier for those leaving the military and veterans to find help.
The vaccination programme has been more challenging this year, as national supplies are limited. This has meant we have to setup clinics at short notice, according to the supply of vaccines which we are given. Fortunately deliveries are due to continue into December.
We have had a further delivery of flu vaccines which means we have new clinics available on:
Saturday 23rd October
Saturday 27th November
Sunday 28th November
We anticipate being able to add more clinics depending on further deliveries of vaccine.
If you are eligible for the flu vaccine, but have not yet had your vaccine then please feel free to book! This is best done online, but you can also book by calling reception.
To find out if you are eligible for the Flu vaccine please visit NHS.uk
Thank you to all of our patients who have had their Flu Vaccine to date, we are making great progress!
Just a reminder, everyone aged 50+ is eligible for the vaccine this year.
We have setup new clinics on Saturday 23rd October throughout the day.
If you are eligible for the flu vaccine, but have not yet had your vaccine then please feel free to book! This is best done online, but you can also book by calling reception. Please not that in rare circumstances the time of your appointment may need to change, and if this is the case you will get a text message with a revised time but we will try to avoid the need to do this where possible, and you can always let us know if this is not convenient for you.
To find out if you are eligible for the Flu vaccine please visit NHS.uk
It is really important to know which COVID test to use and when, so we thought it would be useful to point out when to use which test.
Lateral Flow tests are rapid tests, used at home, when you don’t have any symptoms of COVID. They help confirm you are not an asymptomatic carrier of COVID. But because of their lack of sensitivity, a negative lateral flow test is not sufficient to exclude COVID infection once you have symptoms. In other words, a negative Lateral Flow Test does not mean you don’t have COVID if you have symptoms. Recent studies have suggested that the sensitivity of the lateral flow test in people with symptoms is 72%, which means it would only pickup 72 infected people out of 100, which means it would miss 28 infected people.
PCR tests can be done at home or in a test centre, and need to be sent back to a laboratory. This test is the one you need to use when you do have symptoms of COVID-19, because they are more accurate.
So, if you have symptoms of COVID then a Lateral Flow Test is not sufficient and you will need to arrange a PCR test.
To book a PCR test please visit the NHS website or call 119.
We have been informed that the COVID Vaccine Booster program is due to commence from Southam Clinic from Thursday 7th October.
Eligible patients will receive a text message in due course inviting them to book an appointment. Please be patient as messages will likely be staggered according to vaccine supply.
Please also be aware that you can only have your booster vaccine if your second vaccine was more than 6 months ago.
The booster is available to the following people:
people aged 50 and over
people who live and work in care homes
frontline health and social care workers
people aged 16 and over with a health condition that puts them at high risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19
carers aged 16 and over
people aged 16 and over who live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)
For more details on the booster program please visit NHS.uk
Please note - we are continuing to deliver Flu vaccines from the Surgery. We still have appointments available, so please book online if you have not yet had your Flu vaccine.
We are really pleased to welcome Amanda Jerman to our Social Prescribing team!
She is a wonderful Social Prescriber with a vast knowledge of local support services.
Social prescribers are able to expertly identify local resources and services that may benefit you. They can help direct you in all areas such as: benefits entitlement, connecting with local community groups, carer support, befriending services, access to social care, and so much more.
If you would like to access this service please e-mail we.connect@nhs.net to arrange a meeting, or speak to our Reception Team who can help put you in touch.
Now a few words from Amanda:
“Hello, my name is Amanda and I am delighted to be joining St Wulfstan Surgery, as part of the Social Prescribing. Team. I have over twenty years’ experience working in adult social care in various roles and settings. The last two years I have worked as a Social Prescriber in Kenilworth and Warwick, helping to set up, promote and deliver the service.
Many things affect our health and wellbeing. GPs tell us that a lot of people visit them feeling isolated or lonely. Or they might be stressed out by work, money and housing problems. Sometimes it’s the stress of managing different long-term conditions.
That’s where Social Prescribing comes in. It starts with a conversation. Social prescribing is a way of supporting you to address any non-medical challenges that are having an effect on their health and wellbeing. Your Social Prescriber will find out what is important to you and support you in overcoming these challenges, they may link you in with other services, or groups to support with the issues you have identified.
If f you are unsure if Social Prescribing is right for you, please just ask and one of the team at the surgery and we will be happy to have an informal chat with you.
”
This year getting the flu vaccine is more important than ever.
We have added new flu vaccination clinics on Saturday 9th October, and still have a few appointments left for Saturday 2nd October.
You can book these appointments online via the NHS App or Patient Access, but of course if this is not possible you can always call reception to book in.
To find out if you are eligible please visit the NHS.net website, but this year all adults aged 50+ years old are eligible.
Please book to make sure as many people as possible get vaccinated this year. We look forward to seeing you all soon!
We can now announce that we have had our first delivery of flu vaccine. As mentioned previously we have been limited this year by delays from our suppliers, which was attributed to problems with haulage.
As such it is now possible to book in for a flu vaccine online using the NHS App or Patient Access. If needed you can still call us but online bookings are preferable.
As our deliveries will be phased over the next few weeks we will gradually add new flu clinics over the coming weeks, and at each point announce these on our website.
Currently we still have spaces left in some clinics as follows:
Saturday 25th September - for those aged 64 years and under
Sunday 26th September - for those aged 65 years and over
Saturday 2nd October - for all adult ages
To find out more about the flu vaccine and whether you are eligible for a flu vaccine please visit the NHS.UK website.
A note about COVID Boosters
Having your flu vaccine will not affect the time at which you can have your COVID booster vaccine.
COVID boosters will be done at Southam Clinic. We are awaiting final details of the program which is set to being in the next couple of weeks. We will of course keep you posted.
Welcome to Part 3 of Ludmila’s series on Pain, Tiredness and Low Mood.
How can lifestyle impact pain, inflammation and low mood?
PART THREE OF THREE: Lifestyle is where it all begins.
The search for the logic behind symptoms can help us look at our conditions with more compassion for what the body tries to achieve in its silent fight for survival. This is an important aspect especially for those who need to develop an understanding around pacing of activities and acceptance of the impact of their chronic diseases on lifestyle. More importantly, working with the body with a view to understand what is going on behind symptoms can help us look for additional ways we can improve our own circumstances with beneficial lifestyle changes. For example, some of the chemicals produced by the immune system to turn off inflammation and finalise repair are called 'resolvins' and research shows that resolvins are created in the body from substrates derived from dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids. In other words, natural oils from dark-skin fish (such as sardines, salmon, mackerel etc) and some seeds (chia, hemp and linseeds) are good food sources of important substrates used by our bodies to control inflammation. Diets lacking in essential omega-3 fatty acids are linked with a handicap ability of the immune system to manufacture 'resolvins' and therefore turn off inflammation with successful completion of the repair phase. Although chronic inflammation from ongoing damage is a complex systemic process, it is still very useful to work with the body aiming to provide the essentials of a healthy lifestyle that include both physical and emotional aspects.
What else could be there to influence systemic low-grade chronic inflammation from a lifestyle point of view? A lot more than what we once believed. Research has shown us there are direct links between the brain, the stress response, and our immune defence. It is well known now that prolonged or excessive stress can adversely affect immune resilience. Some of the early signs of immune weakness can be detected through the thinning of immune barriers such as gut and lung mucosal linings. These are our first line of defence against viral, bacterial as well as other microbial invaders or environmental toxins. The great majority of the immune system resides within these mucosal barriers and for good reason: through these linings, we sample the outside from the inside and inform the body of many dangers. When our defence barriers weaken, we probe our immune system towards more reactive and aggressive inflammation as invasion starts to occur more often. The health and strength of our immune barriers depend on good levels of nutrients being available for their constant renewal. The strength of our immune barriers is also dependant on our ability to buffer stress. Stress can cause a huge drain on available resources and mucosal linings are amongst the first parts of the body to suffer for it. Prolonged stress literally thins our mucosal barriers.
A walk in the forest has now been proven to be therapeutic exactly because it strengthens our immune barrier defence and promotes anti-inflammatory activity of the immune system whilst contributing to counteract stress. Russian and Japanese researchers were the first to show that trees release chemicals from the canopy which penetrate our immune system after we inhale the air from green open spaces. These chemicals originally called ‘phytoncides’ modulate the immune response and help to protect against low-grade chronic inflammation. Other lifestyle interventions that activate parts of the nervous system controlled by the vagus nerve are also effective in counteracting stress, pain and inflammation. This is known as the Polyvagal Theory and relatively simple measures such as breathing techniques, yoga and meditation are examples of activities that can have a therapeutic effect. Science is catching up on what we have always known: we belong to nature and not the other way around. Our bodies hold a lot more wisdom than we grant them and there is more going on about our health than just the symptoms we wish to suppress.
Even genetics submit to the power of the environmental and lifestyle influences. We now have a whole science dedicated to studying how lifestyle circumstances impact on the expression of our genes. This relatively new science is called ‘epigenetics’ and it shows that even genetic diseases might not manifest when we lead healthy lifestyles that avoid the situations that would trigger activation of certain genes linked with diseases.
As I like to tell everyone who is interested, working with our bodies from this perspective is very rewarding because the human body makes the most of every bit of help it can get to keep us going. Humans are the most advanced survival experts on the planet and that is something we can count on when working with our bodies through lifestyle interventions. The more we acknowledge this drive for survival as inner wisdom, the better we can trust our bodies to do its best for us. The more we understand the impact of the circumstances we create for ourselves, the better we can help influence the course of our health in the right direction. There is always something you can improve about your lifestyle and the circumstances around your health. To find out how, you can start by paying attention to the signs your body has been sending and observing what they might mean to you. If you need help with this task and other lifestyle-related goals, health & wellbeing coaching is here for you. Come talk to us.
If you are struggling with symptoms of chronic pain, please speak to your GP who could consider a referral to Ludmila for further help.
By Ludmila, Health & Wellbeing Coach
We are really proud to announce we have been rated 87th out of 6658 practices in England following the results of the recent GP Patient Survey 2021.
This is an incredible result, and it has only been made possible by the wonderful relationship we have with you all, and the amazing support we offer each other. It is an honour and a pleasure to serve you all!
The pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges, but despite these challenges we strive to continue to offer excellent access to GP appointments, deliver excellent care, and be there for all of our patients when you need us.
For more information or to view results you can visit the Coventry Telegraph article.
Once again, thank you to all of our patients.
Welcome to Part 2 in Ludmila’s 3 part series on Pain, Tiredness and Low Mood - It’s All About The Immune System
For Part 1 please click HERE
Damage vs. repair: when inflammation is needed
These days, we hear a lot about inflammation as an issue with many if not all chronic diseases and this notion sometimes misleads us into thinking of inflammation as another 'nuisance' in the body. However, the story about inflammation warrants a more complete picture of what it is and what it is there for. Inflammation is associated with damage because the inflammatory response is also responsible for repair and reconstruction. We can see that in any external wound that reveals damage to the skin. An inflammatory reaction starts by reddening, swelling and production of heat. Even if the wound is not infected, an inflammatory response is taking place because formation of a scab, reconstruction of the skin, and surveillance of the exposed area by white blood cells are essential parts of the healing process.
Inflammation is a protective mechanism of the immune system responsible for fighting off invaders (i.e. Infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, yeast etc) and repairing damage. The problem with inflammation associated with chronic diseases is that it becomes chronic, failing to conclude and reach the repair stage. Maybe this happens as a logical consequence of continued damage due to ongoing assault. If someone smokes, for example, there is ongoing damage to the internal surface of arteries and lungs. It is logical that the body will continue to trigger inflammatory processes in response to smoking. In the long run though, chronic inflammation becomes very taxing to the whole system because an immune activation is costly in terms of energy and resources. For that reason, inflammation is meant to be most efficient as an acute/short term solution.
We can see the power of inflammation when we have the flu for example. The acute immune activation places huge demands on the system and a redistribution of the available resources becomes necessary. When the immune system triggers an acute systemic reaction, several chemical messages (such as cytokines) circulate around the body to orchestrate the readjustment of several organs. Chemical reactions happen faster in higher temperatures, so we develop a fever to accelerate urgent reactions. As the immune system takes over, energetic demands rise dramatically, causing some parts of the body to have diminished energy to keep up with the immune demands. Something very interesting happens in terms of behaviour. During acute inflammatory responses, as it happens with the flu, we develop what is known as 'sickness behaviour' which, in a nutshell, means the brain decreases its demands for energy by blunting cognitive function and social interaction. We literally become withdrawn and tend to stay in bed. This is seen as an adaptive response to allow energy to be diverted to the immune system under an emergency (acute inflammation). When the fight is over and the inflammation abates, the energetic drain is alleviated, and we regain the interest in social life and engagement with other complex cognitive activities. Our muscles are also capable to demand energy for movement again once inflammation is finished.
Taking a step back to look at the bigger picture
This example of an acute immune activation is very useful to illuminate our reflection around pain, fatigue, and depressed mood. Instead of random scattered symptoms, it becomes more plausible to think of these manifestations as systemic adaptation to a common drain in resources running silently in the background when inflammation goes on unnoticed for years (sometimes decades). The energetic immune demands in chronic inflammation do not spike up as much and therefore are not as noticeable as those we experience during an acute infection such as with the flu. But even so, the energy drain impacts daily life in the form of unexplained fatigue that doesn't seem to respond to any amount of rest and a general lack of enthusiasm that seems unexplained. Based on the mechanisms of inflammation, it is possible to extrapolate how the regular recruitment of the immune system, triggered by ongoing damage somewhere internally, can lead to energy depletion, exhaustion and eventually a depressed mood over time. But interestingly, inflammation is something that can be positively impacted with lifestyle changes and therefore used to manage chronic disease symptoms more successfully. In part three we will take a brief look at how aspects of lifestyle may relate to inflammation.
Part 3 - Coming soon! Please feel free to register with your email address below to receive weekly updates.
By Ludmila Enticott, Warwickshire East PCN Health & Wellbeing Coach
Please read on for more details regarding this years Flu vaccination campaign and COVID Booster campaign.
We are currently gearing up to deliver flu vaccinations to those who are eligible later this month. We were anticipating delivery of the vaccine in the next week or so but have been informed by our suppliers that deliveries have been delayed due to ‘road freight challenges’.
We currently aim to run our first clinic as soon as possible after our first delivery which we expect will be later this month, and then run 2 further clinics on 9th October and 23rd October. We will confirm dates and start booking the flu vaccination clinics once we have a more definitive delivery date from our suppliers. We will of course contact eligible patients once we are able to start booking into these clinics, so you don’t need to do anything further at present.
As soon as the clinic dates are confirmed we will post an update on our website and Social Media. Please feel free to scroll to the bottom of this page to register for our weekly email update.
Just to recap, the criteria for having the flu vaccine this year is as follows:
Age 50 and over (including those who'll be 50 by 31 March 2022)
have certain health conditions (asthma and require a regular steroid inhaler, COPD, diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, heart failure, obesity (BMI >40), liver disease, kidney disease, Parkinson’s Disease, MS, MND, learning disability, splenectomy, sickle cell disease, or taking steroids or chemotherapy)
are pregnant
are in long-stay residential care
receive a carer's allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)
frontline health or social care workers
For more details on the flu vaccine please visit NHS.uk
We are awaiting final clarification from the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination & Immunisation) as to who will be eligible for the COVID booster vaccine. It is expected that patients who are considered ‘severely immunosuppressed’ will be first to receive the COVID booster. We can confirm that COVID booster vaccines will be delivered from Southam Clinic in a similar fashion to the initial COVID vaccinations. As such, those who are eligible will be contacted and offered an appointment at Southam Clinic to receive their booster once eligible. You do not need to do anything further at this stage, and we will of course keep you all posted.
