If you are thinking about stopping smoking in 2020 but would like some support then why not arrange an appointment at the surgery’s stop smoking clinic. This service is run by our Health Care Assistant who gives patients the encouragement they need to help them to quit smoking. The first appointment that each patient attends will last approximately 20 minutes with each appointment that follows only lasting 10 minutes.
The opening hours for the surgery over the Christmas and New Year holidays are as follows:
Monday the 23rd of December 2019 – 9am to 1pm then 2pm to 6pm
Tuesday the 24th of December 2019 – 9am to 1pm then 2pm to 6pm
Wednesday the 25th of December 2019 – Closed
Thursday the 26th of December 2019 – Closed
Friday the 27th of December 2019 – 9am to 1pm then 2pm to 6pm
Saturday the 28th of December 2019 – Closed
Sunday the 29th of December 2019 – Closed
Monday the 30th of December 2019 – 9am to 1pm then 2pm to 6pm
Tuesday the 31st of December 2019 – 9am to 1pm then 2pm to 6pm
Wednesday the 1st of January 2020 – Closed
Thursday the 2nd of January 2020 – 9am to 1pm
Friday the 3rd of January 2020 – 9am to 1pm then 2pm to 6pm
Could all patients who are due their prescriptions to be issued during this time please request the items early. Thank you.
The flu vaccine for patients under the age of 65 will be available from the surgery after the 28th of October 2019.
Flu is an infectious and common viral illness spread by coughs and sneezes.
The flu vaccine
A flu vaccine is available free on the NHS for:
◾anyone over the age of 65
◾pregnant women
◾children and adults with an underlying health condition (particularly long-term heart or respiratory disease)
◾children and adults with weakened immune systems
It is given as an annual injection to:
◾adults over the age of 18 at risk of flu (including everyone over 65)
◾children aged six months to two years at risk of flu
The flu vaccine is also given as an annual nasal spray to:
◾children aged two to 18 years at risk of flu
◾healthy children aged two, three and four years old
Despite popular belief, the flu vaccine cannot give you flu as it doesn’t contain the active virus needed to do this.
If you think you need the vaccine, talk to your GP or practice nurse.
It’s not the same as the common cold. Flu is caused by a different group of viruses. Symptoms tend to be more severe and last longer.
You can catch flu – short for influenza – all year round, but it is especially common in winter, which is why it is also known as “seasonal flu”.
Flu causes a sudden high temperature, headache and general aches and pains, tiredness and a sore throat. You can also lose your appetite, feel nauseous and have a cough.
Flu symptoms can make you feel so exhausted and unwell that you have to stay in bed and rest until you feel better.
When to see a doctor
If you are otherwise fit and healthy, there is usually no need to see a doctor if you have flu-like symptoms.
The best remedy is to rest at home, keep warm and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
You can take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower a high temperature and relieve aches.
You should see a doctor if you have flu-like symptoms and you:
◾are aged 65 or over
◾are pregnant
◾have a long-term medical condition such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease or a neurological disease
◾have a weakened immune system
This is because flu can be more serious for you, and your doctor may want to prescribe antiviral medication.
Antiviral medicine can lessen the symptoms of flu and shorten its duration, but treatment needs to begin soon after flu symptoms start for it to be effective.
Antibiotics are of no use in the treatment of flu because it is caused by a virus and not by bacteria.
How long does flu last?
If you have flu, you generally start to feel ill within a few days of being infected.
Symptoms peak after two to three days and you should begin to feel much better after a week or so, although you may feel tired for much longer.
You are usually infectious – that is, able to pass flu on to others – a day before your symptoms start and for a further five or six days. Children and people with weaker immune systems, such as cancer patients, may remain infectious for longer.
Elderly people and anyone with certain long-term medical conditions are more likely to have a bad case of flu, and are also more likely to develop a serious complication such as a chest infection.
In the UK, about 600 people a year die from a complication of seasonal flu. This rises to around 13,000 during an epidemic.
Preventing the spread of flu
The flu virus is spread in small droplets of fluid coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person. These droplets can travel a metre or so and infect anyone within range who breathes them in.
Flu can also spread if someone with the virus transfers it on their fingers. For example, if you have flu and you touch your nose or eyes and then touch someone else, you may pass the virus on to them.
Similarly, if you have flu and touch hard surfaces such as door handles with unwashed hands, other people who touch the surface after you can pick up the infection.
You can stop yourself catching flu or spreading it to others by being careful with your hygiene.
Always wash your hands regularly with soap and water, as well as:
◾regularly cleaning surfaces such as your computer keyboard, telephone and door handles to get rid of germs
◾using tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
◾putting used tissues in a bin as soon as possible
You can also help stop the spread of flu by avoiding all unnecessary contact with other people while you’re infectious. You should stay off work until you are no longer infectious and you’re feeling better.
The surgery would like to inform all of our patients that the system is back up and running as normal. We would like to apologise for any problems patients may have experienced this morning.
Unfortunately we have to report that the surgery is experiencing technical problems this morning and we are unable to access our system. We are asking patients to only contact the surgery if it is an emergency in the next few hours. Any patient who has an appointment today are asked to still attend.
We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.
If you are eligible for the flu vaccination then please pop along for your jab. We run clinics Monday to Friday. The vaccine will be available from the 30th of September 2019 for patients over 65.
Flu is an infectious and common viral illness spread by coughs and sneezes.
A flu vaccine is available free on the NHS for:
It is given as an annual injection to:
The flu vaccine is also given as an annual nasal spray to:
For more information please click on the link below:
www.sharegoodtimesnotflu.co.uk
Despite popular belief, the flu vaccine cannot give you flu as it doesn’t contain the active virus needed to do this.
The flu vaccine is available from October each year. If you think you need it, talk to your GP or practice nurse.
It’s not the same as the common cold. Flu is caused by a different group of viruses. Symptoms tend to be more severe and last longer.
You can catch flu – short for influenza – all year round, but it is especially common in winter, which is why it is also known as “seasonal flu”.
Flu causes a sudden high temperature, headache and general aches and pains, tiredness and a sore throat. You can also lose your appetite, feel nauseous and have a cough.
Flu symptoms can make you feel so exhausted and unwell that you have to stay in bed and rest until you feel better.
When to see a doctor
If you are otherwise fit and healthy, there is usually no need to see a doctor if you have flu-like symptoms.
The best remedy is to rest at home, keep warm and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
You can take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower a high temperature and relieve aches.
You should see a doctor if you have flu-like symptoms and you:
This is because flu can be more serious for you, and your doctor may want to prescribe antiviral medication.
Antiviral medicine can lessen the symptoms of flu and shorten its duration, but treatment needs to begin soon after flu symptoms start for it to be effective.
Antibiotics are of no use in the treatment of flu because it is caused by a virus and not by bacteria.
If you have flu, you generally start to feel ill within a few days of being infected.
Symptoms peak after two to three days and you should begin to feel much better after a week or so, although you may feel tired for much longer.
You are usually infectious – that is, able to pass flu on to others – a day before your symptoms start and for a further five or six days. Children and people with weaker immune systems, such as cancer patients, may remain infectious for longer.
Elderly people and anyone with certain long-term medical conditions are more likely to have a bad case of flu, and are also more likely to develop a serious complication such as a chest infection.
In the UK, about 600 people a year die from a complication of seasonal flu. This rises to around 13,000 during an epidemic.
The flu virus is spread in small droplets of fluid coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person. These droplets can travel a metre or so and infect anyone within range who breathes them in.
Flu can also spread if someone with the virus transfers it on their fingers. For example, if you have flu and you touch your nose or eyes and then touch someone else, you may pass the virus on to them.
Similarly, if you have flu and touch hard surfaces such as door handles with unwashed hands, other people who touch the surface after you can pick up the infection.
You can stop yourself catching flu or spreading it to others by being careful with your hygiene.
Always wash your hands regularly with soap and water, as well as:
You can also help stop the spread of flu by avoiding all unnecessary contact with other people while you’re infectious. You should stay off work until you are no longer infectious and you’re feeling better.
Notice to Patients
Please be aware of the road closures in and around Chopwell on Tuesday 10th September
Which, may disrupt access to the surgery via transport.
The surgery will be closed on Monday 26th August 2019 due to the Summer Bank Holiday and will not reopen until 9am on Tuesday 27th August 2019.
If you need urgent medical advice between 6pm on Friday the 23rd August 2019 and 8am on Tuesday 27th August 2019 please ring NHS 111. After 8am on 27th August until 9am please ring 07946605039.
If you have a serious medical emergency please contact the emergency services by dialling 999 or 112. Thank you.
On Wednesday the 12th of August 2019 the surgery will not be open for the evening extended hours. The surgery will close at 6pm. There will be an extended hours surgery on the Wednesday morning between 7.30am and 8am which will feature both GP and HCA clinics.
We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.
The surgery will be closed on Monday the 27th of May 2019 due to the Spring Bank Holiday and will not reopen until 9am on Tuesday the 28th of May 2019.
If you need urgent medical advice between 6pm on Friday the 24th of May 2019 and 8am on Tuesday the 28th of May 2019 please ring NHS 111. After 8am on the 28th of May until 9am please ring 07946605039.
If you have a serious medical emergency please contact the emergency services by dialling 999 or 112. Thank you.
