Download Newsletter - Ashcroft Surgery

Newsletter
Levenshulme
GPs, nurses and staff at
Ashcroft surgery would
like to wish you all a
Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year.
December 2016/January 2017 edition
Choosewell information
We're starting to see lots of winter illnesses
such as coughs and colds. For the majority of
minor winter illnesses you won't need to see a
doctor but if you're not sure what to do and
when to worry there is a very useful website
that you may want to check out. It's called
Choosewell Manchester and is well worth a
look.
It's also got a number of helpful videos.
If English isn't your first language the
information is also translated into many
languages.
:
www.choosewellmanchester.org.uk
Your local pharmacy can often help with
over the counter remedies
Mobile numbers - Please inform reception staff if you have a mobile number or have
changed a mobile number so that we are able to keep your medical records updated. You
will then be able to receive text messages reminding you of any appointments you have with
the GP, Nurse or Phlebotomist. Important information will also be sent by text message ie:
information for when our clinics are held etc.
YASP
Are you aged 15-25 and need support?
YASP is a team providing ‘wrap around’
services for 15 to 25 year olds. They are
committed to reducing the stresses faced by
young people by providing a combination of
social welfare advice, counselling sessions and
activity that promotes social inclusion and
recovery. Anyone can refer into YASP.
Including the young person themselves - 15 to
25 year olds can simply walk in off the street.
They can also signpost and refer young people
on to voluntary and community sector services
who can deliver other specialist services to
them.
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Internet Café for all 15-25 year olds, the
café is open 10-16:00 Tuesday – Friday.
The café is run by young people with free
internet access and a hot meal cooked
daily.
Advice & Casework for 15-25 year olds
who require support around benefits,
housing and accessing other services. We
also have two advice drop-ins on
Wednesday and Friday 13:30-16:00 at the
YASP café.
Free Counselling service to improve the
mental well-being of young people.
Provided by two trained counsellors.
Volunteering & Mentoring to help reduce
isolation and help young people achieve
their goals by either gaining relevant work
experience or accessing 1-2-1 support from
trained mentors.
Our services can be accessed via drop-in,
telephone, email or referral form:
YASP
832 Stockport Road, Levenshulme,
M19 3AW
KOOTH – on line support available
If you are aged 11-19 and are being troubled
with bullying, anxiousness, depression and
would prefer to talk to a trained counsellor or
therapist via your computer in an on-line chat
rather than face-to-face then check out Kooth.
You can log-on and chat online to counsellors
who are available till 10pm at night 365 days a
year.
They can also help deal with family problems,
loneliness and eating disorders.
www.kooth.com
Prescription reviews
Are you on regular medications?
Do you know when your prescription is due for
review?
Your GP is expected to review your
medications every 12 months. This is to check
that the medication is still doing its job and not
causing any side effects.
In the majority of cases the outcome is to tell
you to “ carry on taking the medicine “ but the
review date also is used as a reminder to the
GP to check that you are up to date with any
blood tests that may need to be done to monitor
your health problem or medication e.g. having
annual diabetic blood tests if you are diabetic ,
a blood pressure check if you are on blood
pressure medicines or thyroid blood tests if you
are on thyroid hormone tablets.
Your review date is on the right hand page of
the prescription ( the side that has your list of
medication on it, not the page the chemist
takes.
You may notice the GP adding messages to
remind you to have blood tests done.
The majority of medication reviews can be done
over the phone without an examination unless
you need things like blood pressure checking
but this can also be done by the nurse.
In most cases the GP will put your review date
forward 12 months.
Exceptions to this would be patients on
medications like warfarin or lithium. We don't
put the review dates more than four months
ahead. This is for safety as when the review
date is reached it prompts the GP to make sure
we have an up to date warfarin monitoring test
(INR) done or lithium blood test done.
Health and wellbeing workers
Buzz, part of the Public Health Service have
launched a service provided by Wellbeing
advisors.
They can provide and support on the following
issues:
 Healthy eating and exercise
 Smoking and alcohol
 Isolation, loneliness & friendship
 Promoting positive mental health
 Dental health
 Feel happier and healthier
They can also make referrals for the following:
 Sexual health
 Drugs / alcohol
 Housing
 Managing long term health conditions
 GM Fire ^ Rescue Service
 Access wider services.
For more information checkout:
www.buzzmanchester.co.uk
Bowel cancer screening
Are you over 55?
Have you had your invitation for bowel cancer
screening?
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common
cancer in the UK and the second biggest cause
of cancer death.
30% of cases are diagnosed when the cancer
is at an advanced stage and the chances of
surviving are very low ( just 5%).
The aim of the bowel cancer screening
programme is to pick up bowel cancers at their
earliest stages when the chances of survival
are very high (97%).
The NHS invites everyone aged 55 to have a
one-off bowel examination (colonoscopy) to
look for early cancers. When you reach 60 they
then invite you to do a test that looks for blood
in your poo. If this test detects blood you would
be invited for a colonoscopy. The test is
repeated every 2 years until you are 74.
Anyone over 75 can phone the screening
service for a kit if you want to carry on testing.
The screening service number is:
0800 707 6060.
The thought of screening for something like
bowel cancer is obviously worrying but if you
can get it picked up at a stage before you get
symptoms when you have a 97% chance of
cure instead of a 5% chance then it's well worth
it.
At the same time we GPs would encourage you
to look out for signs and symptoms of bowel
cancer.
We'd be keen to see anyone who has
experienced combinations of symptoms like
stomach pains, weight loss, blood in poo,
change in bowel habit (passing a poo more or
less often, harder or looser).
Ear Syringing
Ear syringing is available at Gorton Library on
the second Thursday of each month from 10am
to 2pm. Please telephone to confirm the day
and time before attending 0161 227 3737.
Online Access- Medication and blood test
results
You can register to have online access to order
repeat prescriptions, book and cancel GP
appointments and also view areas of your
medical records which includes any coded
information ,medications and blood test results.
Please ask reception staff for a form.
Why not join the Patient Participation
Group?
This newsletter has been produced by the
Practice and the Patient Participation
Group(PPG). The PPG meets to discuss
Practice issues every three months on a
Thursday 5.30-6.30pm. We also have members
who can't make the meetings but participate by
email contact. If you'd like to become a member
ask at Reception for an application form.
Ashcroft
Surgery
0161 224 1329
803 Stockport Road
Levenshulme
Manchester
M19 3BS