January Newsletter 2025

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Challenging Times Ahead?

Firstly, on behalf of all at the surgery I would like to wish all our patients a Happy and Prosperous New Year. As always, we have been overwhelmed by and greatly appreciated all of the cards and gifts brought in over Christmas, it is a tremendous boost to the team’s morale. This is particularly so when the NHS feels somewhat overwhelmed with the ‘Quademic’ of Flu, RSV, Covid and Norovirus. Any one eligible for but yet to have their flu, covid or RSV vaccine, I would recommend arranging while available.

This time of year, many of you will have made New Year’s resolutions. If these included lifestyle change (cutting down on alcohol, stopping smoking, losing weight etc) then please have a look at the local support services. The website to go to is https://yourhealthnotts.co.uk/ and it’s a self-referral service.

Another service to plug today is the Pharmacy First scheme. This is designed to help our patients get simple illnesses dealt with by a pharmacist and free up GP appointments. Some constraints apply but essentially, conditions they can offer prescription medicine for are:

  • impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
  • infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
  • earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
  • sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
  • sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
  • urinary tract infections (UTIs) (women aged 16 to 64 years)
  • shingles (aged 18 years and over)

If you are not within these age ranges, a pharmacist can still offer advice and support decisions about self- care treatment with over-the-counter medicines.

Also, a plug for our local Urgent Treatment / Walk in Centres. We have 3 locally, 1 each at Kings Mill and Newark Hospitals plus in Nottingham by the BBC studios. They are open from 8am to 10.30pm (last patient admitted at 9.30pm) and are suitable for minor burns or scalds, minor head injuries (no loss of consciousness), skin infections / bites, possible broken bones, sprains and strains (X-rays can be done), eye infections and minor eye injuries. They can of course see any patient feeling unwell. 111 is an option outside these opening hours and remember that for Mental Health concerns 111 run a parallel service, plus the Mental Health Crisis Line can be contacted 24/7 on 0808 196 3779.

Finally, we are often asked by patients whether they can use our dispensary if living in Calverton. Unfortunately, the answer is ‘no’ as strict government rules determine that patients need to be living more than a mile as the crow flies from their community pharmacy for us to be allowed to dispense their medication.

Phil Rayner