Don’t forget to book your Cervical screening test!
Cervical screening (smear test) is a free health test available on the NHS that helps prevent cervical cancer. It check for a virus called high-risk HPV and, if you have HPV, cervical cell changes. It is not a test for cancer.
All women and people born with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64 should go for regular cervical screening. You’ll get a letter in the post inviting you to make an appointment.
If you are worried about how cervical screening is done, check out this short video:
If you missed your last cervical screening, you do not need to wait to book an appointment, call and book today!
Diabetes – do you know the signs to look out for?
Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. There are 2 main types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes – where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin
Type 2 diabetes – where they body does not produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells do not react to insulin.
This Diabetes Awareness Week, be aware of the symptoms to look out for:
- Feeling very thirsty
- Peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
- Feeling very tired
- Weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
- Itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
- Cuts or wounds that heal slowly
- Blurred vision
Visit your GP as soon as possible if you experience that main symptoms of diabetes.
For more information https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetes/ and https://www.diabetes.org.uk/07
Carers Week 2022
Approximately 6.5 million people in the UK are carers, looking after a parent, partner, child or friend. A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, illness, mental health problem or who needs extra help as they grow older.
Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of the challenges carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and their communities.
If you would like more information about carers week visit https://www.carersweek.org/.
If you are a carer and want to find out what support and benefits are available for you visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/support-and-benefits-for-carers/
Queens Platinum Jubilee Extended Bank Holiday Weekend Practice Closures
A special extended Bank holiday weekend for the Queens Platinum Jubilee means we are closed on Thursday 2nd June to Sunday 5th June – re-opening as normal on Monday 6th June.
If you need medical advice during this period you can:
Visit your pharmacy. Your local pharmacy can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaints. Opening times for local Pharmacies can be downloaded
or you can visit NHS Choices.
Access NHS 111. If you need urgent medical advice but your condition is not life threatening, simply visit 111.nhs.uk, enter your age, sex, postcode and main symptom, and then you will be guided through a series of questions about your health problems.
To access the service via phone, simply dial 111 from any mobile or landline free of charge and you will be put through to an operator who will run through a few questions regarding your health problem in order to get you the right care.
A&E or 999. For a genuine medical emergency including; loss of consciousness, acute confused state and fits that are not stopping, persistent and or/severe chest pain, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding that cannot
be stopped call 999 or go to your nearest A&E.
Cervical screening saves lives
On 14 February, The Department of Health and Social Care, together with NHS England and NHS Improvement, launched a Help Us Help You – Cervical Screening Campaign, to highlight the benefits of cervical screening and remind people that that it can help stop cancer before it starts. The campaign encourages those eligible for screening – women and people with a cervix aged 25-64 – to respond to their cervical screening invitation letters and to book an appointment at their GP practice if they missed their last one.
Two women die every day from cervical cancer in England. Yet it is one of the most preventable cancers and getting screened can help stop it before it starts. Screening checks for certain types of the HPV virus that can cause cell changes to your cervix. Cell changes are easily treated and this prevents cervical cancer.
For more information, visit www.nhs.uk/cervicalscreening
Covid-19 Urgent Eyecare Service
If you are experiencing any of the following:
- red eyes
- flashes or floaters in your eyes
- recent or sudden loss of vision
- Foreign body in the eye
you can access free NHS appointments at local opticians as part of the urgent eyecare service (CUES). To find your nearest practice and information on how to access it, please visit Find a Practice – Search for your nearest participating optical practice (primaryeyecare.co.uk) Please be aware this is not a sight test.
New GP joining the team
We would like to inform our patients that we have a new lady GP joining our team.
Dr Arbab Shah will be joining the practice on Monday 10th January 2022 and we are looking forward to working with her. I am sure she will be made very welcome by the patients of Heathcote Street Surgery.