COLLEGE STREET MEDICAL PRACTICE NEWSLETTER

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1 Summer2015 COLLEGE STREET MEDICAL PRACTICE NEWSLETTER Practice Phone No: Out of Hours No: 111 All calls are now answered by a dedicated team at College Street Opening Times - 86 College Street - Main Site Monday - 08:00 to 18:30 Tuesday - 08:00 to 20:00 Wednesday - 08:00 to 13:30 Thursday - 08:00 to 18:30 Friday - 08:00 to 18:30 Please note the 86 College Street site closes at 13:30 on Wednesdays. Long Eaton Health Centre - Branch Site Opening hours are slightly limited at the moment. Dr Ramchandran, Nurse Practitioner Helen and Nurse Julie are working extra hours to try to ease appointment times. PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP Are you interested in meeting other people and sharing your opinion as to how we can make the practice better? Do you have up to two hours every two months to spare? If so please come along to one of our meetings. Next dates are posted on the PPG notice board. We do not handle individual complaints as they are dealt with by the practice. We are here to try to make a difference to the way the practice works and provide a more efficient service for everyone.

2 Appointments College St Medical Practice (Highfields) has a dedicated team of doctors available by appointment. IF you are really poorly then you should be prepared to see any doctor at your appointment as it may take a little extra time to get an appointment with a specific doctor. The receptionists will do their best to get you in as soon as possible. Have you heard of Nurse Practitioners? Nurse practitioners (NPs) manage acute and chronic medical conditions, through history and physical exam and the ordering of diagnostic tests and medical treatments. NPs are qualified to diagnose medical problems, order treatments, perform advanced procedures, prescribe medications, and make referrals for a wide range of acute and chronic medical conditions following discussion within their scope of practice. In addition to building upon and expanding their nursing knowledge and skills, the nurse practitioner uses medical diagnoses and medical treatments in their practice. The Practice has a very capable Nurse Practitioner - Helen White. She may have an appointment slot that would suit you and get you seen earlier than if you had to wait for the doctor. Her main areas of expertise are: Asthma, COPD, Family Planning, Minor Illness and Injuries The Practice is also looking to take on another nurse practitioner in the near future as Nurse Practitioner Orlaith Elston has moved on. A&E A&E is for life-threatening accidents and emergencies such as suspected heart attack or stroke, loss of consciousness, heavy bleeding or severe burns. Please save A&E for when you really need it.

3 Patient information Due to contractual changes within the NHS, every patient registered with the Practice now has to have a "named allocated GP". The named GP for all of our patients under the age of 75 years will be Dr Sudhir Ramchandran Please be assured this new guideline does not affect your ability in making an appointment with a GP of your choice within the Practice Free Hearing Screenings at now available at College Street Medical Practice On behalf of the Practice we are very pleased to announce that College Street Medical Practice are now able to provide a FREE hearing screening service for all of our patients aged 55 and over. These appointments are available between 9am and 10am, every other Wednesday. During the appointment you will undergo a minute screening that will ascertain whether you have any level of hearing loss If the results of this screening decide that hearing aids would help you, the technician will refer you for a full hearing assessment with a hearing aid audiologist If you have a hearing loss where hearing aids would assist we are pleased to inform you that you would be eligible to receive a NHS hearing aid and in many cases we may be able to arrange that appointment for you here at this Practice

4 SUMMER In the heat: Everyone needs to drink more water (or other non-alcoholic drinks) when it is hot Everyone needs to wear sun-cream and a hat if out in the sun This is especially important for young children and older people who are at most risk of dehydration and sunburn. At some point a lot of people brush off the BBQ and serve food and drink and hold outdoor parties (weather permitting, of course). How much do you know about alcohol and how it affects YOU? Alcoholic content: Beer 2 6% alcohol Cider 4 8% alcohol Wine 8 20% alcohol Tequila 40% alcohol Rum 40% or more alcohol Brandy 40% or more alcohol Gin 40 47% alcohol Whiskey 40 50% alcohol Vodka 40 50% alcohol Liqueurs 15 60% alcohol Pint of lager 2 Units 165 calories Can of super strength lager or ale 3.9 Units 360 calories Bottle of super strength lager or ale 4.0 Units 227 calories Shot of whiskey 1.0 Units 64 calories Alcopop 1.4 Units 226 calories Pint of strong lager or ale 3.0 Units 335 calories Large glass of wine 3.3 Units 190 calories Small Glass of Wine 1.3 Units 95 calories Standard glass of wine 2.3 Units 116 calories

5 Alcohol's Effects on the Body Drinking too much on a single occasion or over time can take a serious toll on your health. Here s how alcohol can affect your body: Brain: Alcohol interferes with the brain s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination. Heart: Drinking a lot over a long time or too much on a single occasion can damage the heart, causing problems including: Cardiomyopathy Stretching and drooping of heart muscle Arrhythmias Irregular heart beat Stroke High blood pressure Research also shows that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol may protect healthy adults from developing coronary heart disease. Liver: Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver, and can lead to a variety of problems and liver inflammations including: Steatosis, or fatty liver Alcoholic hepatitis Fibrosis Cirrhosis Pancreas: Alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can eventually lead to pancreatitis, a dangerous inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas that prevents proper digestion. Cancer: Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of developing certain cancers, including cancers of the: Mouth Esophagus Throat Liver Breast Immune System: Drinking too much can weaken your immune system, making your body a much easier target for disease. Chronic drinkers are more liable to contract diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than people who do not drink too much. Drinking a lot on a single occasion slows your body s ability to ward off infections even up to 24 hours after getting drunk. Spread your units out through the week, with at least two alcohol-free days in every seven. Saving them up and drinking them all at once will leave you with a nasty hangover in the morning (and maybe some embarrassing memories of the night before) as well as increasing your risk of injuries, fights and accidents. And remember the weekly maximum units of alcohol is a limit to stay under not a target to reach.

6 The Practice has a very efficient complaints procedure which starts at Reception. It does not start on social media sites. Anyone who tries to decry or defame the Practice on such sites could find themselves facing legal proceedings. HOLIDAYS Going abroad where you need vaccinations? Please make appointments in plenty of time. Local Pharmacies can Give free advice on treating everyday illnesses and injuries and sell you the right treatments Advise whether you should see your GP.Dispense prescription medicines and give advice on how to take them safely If pre-arranged with your practice, pick up your prescription and make it up for you Check you are taking your medication in the right way Give free advice on sexual health and contraception and stopping smoking They can offer flu vaccinations and can advise on holiday vaccinations. (If they offer vaccinations it is usually at a cost.) From April 2015 electronic prescription will start to be used. This is for repeat prescriptions ONLY and not for something that you may decide you need. If you haven t already, you will need to nominate a chemist for this. Further information is available from your chosen chemist. Medication reviews will still take place at the surgery.