Welcome to Newmarket Road Surgery....
21 December 2009
Surgery Update
New Member of Staff at the Practice
We are delighted to welcome Sue Page as our Health Care Assistant.You may have an appointment with her when you book for a blood test, ECG, blood pressure and other procedures.Sue used to work as a midwife before having a career break to concentrate on her family and we hope she will enjoy working with us in her new role at Newmarket Road.
Swine Flu Vaccination Programme
The Swine Flu Vaccination Programme is well underway. The following groups of people have been prioritised for vaccination according to national policy. If you feel you fall into one of these groups and would like to be vaccinated against Swine Flu, please contact the surgery for an appointment for one of our vaccination clinics.
• People aged six months and up to 65 years of age in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at-risk groups,
• All pregnant women,
• Household contacts of immunocompromised people,
• People aged 65 years and over in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at-risk groups.
What are the at-risk groups?
• Chronic respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma ( and have requested an inhaler in the last 6 months)
• Chronic heart disease, such as heart failure,
• Chronic kidney disease, such as kidney failure,
• Chronic liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis,
• Chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson’s disease,
• Diabetes requiring insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs, and
• Immunosuppression (a suppressed immune system), due to disease or treatment.
If you would like more information about the swine flu vaccination programme:
• Visit the NHS Choices website at: www.nhs.uk
• Go to the NHS Norfolk website at: www.norfolk.nhs.uk
• Call the NHS Norfolk Panflu Advice Line on 0808 238 9786
9am – 5pm Monday – Friday
Flu Vaccinations
The usual winter flu vaccination campaign continuess. Those of you who have an underlying health problem are at greater risk of complications from flu.
It is recommended you have a flu jab if you:
Ø are 65 or over,
Ø have a serious medical condition
· chronic (long-term) respiratory disease, such as severe asthma, COPD or bronchitis
· chronic heart disease, such as heart failure,
· chronic kidney disease
· chronic liver disease
· chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson's disease or motor neurone disease
· diabetes, or
· a weakened immune system due to disease (such as HIV/AIDS) or treatment (such as cancer treatment)
Ø live in a residential or nursing home,
Ø are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if you fall ill,
Ø are a healthcare or social care professional directly involved in patient care, or
Ø work with poultry
If you think you are eligible to have a flu vaccination please ring and make an appointment.
Worried about Swine Flu?
The National Pandemic Flu Service is a new self-care service which will give people with pandemic swine flu symptoms fast access to antivirals.
It is a new dedicated website (see link in the right hand column) and phoneline (0800 1 513 100 or 0800 1 513 200 (Textphone)) for people to check their symptoms and get a unique number which will give them access to antivirals if necessary.
If you don’t have symptoms and just want information, please call 0800 1 513 513.
People who have swine flu symptoms will be given a unique access number and told where their nearest antiviral collection point is.
They should then ask a flu friend – a friend or relative who doesn’t have swine flu – to go and pick up their antiviral.
Anyone who suspects they have swine flu should not go to their GP or A&E.
People should only contact their doctor direct rather than using the National Pandemic Flu Service if:
they have a serious underlying illness
they are pregnant
they have a sick child under one year old
their condition suddenly gets much worse, or
if their condition is still getting worse after 7 days (5 for a child).
The vast majority of people, swine flu has been mild. Some people find that they get better by staying in bed, drinking plenty of water and taking over the counter flu medication.
More information at Department of Health – Swine Flu
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Flu/Swineflu/index.htm
Questions and answers
NHS Choices has a comprehensive question and answer section which will cover most of the information you will need about swine flu. This includes:
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Antivirals and vaccines
- Pregnancy and children
- People with long-term conditions
......and much more
Further information about swine flu...more