MEDICINES WASTE MANAGEMENT

A public health campaign has launched within Leicestershire on managing medicines waste; as approximately £3 million worth of medication is wasted annually. You can help to prevent this by avoiding stocks of medication at home, giving unused medication to the pharmacy for safe disposal & checking medication bags at the pharmacy before leaving. We encourage all patients to order medications themselves; to ensure you only order what you need, when you need it.

To find out more, visit https://leicesterleicestershireandrutland.icb.nhs.uk/medicines-waste/  

PRACTICE PATIENT NEWSLETTER

Last month saw the launch of our Patient Practice Newsletter. This was sent via text message to all patients, and publicised on our digital platforms (facebook, twitter and our website). Our aim is to keep patients up to date with changes, NHS regulations and campaigns each month to ensure easier access for healthcare.

GETTING NHS HELP FAST

A new campaign has launched in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to raise awareness on how to get NHS help fast and appropriately. Getting the right care, at the right place, first time, means less delays and sooner resolutions to have you back to your day to day as soon as possible. The campaign includes the following advice:

1)      If you are unable to treat symptoms at home and they are minor, try the NHS app or nhs.uk, NHS 111 online or your local Pharmacy.

2)      If symptoms are more serious and step one didn’t work, contact the GP Practice or NHS 111 if the practice is closed

3)      If it is a life or limb threatening emergency, go straight to the nearest Emergency Department or call 999. In a mental health crisis, call NHS 111 and press option 2. This service is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

FLU AND COVID SEASON  

Flu and Covid season is upon us. Eligible patients will have received a text message between the middle and end of September to book in for their appointment. The NHS criteria for covid vaccinations has now changed, therefore if you are under 75 and not immunosuppressed, you may not be offered a covid vaccination, even if you had this in previous years.

RAPID HEALTH

We encourage patients where possible, to use our rapid health software. This allows patients to book an appointment directly into clinic, without the need to telephone the practice. This therefore leaves the phonelines open to those who truly need to call. Rapid Health will only accept the email address on your patient record, so if you are unsure as to which email address we hold, please contact the practice. Rapid Health will ask a series of questions regarding your symptoms, so that appointments can be offered with the best clinician for the problem and at the correct urgency. Rapid Health is accessible via our website homepage.

BOOKING LINKS

A reminder that if you are sent a booking link for an appointment by the practice, please utilise it as the link will only last for a set period of time. If you do not have a smartphone and cannot click on links in this fashion, please contact the practice so that we can make a note on your records.  

AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS 

World Mental Health Day is on the 10^th October. Poor mental health is not inevitable, and World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for us all to talk about mental health and consider how, together, we can help everyone have better mental health.

This year’s theme set by the World Federation for Mental Health is access to services - mental health in catastrophes and emergencies. The theme highlights the importance of people being able to protect their mental health whatever they're going through, because everyone deserves good mental health.

For more information, visit: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/world-mental-health-day

October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The month aims to promote screening and reduce the risk of the disease, which affects 2.3 million women worldwide. Known best for its pink theme colour, the month features a number of campaigns and programs designed to:

• support people diagnosed with breast cancer, including those with metastatic breast cancer
• educate people about breast cancer risk factors
• encourage women to go for regular breast cancer screening starting at age 40 or earlier, depending on personal breast cancer risk
• raise money for breast cancer research