Help Us To Help You

Sharing Responsibility For Health

We encourage all our patients to share responsibility for their health, both in treating diseases and in endeavouring to prevent them.

Choice of Doctor

We would normally expect you to consult the doctor with whom you are registered. However emergencies may be dealt with by any doctor.

Please Help The Doctor by Following These Guidelines:

• Please arrive promptly for your appointment
• Please inform the surgery as early as possible if you no longer require your appointment
• If you require a medical (insurance, HGV or Taxi) please inform the receptionist because you will need a longer appointment time (30 minutes)
• At times the doctor may be called away to an emergency and these have to be given priority. We do not like to keep patients waiting too long but hope you will understand if you are inconvenienced because of this.
• After leaving hospital following an in patient stay, please make sure that your doctor receives your discharge note as soon as possible.
• You may not need to visit the doctor for some illnesses. Please consult the “Self Treatment of Common Illnesses and Accidents” below.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure, So……

1. Stop Smoking. Smoking kills. It ruins lungs, heart, blood vessels and other tissues because of irritants, cancer producing chemicals and chronic carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s never too early, and usually never too late to stop! Ask about a smoking cessation appointment with one of our practice nurses.
2. Drink Sensibly (Not more than two pints of beer or four measures of spirits per day for men; one pint of beer or two measures of spirits per day for women).
3. Eat well, but watch your weight. Stick to meal times, three per day including breakfast. Avoid highly processed or fatty food, and added salt. Instead eat plenty of nutritious food with fibre content (cereals, wholemeal bread, vegetables and fruit). Ask about dietary advice leaflets at an appointment with one of our practice nurses.
4. Walking for one-two miles, and/or keep fit, should be a daily habit. Swimming, jogging, cycling or some other moderate exercise is recommended for at least 20 minutes three times a week.
5. Come for a blood pressure check – make an appointment with the practice nurse
6. Bring a urine sample to the surgery to be tested for sugar at least once every three years.
7. Come and let us check your Cholesterol levels (patients under 75 years) if you, or a close family member, have had heart trouble or a stroke. Make an appointment with the practice nurse.
8. Keep your tetanus vaccination up to date (you need a booster every ten years from age 24). Make an appointment with the practice nurse.
9. Every lady needs a cervical smear test every three years until the age of 65. This service is provided by your practice nurses, please make an appointment.
10. All persons aged over 65 are advised to have an annual flu injection. This is also advised for patients aged under 65 with chronic health problems such as diabetes, asthma or chest problems, heart disease, renal disease, stroke, patient’s carers and any patients who have reduced immunity (e.g. following radiotherapy, chemotherapy). The practice nurses usually give the flu injections between October and December. Please make an appointment
11. We provide a comprehensive contraceptive service. Please contact us regarding family planning advice and supply of contraceptives (e.g. Pill, depot injection).
12. Registered patients aged 16 -74 who have not been seen for three years may request a consultation.
13. Registered patients aged over 75 years who have not been seen in the previous 12 months may request a consultation. If you are unable to attend the surgery for this consultation because of your medical condition, a home visit may be arranged.

Please Make Full Use Of Our Clinics Which Are Provided For Your Benefit

Self Treatment of Common Illness And Accidents

Colds

Even in this day and age there is still no magic cure for the common cold. Go to bed, take plenty of drinks. If you have a headache or are feverish, take paracetamol. Do not take any antibiotics you have in the house as these will have no effect.

Gastroenteritis

This is a group of illnesses causing sickness, diarrhoea and stomach ache. These are usually caused by viruses or germs in food.

What you can do

• Drink plenty of fluids in small frequent amounts
• Continue drinking even if you have been sick
• Stop eating until you don’t feel sick any more
• Take paracetamol for temperature or pain
• If you have frequent diarrhoea, loperamide (Imodium) helps. This is not a cure but it will stop you going so often and is available from your pharmacist over the counter.

When to see the Doctor

• If there is blood in your motions or vomit
• If you have very severe pain
• If you are particularly unwell
• If it doesn’t settle within a few days
• If you work with food.

The feverish child

A raised temperature is a common symptom in children. It is usually caused by a viral infection such as a cold or flu. Simple measures will make your child feel better.

• Remove most clothing. For example a baby should be stripped down to its sleeveless vest, nappy and socks.
• Give plenty of clear fluids
• Sponge with tepid (not cold) water
• Give paracetamol every four hours until the temperature stays down but do not exceed four doses in 24 hours. ‘Disprol’ or ‘Calpol’ are brand names for paracetamol.

If the symptoms persist for more than two days or if your child is particularly unwell contact your doctor for advice. Aspirin is NOT recommended for children.

Diarrhoea and Vomiting in Babies and Children

Give water frequently. Start with very small amounts like half or one fluid ounce. When the vomiting stops, gradually give more each time. Continue to give fluids even if your child brings some of it back up. Your child will be allright without food for a day but must have regular fluids to stop dehydration. Breast feeding should be continued throughout an episode of diarrhoea and vomiting.

To put back some of the salts your child is losing in the diarrhoea and vomit you can buy special sachets at the chemist. These sachets have brand names like Dioralyte and Rehidrat and they include instructions on how much to give and how much water to add.

When your baby can take a whole bottle of cooled boiled water or Dioralyte, try a small amount of milk you give and then try small amounts of solids.

The vomiting usually stops within a few hours of stopping milk and solids. Diarrhoea often takes several days to settle. This is not serious if your child is taking enough fluids to make up for the loss. If the child has diarrhoea but is not vomiting, milk and solid food can be given if they will take them.

If the vomiting doesn’t stop, if your child is particularly unwell or if there is blood in the motions, you need to contact the doctor.

Chickenpox

On the first day a rash appears as small red patches about 3 - 4 mm across. Within a few hours of these developing, small blisters appear in the centre of these patches. During three or four days further patches will appear, and the earlier ones will appear ‘crusty’ and fall off. Oily calamine lotion may be applied to soothe the often severe itching. Cool baths may also help. The most infectious period is two to three days before the rash appears and up to five days after this date. Children may return to school after the last ‘crusts’ have dropped off.

Nosebleeds

Sit in a chair ( leaning forward with your mouth open) and pinch your nostrils for 10 to 20 minutes, by which time the bleeding should have stopped. Avoid hot drinks or hot food for 24 hours. If the symptoms persist you should consult your doctor.

Burns

Apply large quantities of cold water to the affected area as soon as possible and maintain this until the pain subsides. This may take as long as 15 minutes! If the skin is unbroken but blistered apply a loose, dry dressing. If the burn is larger than four or five inches in diameter, or if the skin is broken, consult your doctor as soon as possible or attend at the hospital accident and emergency department.

Sunburn

Treat as for burns with cold water to remove the heat. Calamine lotion will relieve the irritation, whilst paracetamol will also help. Children are particularly susceptible to sunburn and great care should be taken to avoid overexposure to the harmful effects of the sun.

Insect Bites and Stings

Antihistamine tablets can be obtained from the chemist without prescription and will usually relieve most symptoms. N.B: bee stings should be scraped away rather than plucked to avoid squeezing the contents of the venom sac into the wound.

Minor Injuries

Cuts

Bleeding can usually be stopped by applying pressure directly to the cut for a few minutes. Clean with antiseptic solution and apply a sticking plaster dressing firmly bringing the edges of the cut together so that it knits quickly. Keep it dry for a couple of days. If the cut is deep and the edges cannot be pulled together with a dressing contact the practice nurse. Remember to keep your tetanus immunity up to date with a booster every ten years.

Bruises

Injuries that cause bleeding under the skin produce bruises that are swollen, painful and stiff. The swelling can be reduced by raising the affected area ( resting it on a pillow or in a sling). Ice packs may help in the first 48 hours. A bag of frozen peas makes a good ice pack. After a couple of days it is best to start gentle exercise to avoid stiffness. Aspirin or paracetamol will relieve pain.

Sprains

First apply a cold compress, containing ice if possible, for 15 to 30 minutes to reduce the swelling. Firmly apply a crepe bandage and give the sprain plenty of rest until all discomfort has subsided. Further sprain will inevitable lead to further swelling and a longer recovery period.

Back Pain

This is unfortunately very common and usually follows a lifting or bending injury. Lying flat on a firm surface may help to relieve the pain. A hot water bottle in the area of pain can relieve muscle spasm which often accompanies pain. Regular painkillers like aspirin or paracetamol will help the pain and in turn reduce spasm in the muscles. If the symptoms are not improving within a few days please consult your doctor.

The Family Medecine Chest

This is a list of useful medicines and dressing with a description of their uses. All are quite cheap and worth stocking at home in readiness for minor illnesses.

Keep medicines in a box or cupboard with a lock or store them well out of reach of children.

Soluble Aspirin Tablets:

For adults. Good for headache, colds and sore throats and painful bruises.

Paracetamol Mixture

Such as Calpol or Disprol - for relief of pain or fever in young children.

Paracetamol Tablets

For pains and sprains. An alternative to soluble aspirin.

Simple Cough Linctus

For dry or painful coughs

Inhalations

Such as Olbas oil, Karvol capsules or Vick - add hot water to make steam inhalations for treating catarrh and dry and painful coughs.

Antiseptic Solutions

Such as TCP, Savlon or Dettol - one teaspoon diluted in warm water for cleaning cuts and grazes.

Antihistamine Creams

Such as Anthisan - to use on insect bites or stings.

Calamine Lotion

For dabbing (with cotton wool) on insect bites or stings, sunburn and chickenpox spots.

Plasters or Dressing Strips

For minor cuts - we suggest a variety pack of different sized plasters

3” Wide Crepe Bandage

To keep dressings in place. To support sprained or bruised joints.

Cotton Wool

For cleaning cuts and grazes.

Thermometer

To check temperature during illness. Normal body temperature is 36.8 degree C, or 98.4 degree F but readings one or two degrees below this are not a cause for concern.