Manchester Rd Surgery Spring 2023 newsletter
This is the first newsletter we have published since the start of 2020, for obvious reasons we have had our focus and energies otherwise engaged for the last two years! Thank you all for all your support and patience over the last two years. Our doors have been fully open now for several months and you are able to book face to face or telephone appointments with our clinicians.
News headlines
Our previous practice manager Alison Broadhead sadly left us in September 2022, but we are pleased to have our new manager, Gemma Scarrott, with us. Gemma has been at the practice previously in the roles of receptionist and administrator. We are pleased to welcome our new administrator, Michael, who took over the role last year.
We are now a training practice. Our current registrar Dr Wiggill joined us in August 2022 and will be with us for 12 months.
The new clinical room on the first floor has proved invaluable with our ever expanding team.
Advanced clinical practitioner (ACP)
Some of you may have already been see by our lovely ACP, she works as a locum for us and has been working for us since September 2021. We recognised that we were having issues with capacity following the build up in demand during COVID, the ACP sessions have worked out well in not only providing extra appointments for our patients but also freeing up time for GP’s to focus on complex medical cases and mental health.
ACP’s and ANP’s can prescribe medication, refer (if appropriate), and will see a variety of conditions e.g: Infections: Ear, nose, chest, sinus, urine, skin, wounds, Gastrointestinal problems: Constipation, sickness and diarrhoea, acute abdominal pain, reflux, New Aches and pains: Twisted ankle, Back ache, Knee, Hip, Shoulder etc. Skin: Wound infection, Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis, Fungal infections, Rashes, Abscess’s, Impetigo, Insect/Animal bites, Warts, Verrucae, In growing toenails, Moles, Allergies: Hay fever, Asthma attacks, Allergic reactions
Focus on Support workers
Our surgery hosts several support workers, most of them are employed by our Network (West5) and work across 5 local practices including Manchester Road surgery. They are additional staff and work as part of our clinical team to support our GP’s in delivering clinical care to our patient population.
Our additional roles team so far:
2 Clinical pharmacists
1 Pharmacy technician
1 First contact physiotherapist
1 Paramedic
2 Mental health practitioners
2 Social prescribers
Our network is hoping to fund further additional roles staff during 2023/24 with the funding provided by NHS England. This is great news however we are running out of space to host them all!
Gynae red flags
If you have any symptoms that can be associated with gynaecological cancers, such as:
• Feeling bloated, feeling full, or having difficulty eating
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Abdominal or back pain
• Constipation or an urgent need to urinate
• Itching, burning, tenderness or an unusual look or feel to your vulva
• you should make an appointment with your doctor. These symptoms can be caused by other conditions, but your GP will be able to assess them and refer you for further tests if necessary. We understand that you might feel embarrassed, but for us, it’s part of our job, and we want you to feel comfortable talking to us about the most sensitive issues, because we want to help. https://www.redonline.co.uk/health-self/self/a33466580/gynaecologist-symptoms-cervical-cancer/
Healthy diet
We hear a lot about eating healthily, but do you know what that really means? In the UK around one in four adults, and one in five children aged 5 to 11 in the UK are obese. This increases the likelihood of health problems in the future. You can find out more about eating healthily on the NHS website.
It is easy to underestimate the number of calories we are consuming each day if we are not aware of our portion sizes. Larger portions can significantly increase our daily calorie intake without our realising it. You can see here what the recommended portion sizes are for some of the most commonly eaten foods. How do your portion sizes compare?
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/eight-tips-for-healthy-eating/
https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/nutrition-diet/portion-size
Online Safety
Both children and adults can find themselves the victim of a bully. Bullying can have a profound effect on mental health. The National Bullying Helpline supports people who are being bullied and gives practical advice about how you can deal with bullying. Children and young people can find themselves under pressure to send inappropriate messages, pictures, or explicit images to others. Sexting can be a major cause of stress and embarrassment to them, not to mention the potential legal issues that surround it. Internet Matters has brilliant advice about how to talk about sexting, and deal with the consequences if it’s already happened.
https://www.nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk
Bowel Cancer
43,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK each year, that’s around one every 15 minutes.
There are known signs of bowel cancer, and you should see your doctor if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms. They may not be related to cancer, but it’s better to get it checked:
• Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo
• A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit
• Unexplained weight loss
• Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
• A pain or lump in your tummy
https://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/support-us/bowel-cancer-awareness-month/
https://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/about-bowel-cancer/symptoms/
IBS awareness
April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) awareness month. Living with IBS can be challenging, with symptoms which can cause embarrassment and anxiety. IBS is usually a lifelong condition, with symptoms varying over time.
If you’re experiencing symptoms you think might be related to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), such as bloating, pain, constipation or diarrhoea, please see your GP. It’s always best to double check, in case the symptoms are related to something else.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs/symptoms/