There are a number of services that can help you when it comes to looking after yourself if you have diabetes.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=xuNEnhCZFLo%3Ffeature%3Doembed

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Routine care

The majority of people with diabetes are looked after by the Practice Diabetes Team.

We like to see all people with diabetes twice a year, once during their annual health check and again 6 months later.

You will receive an invite for both the annual health check and normally a 6 month review. Both of the appointments will be with a Nurse and you will need to have a blood test before each appointment.

There are times when you will need to be seen more often than twice a year, for example after you are first diagnosed or if problems are detected during one of the routine reviews. We arrange these additional reviews as needed and they may be with either a Nurse or one of the Doctors.

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The Practice Team

The Practice Nurse and your GP will usually provide this service with assistance from other Healthcare Professionals. Please check with your Practice for clinic times.

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Specialist care

If there is a particular problem identified with your diabetes care that we cannot help you with within the Practice, then we will refer you to a specialist service.

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Type 2 Diabetes – Know your Risk

Finding out your risk of Type 2 diabetes only takes a few minutes. It could be the most important thing you do today.

Before you start, grab a tape measure and scales…

https://youtube.com/watch?v=qghTQxnVaMk%3Ffeature%3Doembed

It is very important that anyone who has problems with their memory has a proper assessment. If these problems are due to dementia then early diagnosis and referral has many benefits for the patient, their carer(s) and family. It can help them to plan and access the treatment and support they need and to improve their quality of life.

If you are having memory problems, please book an appointment with one of the GPs, who can make an initial assessment and refer you to the Memory Clinic if required.

• Cervical screening (a smear test) checks the health of your cervix, which is the opening to your womb from your vagina. 
• It’s not a test for cancer, it’s a test to help prevent cancer.
• All women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 should be invited by letter. 
• During the screening appointment, a small sample of cells will be taken from your cervix. 
• The sample is tested for changes to the cells of your cervix. 
• Finding abnormal changes early means they can be monitored or treated so they do not get a chance to turn into cervical cancer. 
• Approximately 2 weeks after screening, you will get your results by letter.

To arrange a cervical screening appointment, please telephone the Practice.

Cervical screening saves 5000 lives a year. It is not a test for cervical cancer, it is a screening test to detect abnormalities in the cells of the cervix at an early stage.

When you receive an invitation to cervical screening from the Practice, please, don’t ignore it. It takes just a few minutes and could save your life.

• First time being screen, or nervous? tell the Nurse/Doctor, and try to relax and distract your mind
• Worried about discomfort? Ask the Nurse/Doctor to use a smaller speculum
• Feeling embarrassed? Wear a skirt to your appointment as you can keep this on during the procedure
• Don’t want to go alone? Take a friend with you, to keep you company in the Waiting Room, and be there for you after the screening
• Undergone FGM/cutting in the past? Tell the Nurse/Doctor
• Not sure what to expect? Go to jostrust or call 0808 802 800

An advocate is a person who speaks up for you, acts on your behalf and, where required, puts forward your case for you.

They are:

• independent of Social Services and the NHS
• not a member of your family or one of your friends

An advocate’s role includes arguing your case when you need them to, and making sure health and social care services follow the correct procedures.

They are independent, so they represent your wishes without giving their personal opinion and without representing the views of the NHS or local authority.

An advocate might help you get information or go with you to meetings or interviews to support you.

Your advocate can also write letters on your behalf, or speak for you in situations where you don’t feel able to speak for yourself.

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Find an Advocate

Advocacy Services help people – particularly the most vulnerable in society – to:

• access information and services
• be involved in decisions about their lives
• explore choices and options
• defend and promote their rights and responsibilities
• speak out about issues that matter to them

• If we have an appointment available to suit your travel dates we will provisionally book the appointment(s) with our practice nurse. One appointment per person.
• The pre travel vaccination questionnaire is provided to you at the time you book your appointment, and is available either at Reception or via the link below.
• Not all vaccinations are covered by the NHS, in which case you will be advised to contact a travel clinic to receive private vaccinations at a cost to yourself.
• Once you have completed the vaccination request form, we shall be able to determine the vaccines you require and if they can be done by our practice nurse here at the surgery, or if you need to attend a travel clinic. Your form will be actioned within 10 working days, and then you will be contacted on your preferred contact number to confirm the outcome
•  When you attend the surgery to have the vaccine administered you are required to wait in the waiting room for a further 10 mins afterwards in case of any adverse reaction.

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Holiday Vaccination Questionnaire

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Vaccines

Some travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge.This is because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS.

Please note only the undernoted vaccines are available on NHS Prescriptions:

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Polio

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Healthy Travel Leaflet

You may find the following leaflet helpful when making your travel arrangements.

Advice on Malaria will be given.

Please download and print our useful guide below about Mosquito advice.

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Hepatitis immunisation

Immunisation against infectious Hepatitis (Hepatitis A) is available free of charge on the NHS in connection with travel abroad. However Hepatitis B is not routinely available free of charge and therefore you may be charged for this vaccination when requested in connection with travel abroad.

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Suggested Travel Clinics

• CityDoc, Tel: 0334 145984 (option 1) or www.citydoc.org.uk to book online
• Boots, The Bridges, Sunderland Tel: 0191 5670933 (option 3)
• East Boldon Village Pharmacy, Tel: 0191 5367459

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Excess quantities of regular repeat prescriptions

Under NHS legislation, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for people when they leave the United Kingdom. However, to ensure good patient care the following guidance is offered. People travelling within Europe should be advised to carry a European Health Insurance Card, known as an EHIC.

Medication required for a pre-existing condition should be provided in sufficient quantity to cover the journey and to allow the patient to obtain medical attention abroad. If the patient is returning within the timescale of their usual prescription, then this should be issued (the maximum duration of a prescription is recommended by the Care Trust to be two months, although it is recognised that prescription quantities are sometimes greater than this). Patients are entitled to carry prescribed medicines, even if originally classed as controlled drugs, for example, morphine sulphate tablets.

For longer visits abroad, the patient should be advised to register with a local doctor for continuing medication (this may need to be paid for by the patient).

General practitioners are not responsible for prescriptions of items required for conditions which may arise while travelling, for example travel sickness or diarrhoea. Patients should be advised to purchase these items from community pharmacies prior to travel.

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Useful Links

NHS Overview – Travel Vaccinations

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Lonely Planet’s website

International Society of Travel Medicine

Health Advice for the Diabetic 

Fit for Travel – an NHS site written at the Scottish

Medical Advice Services for Travellers Abroad

UK travel health – site developed by a nurse

Centre for Disease Control – in Atlanta

The NHS Health Check is a health check-up for adults in England aged 40-74. It’s designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia. As we get older, we have a higher risk of developing one of these conditions. An NHS Health Check helps find ways to lower this risk. Please contact the Practice to arrange an appointment.

Long Term Conditions (LTC) are health conditions that can impact on a person’s life, and may require ongoing care and support. We organise appointments and provide support for people who have an LTC by putting in place a way of working called ‘Care and Support Planning’.

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What is care and support planning?

This way of working aims to give you the opportunity to get more out of your annual review appointments by reorganising the way things happen and giving you more information before you see one of our Nurses. It should help you talk about:

• What support you may need
• What is important to you
• What you can do to look after your health and stay well

Who is it for?

Any patient who has a Long Term Condition (LTC).

The Benefits

This way of working is nearly always preferred by patients. It will help both you and our Nurse make the best use of the time you have in your care and support planning appointment. All the important tests and results needed at your appointment will be available for discussion at your second appointment.

What does this mean for me?

This means that your care and support planning review will take place over two separate appointments and you will have time to think about what you want to get out of these visits.

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What happens at the first appointment?

At the first appointment, you will be asked to attend the surgery to have a number of tests done with a Practice Nurse or Healthcare Assistant. The tests may include a blood test (non-fasting), weight, blood pressure and, if you’re diabetic, a foot check. The Practice Nurse or Healthcare Assistant will either book your next appointment which will be with one of our Nurses, or ask you to arrange this appointment with the Reception desk.

What happens next?

Your test results from this appointment will be available when you attend to see the Nurse. The results of this test will be discussed with the Nurse and any appropriate action taken.

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What happens at the care and support planning appointment?

At your care and support planning appointment you will be able to ask questions and talk about what’s important to you. The Nurse will raise any issues she is concerned about. Once you both agree on the main things to work on, you will get the chance to work out a plan and identify any support you need to help you look after your health.

There are a number of services that can help you when it comes to looking after yourself if you have the following Long Term Conditions – Diabetes, Chronic Heart Disease, (CHD), Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

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Further Information

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of death both in the UK and worldwide. CHD is sometimes called Ischaemic heart disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties.

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Useful Links

Diabetes UK

NHS UK Diabetes Information Site

Our prescribing advisor works with the doctors and practice nurses to advise on efficient treatment regimes for patients taking long term medications and she runs clinics to help patients manage their use of medications effectively.

All of the doctors are able to give advice on all methods of contraception. The practice does not offer Coil (IUCD) fitting or removal, or the implant. Please contact Family Planning Services on 0191 569 9966 for further information.

Patients who have been started on the contraceptive pill or injectable contraception can attend the practice nurse for their regular check-ups and repeat prescriptions.

The doctors are also happy to give advice for those preparing or wishing to become pregnant.

These clinics are run every year by our nursing team, usually between September and December.

Flu vaccination is recommended for anyone aged 65 years and over and for patients with diabetes, heart disease or respiratory problems ect.

Please speak to one of our reception team for booking details.