Practice Notices

Despite the recent hot and sunny weather, winter is coming, and with it comes an increased risk of catching flu. Flu can leave many of us feeling dreadful and laid up in bed for days, but for certain groups, the effects can be more severe or even life-threatening.

Who is most at risk?

People in older age groups, children 2 to 3 years old, pregnant women and those with certain health conditions are most at risk of getting seriously ill with flu. But the good news is they can help protect themselves by getting the flu vaccine.

Who is eligible?

If you’re vulnerable to flu you should take advantage of the vaccine to keep yourself well and winter strong.

The following groups are eligible for a free flu vaccine:

All adults aged 65 and over
Anyone under 65 with certain health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, some neurological diseases, liver disease or a weakened immune system (for instance due to being prescribed steroids or treated for cancer)
All pregnant women
Children aged 2 to 3 years on 31 August 2023
All primary school children and secondary school aged children in years 7 to 11
Those living in care homes
Certain carers
Frontline health and social care workers

Find eligibility details on the NHS website.

Does the vaccine actually help?

Last winter, getting vaccinated against flu cut the risk of being hospitalised by around:

66 per cent in children
25 per cent in adults aged 65 years and older
33 per cent in other adults with underlying health conditions

Can flu harm children?

Flu can be a very unpleasant illness in children, and for some, flu can lead to hospitalisation, and even death in rare cases.

Last winter, over 10,000 children were hospitalised due to flu, and many of these could have been prevented by getting the vaccine.

Children are offered the vaccine in the form of a quick and painless nasal spray vaccine, so it couldn’t be easier.

Most children get it through their school, so parents should make sure to sign and return the consent form. For pre-schoolers, parents will be invited to bring their child forward in the coming weeks, or alternatively you can contact your GP practice to make an appointment.

Does the vaccine protect children against flu?

As well as helping to give children protection against flu, the vaccine also helps stop them passing it to elderly relatives such as grandparents, who will be more vulnerable.

Because so many infections can be passed on in school, high vaccination uptake among children can also help prevent the spread of infection in the wider community.

After vaccination, some kids may get mild side effects like a runny nose, but the vaccine cannot actually give them flu.

Should pregnant women have a flu vaccination?

All pregnant women are encouraged to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their unborn babies. Being pregnant changes how your body fights infections like the flu and catching it while pregnant increases your risk and your baby's risk of complications which may result in a stay in intensive care, or even death.

The flu vaccine can be given safely to expectant mothers at any stage of pregnancy, even right from the start. You can speak to your GP practice, pharmacist or midwife now about booking a flu jab appointment.

What about those with underlying health conditions?

Individuals with certain underlying health conditions are eligible for a free flu vaccine. Conditions that would make someone eligible include those with:

Heart or liver disease
Chronic respiratory disease
Diabetes
Immunosuppression (weakened immune system)
Some neurological conditions (like Parkinson’s, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy)

A full list of who is eligible is available on the NHS website.

Even if you were vaccinated last year, it is important to get your jab again this flu season because the viruses can change year to year and protection decreases over time.

The best defence is to get your vaccine before the virus starts circulating. If you’re eligible, please take advantage of this preventative measure to keep yourself well and winter strong.

Insect bites and stings

Insect bites or stings are not usually serious and get better in a few days. But sometimes they can become infected or cause a serious allergic reaction.

You can often treat an insect bite or sting without seeing a GP.

If there's nothing in your skin, or you've removed it, wash your skin with soap and water to help lower the chance of infection.

The bite or sting should get better in a few days. There are some things you can do to ease your symptoms.

A pharmacist can advise you about medicines that can help ease the symptoms of a bite or sting, such as:

antihistamines
steroid creams
painkillers

Click here for more information

Melanoma Awareness Month May 2023

This May, we’re calling on you to help us raise awareness about #melanomaskincancer. There are so many ways that you can get involved and support us this May! We have a lot of exciting things happening throughout the month and we cannot wait to share everything with you.

More people die of melanoma per year in the UK than in Australia. Yet 86% of cases of melanoma are preventable and increasing numbers of people are being diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer. There are now more than 16,700 new cases each year in the UK.

We want to encourage everyone to be sun-safe, and for anyone who has noticed changes in their moles or lesions to contact their GP. Many of these moles or lesions do NOT end up being anything serious, however, it is always important to be diagnosed early as early stage melanomas are generally curable.

Click here for more information

AAA Screening for Men

Calling all men of the North East

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAAs) are a weakening in the aorta that can swell and rupture causing fatal internal bleeding. They usually don’t have symptoms and are most common in men aged over 65.

AAA screening is a free NHS national programme that invites men in the year they turn 65, to attend a quick and painless 10 minute ultrasound scan.

You will receive your invitation through the post when you’re eligible. Please DON’T ignore it. It could save your life!

If you need to rearrange your appointment give us a call on: 0191 445 8747

For more information visit: QE Gateshead website https://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/services/aaa/

Watch our AAA Video: https://fb.watch/7tORZvND2n/

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Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Screening

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAAs) are a weakening in the aorta that can swell and rupture causing fatal internal bleeding. They usually don’t have symptoms and are most common in men aged over 65.

AAA screening is a free NHS national programme that invites men in the year they turn 65, to attend a quick and painless 10 minute ultrasound scan.

Last year over 107 Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAAs) were detected by the North East and North Cumbria AAA Screening Service.

If you receive your invitation DON’T ignore it. It could save your life!

If you would like to change your appointment, call the screening service on: 0191 445 8747

For more information visit QE Gateshead Website: https://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/services/aaa/

Watch our AAA Video: https://fb.watch/7tORZvND2n/

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Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Screening

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAAs) are a weakening in the aorta that can swell and rupture causing fatal internal bleeding. They don’t usually have symptoms and are most common in men aged over 65.

AAA screening is a free NHS national programme that invites men in the year they turn 65, to attend a quick and painless 10 minute ultrasound scan.

Over 4400 Men in the North East and North Cumbria did not attend their invitation for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening in 2021/22. Don’t be one of the men who miss out!!

When you receive your invitation, please DON’T ignore it; it could save your life!

If you would like to change your appointment, call the screening service on: 0191 445 8747

For more information visit QE Gateshead Website: https://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/services/aaa/

Watch our AAA Video: https://fb.watch/7tORZvND2n/

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Are you a man living in Gateshead? Have you heard of abdominal aortic aneurysms?

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAAs) are a weakening in the aorta that can swell and rupture causing fatal internal bleeding. They usually don’t have symptoms and are most common in men aged over 65. Thankfully we have a free NHS screening programme for men in the year they turn 65.

However, over 230 men in Gateshead did NOT attend their Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening appointment in 2021 -22. Don’t be one of the men who miss out.

You will receive your invitation through the post when you’re eligible. Please DON’T ignore it. It could save your life!

If you would like to change your appointment, call the screening service on: 0191 445 8747

For more information visit QE Gateshead Website: https://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/services/aaa

Watch our AAA Video: https://fb.watch/7tORZvND2n/

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Mummy is a Hero

This booklet is written by a long-term user of mental health services. She had a traumatic childhood, which shaped her personality and affected her mental health. When she became a mother, her mental health struggles worsened. This is an account of how she managed her severe and ongoing emotional distress while also fulfilling her role as a parent. It includes strategies that she put in place to protect her child’s well-being.

This booklet is for parents, and aims to inspire them to seek as much therapy as possible so that they can learn to heal themselves and protect their children’s future mental health.

Click here for more information

Mummy is a hero - poster.pdf

Cervical Cancer

We join Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust in saying we can make cervical cancer a thing of the past.

To mark Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (23rd - 29th January) we are supporting Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust in its call to get towards a future where cervical cancer is a thing of the past.

The charity is launching a campaign to End Cervical Cancer in the UK. Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally. Every day, in the UK there are 9 new diagnoses, and 2 women will lose their lives.

In 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched a global call for action to eliminate cervical cancer. For the first time ever, the world has committed to eliminating a cancer.

HPV vaccination and cervical screening can help prevent, and one day end cervical cancer. However, uptake has been falling in many parts of the country.

We offer cervical screening and encourage all our patients who are due or overdue to contact us today and book an appointment.

Don't become a statistic, together we can end cervical cancer.

#BRIGHTENTHEDAY

Our Brighten the Day team are delighted to once again to offer a busy holiday programme, allowing the most vulnerable children to be able to access free activities and enjoy even more healthy and nutritious meals during the school holidays.

There's lots going on right across Gateshead for children and young people of all ages. See the individual listings for more details and how to book a place. Please check before travelling for any drop in activities. All activities include a free meal for the children.

Click Here to find out more.

Click here to visit their website.

This May Help: Advice for supporting your child’s mental health

This May Help has been created to support parents and carers with concerns about their child’s mental health.

The subjects covered on this website have been chosen by families and young people who have gone through their own mental health challenges. What helped them may also help you.

The films offer advice across six main subject areas, with ten additional films offering supporting information. The films can be viewed in any order at any time.

Each film has a dedicated page where you’ll also find helpful advice and links to other resources. The text for each subject is available from the downloads page.

Click the link for further information.

Gateshead Mental Health Services

In December, we are going to bring all of the Gateshead Mental Health services together to discuss what is working well, what is not working so well and where we could make some improvements to areas that matter most to you. To help us start these conversations in December it would be fantastic if you can let us know what your thoughts are on mental health services and share your experiences, whether they are good, difficult or a mix of both. We will use the feedback you give us in a presentation in December to show case your thoughts, ideas, and experiences. It is really important for us to understand what is important to you.

This survey is designed to be completed by a young person or on behalf of a young person if support from a parent / carer / trusted adult is needed. As such, the questions are asked from the young person's perspective but may be answered by the parent / carer / trusted adult where required.

Your responses to this survey will be anonymous.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/37LMQGJ

Any young person who you would like to take part in this survey please forward the above link.

Community Linking Project

CLP Trifold Leaflet - Patient Final @ 20.10.22 - Final (3) (2).pdf

Edberts House is all about empowering and connecting. Connecting us to one another; connecting us to support that we need and connecting our community and the services around us together more effectively, so we can make our area an even better place to live. Each community project is developed, planned and run by a group of local people who make decisions together. We encourage everyone to reach their full potential, providing facilities and activities that enrich our community life.

Click the above link for further information.