BON VOYAGE
While we are fortunate to announce our new staff members we also must bid a fond farewell to Natalie McMahon.
Unfortunately the lure of Australia has been too strong and she is planning to return down under. She has been a fantastic asset and while we are sad to see her go, we wish her all the very best!
SAFE TRIP NATALIE!!
We would like to thank you all for being patient and understanding during some difficult times we have had with low staffing levels.
We hope this newsletter is one way of keeping you up to date with the changes happening at the surgery and ways in which we are striving to provide a good service while adhering to health board guidelines and keeping both our staff and our patients safe.
Following the closure of the Covid Assessment Centres we now need to see any Covid patients who need a clinical assessment in the surgery. We therefore need to screen patients prior to arrival at the surgery, maintain social distancing and encourage face coverings while attending the surgery.
STAFF CHANGES
We are delighted to have a Mental Health Liaison Nurse who is employed by NHS Lanarkshire to see our patients who are over 16 and experiencing mild to moderate mental health problems. If you feel you may benefit from their help, please speak to a GP or an ANP.
Following the success of our previous experience training advanced nurse practitioners, some of you may have met our new trainee ANP Emma Docherty. Emma is employed by NHS Lanarkshire and is undergoing 12 months training at the practice.
We are delighted to announce a further appointment to our clinical team. Louise Aitken is joining us in July as a Paramedic Practitioner. She brings an enormous wealth of experience from working with the Scottish Ambulance Service and we are over the moon to have secured her services.
Our diverse team does represent the modern approach to General Practice and the direction of travel from the Scottish Government.
SERVICE CHANGES
Currently North Avenue Surgery has 5 partners – Dr Howie, Dr Craise, Dr Donoghue, Dr Singh and Dr Loh. We have 3 salaried GP’s – Dr Manson, Dr Mallon and Dr Paterson. At times we will have locum doctors working with us. We also have 3 advanced nurse practitioners Mr Alastair Munro, Mrs Amy McGuire and Ms Natalie McMahon. Our website www.northavenuesurgery.co.uk has information on our doctors with short biographies giving some insight into our areas of interest.
GPs are part of the primary care team. We work alongside several other team members – some based within the practice and others out with such as community pharmacy, physiotherapists, district nurses and treatment room staff. As GPs we are trained to deal with a wide range of medical conditions and to look after those from the very young to the elderly. We refer to hospital specialists if we feel this is required.
Although as GPs we can also deal with minor illness, often there are alternative services available which can deal with minor illness just as the GP can and may even be able to do so more quickly. We ask that you consider whether the GP is the correct person to help you manage your symptoms. NHS Inform has self help guides which can help direct you. Our Patient Care Advisors are also trained to help direct you to the best service to meet your needs. This allows our GP appointments to be accessed by those who most need our help.
What is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner?
Advanced nurse Practitioners are Registered nurses who have done extra training and academic qualifications to be able to examine, assess, make diagnoses, treat, prescribe and make referrals for patients who present with undiagnosed/undifferentiated problems. If you would like to learn more about an ANP’s crucial role in primary care please click on the video link below
PHARMACY FIRST PLUS
Pharmacy First is the new name for the Minor Ailments Service. This is available on-demand in every one of our community pharmacies in Scotland and is generally a face to face consultation with the pharmacist on duty.
A new service, which must be booked in advance, is called “Pharmacy First PLUS” – and involves a consultation with a prescribing pharmacist, who has access to many more of the treatments that you would normally get from a GP. They have an NHS prescription pad, and can write you a prescription for a wide range of ailments – everything from UTI infections, to antibiotics for chest infections and medicines to treat coughs and colds not allowed on the Minor Ailment service.
Current pharmacies taking part in this scheme are Kyle Square (Monday to Wednesday), Burns Pharmacy (Monday to Wednesday), Burnside Pharmacy (Tuesday to Friday and 3 out of 4 Mondays, Dicksons Pharmacy (Monday to Friday) Dicksons can be booked by clicking here Dicksons Pharmacy First Plus
OUR APPOINTMENT SYSTEM
Our appointment system consists of a mix of telephone appointments and face to face appointments with our GPs and our ANPs. At the current time a telephone appointment is given in the first instance. If the clinician speaking with you feels a face-to-face appointment is required, then they will book that for you.
It is essential to place as much importance on your telephone appointment as you would a face-to-face appointment.
This type of consultation is very effective for many conditions and in most cases the GP gains most of their information from speaking to you about your symptoms. Please ensure you are ready to take your call, ideally in a quiet private place. Remember the call will be from a withheld number.
Missing your telephone appointment means that someone else has missed the opportunity for an appointment. Below shows some figures for May 2022.
Telephone Appointments carried out
Face to Face Appointments carried out
Appointments that were not attended without notice
Patients who we have spoken to or seen on the same day as an emergency
FREE BOOKS
For anyone unfortunate enough to need to bring their little ones to the surgery Dr Howie has left a box of much loved but now unwanted books in the waiting room. Please feel free to take one while you are waiting. Please take it with you to save Dr Howie from cleaning them!
SPOTLIGHT ON SUMMER CLINICAL ADVICE
We have chosen some common conditions to highlight ways in which self-care or where to access the appropriate service to help you manage your symptoms. Hopefully this is helpful and informative!
Be SUNSMART
Be safe in the sun. Even in SCOTLAND !!
If you are unfortunate enough to burn remember Pharmacy first. Sunburn is damage to the skin where it becomes red, hot and can be painful or itchy. It usually heals within 7 days. Most cases of sunburn can be treated at home with self-care. NHS inform recommends seeking shade and keeping sunburned skin out of further sun until healed. Skin can be cooled by cold compresses or cool baths/showers. Drinking plenty of water cools you down and ensures you do not become dehydrated. Simple painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol can help ease any pain. Local pharmacies can suggest other treatments if this self-care does not ease symptoms. Occasionally sunburn can be severe with blistering – this would require attendance at a Minor Injury Unit to dress the burn and on-going dressings at our local Treatment Room.
Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm
Make sure you never burn
Aim to cover up with a T-shirt, hat and sunglasses
Remember to take extra care with children
Then use Factor 15+ sunscreen.
If you are unfortunate enough to burn remember Pharmacy first. Sunburn is damage to the skin where it becomes red, hot and can be painful or itchy. It usually heals within 7 days. Most cases of sunburn can betreated at home with self-care. NHS inform recommends seeking shade and keeping sunburned skin out of further sun until healed. Skin can be cooled by cold compresses or cool baths/showers. Drinking plenty of water cools you down and ensures you do not become dehydrated. Simple painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol can help ease any pain. Local pharmacies can suggest other treatments if this self-care does not ease symptoms. Occasionally sunburn can be severe with blistering – this would require attendance at a Minor Injury Unit to dress the burn and on-going dressings at our local Treatment Room.
If your skin is blistered or swollen, you have a fever or are hot and shivery, you feel tired, dizzy and sick, you have a headache and muscle cramps or a baby or young child has sunburn please call NHS 24 as Minor Injuries Unit may be more appropriate.
Food Poisoning
This can be more common in summer when food is not cooked correctly on the BBQ! Food can be contaminated by bacteria or viruses. Symptoms include feeling sick, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, lack of energy, fever, body aches. In most cases symptoms will settle within a few days but diarrhoea can last up to 10 days.
Care at home is suitable for most people – keeping hydrated by sipping fluids (diluted fruit juice or diluting juice with sugar are ideal) and using simple painkillers such as paracetamol. You can eat when you feel up to it.
The local pharmacy can provide Oral Rehydration Solution – this can help to rehydrate you especially if you are elderly or have other underlying health problems. The pharmacy may also be able to suggest other treatments such as anti-spasm medications.
It may be necessary to contact the Surgery – if you are not managing to keep down any fluids, if you have any signs of severe dehydration (confusion, not passing urine, rapid heartbeat), if you have a weak immune system (immunosuppressed) or is symptoms not improving (vomiting within 3-4 days, diarrhoea within 7-10 days). We may send away a stool sample. Rarely we may need to admit you to hospital.
Hay Fever
We are getting daily calls about the management of Hay fever. The pharmacist can give advice on oral antihistamines and you can now also buy fexofenadine which was previously prescription only. Often the combination of eye drops, nose sprays and oral antihistamines works best when the pollen count is high.
Other simple measures can sometimes help including:
1. Wearing wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting in your eyes
2. Taking a shower and changing your clothes after being outdoors to remove pollen on your body
3. Staying indoors when the pollen count is high
4. Applying a small amount of Vaseline to the nasal openings to trap pollen grains.
Insect Bites
Insect bites and stings are common and usually mild. This causes a reaction in the skin and the skin can become red, swollen and itchy. It can also be painful. NHS inform has information on removing the sting if still in place. Self-care includes washing the area with soap and water, using a cold compress and simple painkillers if it is painful. Bite and sting cream can be purchased from supermarkets, or the pharmacy and oral antihistamines can help if swollen and itchy. If the area fills with pus, becomes very tender or you feel unwell it may have become infected. Infected insect bites can be treated by the local pharmacy who are able to give antibiotics for this condition.
Tick Bites
How to spot and remove ticks
Important
Tick bites are not always painful. You may not notice a tick unless you see it on your skin. Regularly check for ticks on your clothes and skin, and on children and pets after being outdoors.
- Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool. You can buy these from some pharmacies, vets and pet shops.
- Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Slowly pull upwards, taking care not to squeeze or crush the tick. Dispose of it when you have removed it.
- Clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water.
The chance of getting ill is low.
You do not need to do anything else unless you notice a rash or become unwell.
If a red rash (typically like a bull’s eye) develops or other symptoms such as fever or flu like symptoms then you should contact the Surgery.
