News:

Your doctor
Is the doctor you regularly see different to the doctor you are actually registered with? If so, you can easily re-register with your usual doctor - just ask the Receptionist.

Test Results
Open for enquires Monday-Friday 10-12am & 2-5pm. In order to answer your queries more quickly we have a direct number to obtain test results. This number is only for results - 01752 844922

Out of Hours
For urgent medical problems an out of hours General Practice Service is available via the out of hours service provider. Please telephone 01752 842281 and you will be directly transferred to this service.

Flu Clinics 2010

We are holding flu clinics on Saturday 9th October and Saturday 23rd October. Vaccinations will be offered to those patients over the age of 65 or patients that fall into an "at risk" group (as set by the Department of Health). Please check with the receptionist if you are unsure of your eligibility.

Text Messaging

Missed appointments increase waiting times for all our patients. To help improve our patient services, we will send you a FREE reminder via text before your appointment. Should you no longer need your appointment early cancellation will enable us to provide care to another patient. It couldn't be easier to register - simply provide your mobile phone number and a day or so before your next appointment you will receive a reminder detailing the date and time direct to your mobile phone. Sign up now! Never miss another appointment.

Announcements

01 Sep - 01 Oct
NHS Smokefree

Find out about all of the free NHS services available to support you as you go try to give up smoking.

01 Aug - 01 Oct
NHS Summer Health

Stay safe in the sun, including sunscreens, sunburn relief, heat exhaustion, eczema and moles. Summer holidays are great fun for children, but can bring risks. Find out more

01 Jul - 01 Oct
Change for Life

Would you like loads of tips and help to make changes for a healthier future? As part of Change4Life, you will receive tons of helpful information, recipes, tools, tips, and games for the kids.

BBC Health

Vitamin B 'puts off Alzheimer's'

High doses of B vitamins may slow the rate of brain shrinkage in older people experiencing warning signs of Alzheimer's disease, a new study says.

Nutrient clue to common disorder

Scientists begin a study to determine if an everyday vitamin supplement could help prevent a common birth defect.

Outbreak probe at industry sites

There are now 12 cases linked to a Legionnaires' outbreak, as health officials focus on south Wales industrial sites in the search for the cause.

More obesity ops 'will save cash'

Millions of pounds are lost in England by the failure of the NHS to provide more obesity operations, a study says.

Inquiry to hear from HIV victims

The injury into contaminated NHS blood products in the 1980s will hear from the victims who contracted HIV and Hepatitis.

Statins 'may cut arthritis risk'

Taking statins may reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a study suggests.

Call for morning sickness action

More needs to be done to establish which are safe and effective ways to relieve morning sickness, experts say.

ME 'virus link' found in children

ME, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, in children could be caused by a virus, scientists say.

UK radiotherapy 'lagging behind'

Too few UK cancer patients are receiving state-of-the-art radiotherapy care, experts from Cancer Research UK say.

'Genetic link' to breast cancer

Researchers have identified a series of genetic variations which may play a role in a common breast cancer.

Yahoo Health

Group backs mandatory flu shots for health workers (AP)

AP - Flu vaccination should be required for all doctors, nurses and other health workers, the nation's largest pediatricians' group says, calling it a long overdue step to protect patients.

CVS Caremark to give away up to $5M in flu shots (AP)

AP - CVS Caremark Corp. said Wednesday it will give away up to $5 million in seasonal flu vaccinations to people without health insurance.

AP Exclusive: Back to work after salmonella case (AP)

** ADDS COMPLETION OF THE SECOND SENTENCE - FILE - In this March 12, 2009 file photo, Peanut Corporation of America's president Stewart Parnell, arrives a federal court in Lynchburg, Va. The peanut industry executive whose filthy processing plants were implicated in a salmonella outbreak that killed nine people and sickened hundreds more is back in the business, as the federal government's criminal investigation against him has languished for more than 18 months, The Associated Press has learned. (AP Photo/Don Petersen, File)

AP - The peanut industry executive whose filthy processing plants were blamed in a salmonella outbreak two years ago that killed nine people and sickened hundreds more is back in the business.

J&J giving $200 million for health of women, kids (AP)

AP - Health giant Johnson & Johnson is donating about $200 million in cash and medicine to a sweeping United Nations program created to improve the health and lives of people in poor countries.

US smoking rate still stuck at 1 in 5 adults (AP)

AP - U.S. smoking rates continue to hold steady, at about one in five adults lighting up regularly, frustrated health officials reported Tuesday.

FDA cites claims on 2 green tea beverages (AP)

AP - Federal health regulators have issued warnings to the makers of Canada Dry ginger ale and Lipton tea for making unsubstantiated nutritional claims about their green tea-flavored beverages.

Report says obesity surgery can save health costs (Reuters)

Reuters - Providing surgical treatment for people who are morbidly obese could save British taxpayer-funded health services and the wider economy hundreds of millions of pounds a year, leading surgeons said on Wednesday.

Doctors alarmed by HIV risk for European gays (AFP)

Homosexual men in Europe are increasingly failing to adhere to safe sex, according to two new studies. In France, transmission of the AIDS virus

AFP - Homosexual men in Europe are increasingly failing to adhere to safe sex, according to two new studies. In France, transmission of the AIDS virus "seems to be out of control" among men who have sex with men, said a paper published on Thursday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 8, 2010 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Health Tip: Stay Safe Around the School Bus (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Teaching children to take precautions while waiting for, entering and exiting a school bus can help keep them safe.

MedPage Today

New HIV Cases High Among French MSM (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- HIV appears to be out of control among French men who have sex with men (MSM), researchers reported.

Ovarian Cancer Subtype Linked to Gene Mutations (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Many cases of deadly clear-cell ovarian cancers and endometrioid carcinomas appear to arise from disruption of a previously-discovered tumor-suppressor gene, according to new RNA sequencing studies of cancer cells.

Sickle Cell Screening May Cause Harm (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- A decision by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to require screening for sickle cell carrier status among Division I athletes ultimately may do more harm than good, researchers predict.

ER First Choice for Many Seeking Care

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- Of the 354 million acute care visits patients made to healthcare providers over a three-year period, more than one-quarter took place in emergency rooms, representing a shift from the old days when general practitioners were the main providers of acute care.

Flu Vaccine a Must for All Healthcare Workers, AAP Says (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- All healthcare personnel should be required to get vaccinated against influenza, according to a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Short Therapy for Ear Infections More Prone to Failure (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- A short course of antibiotics for acute otitis media in children is slightly more likely to fail than a longer course, researchers reported.

Geometric Patterns Mesmerize Autistic Tots (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- A toddler's fixation on geometric patterns may be an early warning sign of autism, researchers found.

Lack of Sleep Linked to Distress in Young Adults (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Skimping on sleep can increase the risk for common psychological problems such as low mood and anxiety, according to a large prospective study.

Treating the Poor Linked to Poor Performance Rating (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Physicians who see more socially disadvantaged and nonwhite patients received overall lower-quality performance ratings -- while doctors who see fewer such patients received higher rankings, researchers found.

Scars Increase Risk for Kidney Grafts (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Scarring and mild inflammation of kidney transplants that develop in the first year predict eventual graft failure, researchers found.

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or at our reception or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

Sickness Certificates If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

Further Information

For quick medical advice online or on the telephone contact NHS Direct