The latest news Nairn Healthcare
Staffing
Nairn Healthcare would like to welcome Mandy, our new receptionist, to the team. We have also said goodbye to Dr Andrew Evennett, our GP Partner, who has retired after 5 years with the Practice. We wish Dr Evennett a long and happy retirement.
Cervical Screening
The cervical screening programme is available to all women between the ages of 25-64. Women aged between 25-49 will be called three yearly and those aged 50-64 every five years. Women will be invited for screening via letter at the time they are due.
Cervical screening aims to reduce the likelihood of cervical cancer in women by detecting pre-cancerous cervical changes and we would like to encourage more women to attend for their check-up.
Nairn Healthcare currently has 3,501 women who are eligible for a smear test. 2,783 women took advantage of this opportunity (79.5%). We would like to see this figure rise and ask all women who are eligible to come for their screening. It could save your life.
5,000 lives are saved every year by cervical screening and we cannot stress how valuable this is for stopping cancer before it starts. The current HPV vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV so although the vaccine offers good protection, the combination of immunisation and regular screening offers the best protection.
For more information on cervical screening, please visit: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/screening/cervical-screening/introduction-to-cervical-screening-smear-test
BBQ and Food Safety
Summer has arrived...and BBQ and picnic season is in full swing. Unfortunately, this is the time of year we seem to see a rise in food poisoning largely due to the Campylobacter bug – the most common cause for food poisoning in Scotland. Eating raw or undercooked meat is one of the most common ways people can get food poisoning.
To avoid the campylobacter bug, avoid cross contamination of raw and cooked meat. Always wash your hands after handing raw meat and use different utensils for cooked and raw meat. It is also safer to cook the chicken in the oven and finish off on the BBQ for flavour. Also, disposable BBQs take longer to cook so remember to check that your food is cooked properly.
Eating al-fresco on a summer’s day is an all-too-rare treat in Scotland and we certainly don’t want food poisoning to spoil this. For more information on BBQ and picnic safety, head to www.foodstandards.gov.scot/news/eat-safe-summer
Sun Protection
Recently, the UK has been experiencing some of the hottest days of the year so far. Although it’s great to have some sun shining, we still need to protect our skin with suitable clothing, seeking shade and applying sunscreen.
Sunscreen should be suitable for your skin type and block both UVA and UVB radiation, at least SPF15 should be applied and the product shouldn’t be applied if after its expiry date.
Children and babies have more sensitive skin than adults so please take extra care to protect them. Children under 6 months should be kept out of direct strong sunlight. There are sunscreens available that are formulated for children and babies, these are less likely to irritate their skin.
If you do happen to get sunburnt, paracetamol and ibuprofen will ease the pain by helping to reduce inflammation. Sponge the sore skin with cool water and apply aftersun lotion. If you feel unwell or the skin swells or blisters, please seek medical help and stay out of the sun until all redness has gone.
For more information on sun protection, please visit www.nhs.uk/livewell/travelhealth/pages/sunsafetyqa.aspx
Hayfever
Hay fever is one of the most common allergic conditions affecting one in five people at some point in their life and unfortunately, it is during the Summer months that it surfaces. It is an allergy to pollen and the symptoms include sneezing, a runny nose and itchy eyes.
There is currently no cure for hay fever but most people are able to relieve symptoms with treatment to a certain extent. Treatment options include antihistamines which can help prevent an allergic reaction from occurring. Steroids are sometimes recommended to reduce inflammation and swelling.
Most hay fever cases can be controlled with over-the-counter medication from the pharmacy, however if you feel your hay fever is more troublesome, it may be worth speaking to a GP as you may require prescribed medication.
Some self-help tips:
* Wearing sunglasses outdoors to stop pollen reaching your eyes
* Take a shower after being outdoors to remove unwanted pollen from your body
* Apply a small amount of Vaseline to the nasal opening to trap pollen grains.
eConsult
Nairn Healthcare will be discontinuing the eConsult service from 31st July 2018 due to low usage of this service, however we will be offering online appointments in the near future to book a routine GP appointment.
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