Raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

On Monday 7 April, the UK Health Security Agency will be launching a new pilot campaign focused on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This will be the first public awareness initiative in England since 2017 and it aims to re-engage younger adults with AMR and build support for the behaviours that will help keep antibiotics working.

3 Key Messages

The campaign focuses around 3 key messages: 

• Do not take antibiotics for colds and flu
• Do not save antibiotics for later
• Take antibiotics as directed by your healthcare professional

Do not take antibiotics for colds and flu

You should not take antibiotics for the flu or a cold because they are caused by viruses, and antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections, not viral ones. 

Do not save antibiotics for later

You shouldn't save leftover antibiotics for later because doing so can contribute to antibiotic resistance, potentially making future infections harder to treat, and may not be the correct antibiotic or dose for a new illness. 

Take antibiotics as directed by your healthcare professional

As directed and prescribed by your healthcare professional, you need to take the full treatment to kill the disease-causing bacteria. If you don't take an antibiotic as prescribed, you may need to start treatment again later. If you stop taking it, it can also promote the spread of antibiotic-resistant properties among harmful bacteria.

Always consult your healthcare professional first for advice regarding the responsible way to take antibiotics safely. This will benefit both you and your family into the future.

Our PCN Mental Health Practitioner

East Basildon PCN provides children and young people with a mental health practitioner to support them in a variety of ways.

We currently have a mental health practitioner who will be available to children and young adults throughout our PCN, and her name is Precious Akenzua.

Precious is here to provide mental health support by offering:

• Pyschoeducation, advice and signposting to other services.
• Specialist mental health consultation and advice for primary care colleagues.
• Assessment for young people up to 18 who might require further exploration to understand their mental health needs.
• Low-intensity, evidence based interventions for problems such as low mood, mild to moderate emotional difficulties, anxiety, stress related issues and sleep difficulties.

Visit our East Basildon PCN website and click here to learn more about Precious and her role as a Mental Health Practitioner for our PCN. 

Dementia Survey

Dementia Survey by Thurrock Council

Click here to take the Dementia Survey today.

Healthwatch Thurrock are the independent champion for people who use Health and Social Care services in Thurrock. Our sole purpose is to understand the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use Health and Social Care services and to speak out on their behalf. We work to get services right for the future. We are here to listen to what you like about services and what you think could be improved. You can also speak to us to find information about health and social care services available locally.

About the project: Lived experience of dementia Healthwatch Thurrock want to engage with local residents to ensure the voices of those living with dementia are being full captured. We are also interested to hearing from carers, family members and professionals so we can paint an in-depth picture of the current support for dementia in Thurrock to review what is working well and what could be improved.

If you’d like to go one step further than completing this survey then we’d love you to get in touch. Whether you’d like to speak to us in person over a cuppa, take part in a focus group with your peers or have call with us, just let us know. We would love to hear from you to ensure Thurrock is truly a dementia friendly community. Please share the invitation with anyone you feel this may be relevant to.

Click here to take the Dementia Survey today.

The benefits of Dry January

Felmores Medical Centre promotes Dry January, which is a popular trend in the UK that involves abstaining from alcohol for the entire month.

Recent research has shown that this month of alcohol-free abstinence can have significant benefits for both physical and mental health. In this blog post, we will explore the advantages of participating in Dry January and provide strategies for successfully completing the challenge.

Improved physical health

When it comes to our overall health, reducing alcohol consumption can have a significant impact. Studies have shown that a month of alcohol-free abstinence, such as participating in Dry January, can lead to various improvements in physical health.

Examples of physical health improvements are:

• Improved insulin resistance

• Weight loss and blood pressure reduction

• Reduced risk of heart and liver disease

• Lower risk of various types of cancer

Enhanced mental well-being

Taking a break from alcohol can have several positive effects on mental well-being. Many individuals who have chosen to abstain from alcohol for a period of time have reported experiencing improved mental clarity and an overall uplift in mood.

One of the key ways in which alcohol-free periods can benefit mental well-being is by helping to reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Excessive alcohol consumption has been known to exacerbate these conditions, and by abstaining from alcohol, individuals can give their mental health a much-needed break.

Financial benefits

Participating in Dry January can have numerous financial benefits. One of the most obvious advantages is the amount of money that can be saved by abstaining from alcohol for a month. Alcohol can be expensive, especially when consumed regularly or in large quantities. By refraining from drinking during this month, individuals can save a significant amount of money that would have otherwise been spent on alcohol.

Imagine the extra cash you can have in your pocket by the end of the month. The money saved from not purchasing alcoholic beverages can be used for a variety of other purposes. For example, you can treat yourself to a special experience that you’ve been wanting to try for a while. Whether it’s a fancy dinner at a restaurant, a spa day, or tickets to a concert, the saved money can be put towards creating memorable moments and enjoying life to the fullest.

To learn more about Dry January, click here to visit the East Basildon PCN website.

Accurate blood pressure measurement is crucial for managing cardiovascular health. This blog post explores the benefits of managing blood pressure more aggressively, the challenges with current measurement methods, and the potential for continuous monitoring devices.

The importance of monitoring your blood pressure

A blood pressure test checks if your blood pressure is healthy, or if it’s high or low. Blood pressure is the term used to describe the strength with which your blood pushes on the sides of your arteries as it’s pumped around your body. The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension, which means your blood pressure is too high and your heart is working harder when pumping blood around your body.

Checking your blood pressure regularly and sharing the results with your GP practice can help your GP to understand your blood pressure. Your GP can then offer you advice and support to avoid serious problems, such as heart attacks, strokes and other health conditions.

Why you would be chosen to check your blood pressure

Our local GP Practice or a clinical staff member would have identified you as someone they would like to monitor their blood pressure at home. This may be because you:

• previously had a high blood pressure reading
• may have a health condition that puts you at risk of high
  blood pressure
• may have already been diagnosed with hypertension.

What is normal blood pressure?

Normal blood pressure is usually considered to be between 90/60 mmHg and 120/80 mmHg. For the over 80s, because it’s normal for arteries to get stiffer as we get older, the ideal blood pressure is under 150/90 mmHg (or 145/85 mmHg at home).

High-normal blood pressure is when you don’t have an ideal blood pressure, but you also don’t have hypertension. Being at this level might prompt you to explore ways to reduce your blood pressure to avoid developing high blood pressure in the future. Being at this level might prompt you to live a healthier lifestyle so you don’t develop high blood pressure.

How to monitor your blood pressure

It’s really important to monitor your blood pressure correctly, as this could impact your readings.

1. Sit in comfortable position with your legs uncrossed and your back supported.
2. Place the cuff 2-3cm above the elbow. Place it directly on the skin if possible.
3. The cuff’s tubing should be at the centre of your arm on the front side.
4. Your forearm should be supported at heart level.
5. Take a reading. Take a second reading after a few minutes as the first is often high.
6. Note and send your readings to your GP practice at the end of the four days.

Watch our instructive video below and find other helpful resources to manage your blood pressure.

Alternatively you can ask your GP for more information.

East Basildon PCN 

If you would like to know more about Blood Pressure Measurement, click this link to the East Basildon PCN website to learn more today.

East Basildon PCN hosts opportunistic health check event

The Integrated Neighbourhood Team of East Basildon PCN will be putting on an event that provides an opportunistic health check for all of our patients within East Basildon on Wednesday, the 24th of January 2024.

Take the opportunity to get a free health check to reduce any future healthcare risks.

Our Primary Care Network staff will be on site to assist you and discuss any general concerns you may have about your health.

Purpose of the event

The purpose of the event is to support the health and wellbeing of the community by offering free healthcare consultations that will provide the following checks:

• blood pressure (BP)
• blood glucose (BM)
• body mass index (BMI)
• cholesterol

This can allow for someone receiving the consultation to determine if they should be referred to their local GP practice if there are health concerns such as:

• diabetes
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• low blood pressure (hypotension)
• kidney disease

GP practices involved

The GP practices included in the Primary Care Network of East Basildon are:

• Felmores Medical Centre
• Long Riding Surgery
• Aryan Medical Centre
• Hoover Drive Branch Surgery
• Matching Green Surgery
• Dr Sims & Partners

Event information

The opportunistic health check event will be held at:

Location: The Place, Pitsea Leisure Centre

Address: 13 Northlands Pavement, Basildon SS13 3DU

Date: Wednesday, 24th January 2024

Time: between 10am to 12pm

Google Maps – Event Directions

Click here to get directions to the event on Google Maps

Stoptober Smoking Cessation

Stop smoking and feel better

October is Smoking Cessation month for the NHS to promote everyone to look after their health and quit smoking.

As part of East Basildon PCN, Felmores Medical Centre supports smoking cessation month known through the NHS as Stoptober.

The initiative was first introduced in 2012 aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of the population.

There are massive benefits for people to quit smoking, and replacing this particular habit with more productive habits.

An individual’s health can show a number of positive effects, and discernible improvements can become evident almost immediately.

The Stoptober campaign

Stoptober is an annual campaign taking place in the United Kingdom every October to encourage smokers to quit smoking.

The 28 day campaign aims to raise awareness about the health hazards of smoking.

Furthermore, it provides support and resources to help smokers quit the addictive habit.

The Stoptober campaign offers a range of tools and resources to help smokers quit smoking, such as;

• a free app
• daily support emails
• a dedicated website with information and advice

The campaign also encourages people to join the Stoptober community and share their progress and experiences with others.

The campaign’s slogan, “Together we can do this,” emphasizes the importance of social support in quitting smoking.

By joining the Stoptober community, smokers can receive encouragement and motivation from others who are going through the same journey.

Visit the East Basildon PCN to learn more about smoking cessation and the free NHS Stop Smoking app.

NHS Quit Smoking App

Numerous individuals endeavor to give up smoking via sheer determination, though it is considerably more effortless to become smoke-free with appropriate assistance.

A range of support alternatives are at one’s disposal – seek a combination that suits your needs.

Use the month of Stoptober to help you, your family and friends to achieve a better quality of life for the future.

Visit this page to download the NHS Quit Smoking app and learn how to quit and cope.

We have recently updated our website.  We have designed the new website with our patients in mind- we want to make it easier for you to find the information and services you require from your surgery.  Many people now rely on their phone or tablet to access information online, our new website is designed to be more user-friendly and easier to navigate through mobile devices.

Quick links through the main menu will take you straight to pages about how to book an appointment, register as a patient, and order prescriptions online.  In the Health Advice section you can find links to the NHS website, providing up-to-date information about a range of conditions and long-term illnesses.  Patient Advice provides access to a range of health and wellbeing services at both a national and local level, giving you more options when seeking information about long-term conditions, mental health, or social issues.