Thursday, September 24, 2015

Nairn Healthcare news - September

The latest from Nairn Healthcare

Staffing

Nairn Healthcare is delighted to welcome our new Nurse, Hayley, to the Practice. Hayley is very experienced and will be a great asset to the team performing usual nursing procedures, assisting GPs with specialised clinics and supporting the duty doctor.

Barbara Graham, Business Manager, has now left Nairn Healthcare and relocated to England. We wish Barbara all the best in her new post.

Phone lines down

Nairn Healthcare will be closed from 1.30pm on Thursday 1st October for a staff training afternoon. On this date, the phone lines will be down for essential maintenance. 

If you have a medical emergency, please dial 999

NHG statistics

ARDERSIER BRANCH SURGERY - AUGUST

As many of our patients are already aware, Nairn Healthcare also operates a branch surgery in Ardersier.

This surgery is open every day between 8.30am and 6pm (closes at 1pm on Thursday) with alternate Wednesdays staying open until 8pm. 

In the month of August alone, there were 625 patients seen at the Ardersier branch either by a GP (400), Nurse (102) including specialist nursing or Healthcare Assistant (123).

Vasectomy Service

Nairn Healthcare’s vasectomy service reached its 1 year milestone on 12th September. The Practice is able to carry out routine minimally invasive vasectomy procedures under local anaesthetic. This year, we have completed 164 vasectomies. So don’t be shy about coming forward if you or your partner feel the need! 

 Immunisations who's eligible for what?

It’s flu season once again and Nairn Healthcare will be offering appointments to those who are eligible for a vaccine. 

FLU 

The flu vaccine is available to anyone aged 65 and over. If you are under the age of 65, you are eligible for the flu vaccine if you fall into one of the 9 “at risk categories”. They are:

Pregnant 
Diabetic 
Chest Condition (asthma, COPD, emphysema, bronchitis) 
Neurological Condition (e.g. multiple sclerosis) 
Liver or kidney disease 
Heart condition 

A condition which lowers your immune system or receiving treatment which lowers your immune system (e.g. chemotherapy) 
Carer for elderly, disabled or someone in any of the “at risk categories 

CHILDHOOD FLU

All children between the aged of 2-11 years old qualify for the childhood flu nasal spray which will be available from October. If you child was born on or before 01/09/2013 then they are eligible. Children aged 2-5 years old who are not at primary school will receive theirs at the surgery and children aged 5- 11 years will be immunised at school. The nasal spray is quick and painless and works better for your child than the flu injection

If your child is aged between 6 months and 2 years and falls into one of the “at risk” categories above, they are also eligible for the flu injection.

SHINGLES VACCINE

The shingles vaccine is a single injection therefore you will only require the jab once instead of annually. It is available for those born between 02/09/1944 – 01/09/1945 (aged 70) and those born between 02/09/1936 – 01/09/1937 (aged 78) only. Please book in with the Nurse for this vaccine. 

All vaccinations will be available by appointment only with the Nurse or Healthcare Assistant at the GP Practice. Please can we remind patients to please book their appointment in advance by calling the surgery on 01667 452096.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a suspicion that judging by the number of times I'm offered an earlier appointment at Ardersier rather than Nairn that the Ardersier operation is under used. So far I've refused to travel to Ardersier but it'd be interesting to know how many Nairn residents have felt the need to take up appointments there just to be seen quicker

Anonymous said...

It makes sense to fully use all available but scarce NHS resources. Very convenient option for anybody who drives in to work in Inverness. We are very fortunate to have as good a practice as Nairn Healthcare.