Noticeboard

THE PRACTICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY  1st APRIL AND TUESDAY 2nd APRIL FOR THE EASTER BANK HOLIDAYS. 

IN THE EVENT OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY PLEASE CONTACT DALRIADA URGENT CARE

ON TEL 028 2566 3500

PLEASE NOTE THAT FROM W/C 23RD OCTOBER 2023 THE RECEPTION WINDOW WILL CLOSE AT 5PM EVERY DAY. IN THE EVENT OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY PLEASE CONTACT 07469 296630

**Due to illness leading to staff shortage in reception we are not always able to answer the practice phone as normal.  If this is the case and you need to speak to a member of staff or require an acute prescription please call 07469296630 if prompted. GP appointments or prescription requests can also be made at the reception desk as normal.  For repeat prescriptions please press 3 on ringing our landline.We thank you for your patience and understanding **

The practice has started to use a text messaging service. If you do not want to avail of this please advise a member of the reception team.

When ordering prescriptions can you please ensure that you know the name and strength of your medication 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TREATMENT ROOM HAS MOVED TO AN APPOINTMENT SYSTEM. PLEASE PHONE RECEPTION TO ARRANGE YOUR APPOINTMENT.

Facebook   Have your checked out our innovative practice Facebook page?   facebook

If you are interested in local health matters and latest developments in how to keep healthy why not check out  and like our Facebook page.  Also share our information with older friends and family.
If you have any ideas on how we can spread engagement in the practice please let us know.

Children In Hospital                 Preparing for Hospital  - What/Why? Children in Hospital

    Helping children and parents prepare for hospital and answer some of their questions starting with What? and Why?


Medicine Sick Day Rules

When you are unwell with any of the following:

  • Vomiting or diarrhoea (unless only minor)
  • Fevers, sweats and shaking

Then STOP taking the medicines listed below. Restart when you are well (after 24-48 hours of eating and drinking normally). If you are in any doubt contact your pharmacist, GP or nurse.

Medicines to stop on sick days:

  • Ace Inhibitors : medicine names ending in 'pril' e.g. lisinopril, perindopril, ramipril
  • ARBs: medicine names ending in 'sartan' e.g. losartan, candesartan, valsartan
  • NSAIDs: anti-inflammatory painkillers e.g. ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen
  • Diuretics: sometimes called 'water pills' eg furosemide, spironolactone, indapimide, bendroflumethiazide
  • Metformin: a medicine for diabetes

The British Heart Foundation are looking for HEART PATIENTS and family members to raise awareness as a BHF media volunteer. 

For more information on how you can help contact Gemma Burns on 028 9053 8301 burnsg@bhf.org.uk


Information from the National Health Service on conditions, treatments, and healthy living is available at: 

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pages/hub.aspx  

 

BOGUS TEXT MESSAGES

Patients in Northern Ireland have received text messages indicating that their registration with their Doctors' Practice was about to lapse and they should ring the number provided. This is a fraud designed to obtain personal details.

 

BOGUS TELEPHONE CALLS

Patients throughout Northern Ireland are receiving telephone calls purporting to be from their own health centre enquiring about patient medication and offering medication at a discounted rate. As you know, prescription medication is free. This is a fraud and these people are after your bank details. If contacted in this way report immediately to your local police.

 

ZIKA VIRUS  Click here for Patient Information

 

Need to cancel an appointment? It's easy to cancel a face to face or a telephone appointment leaving it free to be used by another patient who may urgently need it. Just click on the 'Let us know if you need to cancel your appointment' link at the bottom of the main page. It's a simple process.

                                 WAITING LIST CRISIS 

If you are waiting for a hospital appointment and the waiting time appears excessive please ring directly Appointments at the hospital to which you have been referred.

 

If you are waiting for an operation and your waiting time appears delayed/excessive please ring directly the secretary of the consultant you saw at outpatients which will be on your appointments card.

 

Please do not ask your GP or Reception staff to ring on your behalf unless your condition has changed.

 
If you have just found out that you are pregnant you do not need to see your GP. Please make an appointment to see the midwife.

 

Breastfeeding welcomeBreastfeeding is welcomed and supported at our surgery

              Bowel Cancer Screening Video

Bowel Cancer Screening - All eligible participants must be between the ages of 60-74 years and registered with a GP in Northern Ireland. Participants will automatically receive a kit in the post when they reach the set age. They will, at this point, be invited to participate in the screening programme.

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http://www.cancerscreening.hscni.net/2179.htm

A new video that shows women what to expect when they attend for breast screening has been produced by the Public Health Agency.

It covers the whole process of screening - from receiving the invitation letter to getting the results.

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Do you know someone whose family has a history of abdominal aortic aneurysm- a swelling of the main artery which lies in the abdomen? If you are a man over the age of 65 and you haven't attended for screening before you can now self refer for a scan. Ring 028 90631828 to book a scan.

                      

 

hearingloop.jpg 

The Practice now has a Portable Hearing Loop System.

 

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In the last month 23 patients have not attended for their appointments. Please let Reception know if you cannot attend - someone else will be very glad of that appointment slot!

diary_appointment

There is a link on our Online Services Menu near the bottom of this page.

A number of GP practices in the Causeway locality have expanded their teams to include Multi-disciplinary teams.  MDTs consist of Physiotherapists, Social Workers, Social Work Assistants and Mental Health Practitioners, who work in GP Practices alongside the existing practice teams to provide enhanced access to health and social care services within the GP Practice.  Patients registered to a MDT practice are able to book an appointment directly with any of these new services, without first having to see their GP!

MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS - General Practice Mental Health Practitioners have joined the multi-disciplinary team within your GP practice.  They will work with you to help improve your mental health and wellbeing through early intervention, prevention and management of mental health issues, using a range of approaches to achieve this.  Good mental health is just as important as good physical health.  One in four people in Northern Ireland will experience problems that negatively affect their mental health.  While the things which affect your mental health can be very complex, often a few simple things may be all you need to protect your mental wellbeing.

PHYSIOTHERAPISTS - Drs Fannin, Hutchinson & Boyd now has First Contact Physiotherapy Practitioners available that you can book a direct appointment without seeing your GP first.  They are experts in dealing with problems with your joints, muscles and bones such as arthritis, sprains, strains, neck and back pain.  Our physiotherapists have advanced training and will be able to diagnose your condition, order tests and prescribe if required and advise on the best management.  They can organise further treatment or onward referral to appropriate services.

SOCIAL WORKERS Social Workers can discuss any problems a person has and explore what is important to them.  Social Workers will provide practical advice, help and support in order to address these problems.  Social Workers can refer people onto groups or services within their local community which can support their needs.  Social Workers seek to improve a person's social wellbeing by promoting their independence, supporting people's social inclusion and helping people to feel safe and well and feel in control of their own lives.  Social Workers can support people through:

  • isolation or loneliness
  • relationship difficulties
  • provide carer support
  • parenting difficulties
  • housing difficulties
  • financial difficulties
  • stress
  • bereavement
  • traumatic life events and abuse
  • domestic abuse
  • alcohol, drug and substance abuse

PHARMACIST - Our Practice Pharmacist works as part of our practice team by supporting our patients on all aspects of prescribing and management of their medicines, helping us ensure that our patients get the best from their medicines.  The Practice Pharmacist regularly undertakes medication reviews, updates medicines following your discharge from hospital, counsels patients on their medicines and will see patients in a clinical consultation e.g. those prescribed warfarin or other anti-coagulant drugs.  Our Practice Pharmacist is a source of information for all members of the practice team and for our patients.

PLEASE ASK A MEMBER OF OUR RECEPTION TEAM FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

 
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