If you live with Parkinson's disease, or know someone who does, Killamarsh Active are offering a boxing exercise class which improves strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health.

The sessions take place every Tuesday, 2.00-2.45pm, and costs £5.35p for those living with Parkinsons.  Their carer(s), can join in for free!

Free tea and coffee are available afterwards.

For further information about keeping active, please look here.

The NHS has launched a new crisis helpline on 111, giving patients another way to get urgent help if struggling with their mental health.  Just call 111, and press 2.

For further information about this new NHS service, please read here.

Additionally, further information on supportive services during a mental health crisis or emergency can be found here.

Statement from the Practice Manager:

We have seen a significant rise in requests for ASD / ADHD referrals and this increase in demand is being replicated across the country.  As a consequence, this has placed a huge demand on the various private and public neuro-developmental services.

This message is intended to describe some of the waiting times patients should expect once we have submitted referrals to such organisations.  It is important for all to understand that this Practice does not have any control over the waiting lists, nor are we able to influence their prioritisation of their workload.

1st February is Time To Talk Day ... an annual awareness day to start a conversation about mental health. Talking about mental health isn't easy but a conversation has the power to change lives. 

The only telephone number which should be used to contact the Practice is (0114) 251 0000. Please amend any previously saved telephone numbers in your telephone handset or mobile phones. The telephone number (0114) 251 0002 is no longer applicable.

Colds are caused by viruses and easily spread to other people.  A person remains infectious until all their symptoms have gone, and this usually takes 1-2 weeks.  Colds are spread by germs from coughs and sneezes which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.

To reduce the risk of spreading a cold:

• wash your hands often with warm water and soap;
• use tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze, and bin used tissues as quickly as possible;
• do not share towels or household items (like cups) with someone who has a cold;
• do not touch your eyes or nose in cause you have come into contact with the virus as it can infect the body this way;
• stay fit and healthy.

To help you get better more quickly:

• get plenty of rest and sleep.  If you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better.;
• drink plenty of water (fruit juice or squash mixed with water is OK) to avoid dehydration;
• adults can gargle with salt water to soothe a sore throat. 

Further NHS information and guidance can be found here.

Norovirus (the 'winter vomiting bug') is spreading quickly at the moment. It is important to wash your hands frequently with soap and water to stop the stomach bug spreading. Alcohol hand gels do not kill norovirus.

Norovirus can spread very easily and can be caught from:

• close contact with someone with norovirus;
• touching surfaces or objects that have the viurs on them, then touching your mouth;
• eating food that's been prepared or handled by someone with norovirus.

Further NHS information and guidance can be found here.

For various circumstances a patient may require a supporting medical form or letter to be completed by one of our GPs.  Depending upon the provider's deadline of the document, may we ask patients to allow a maximum 4-week turnaround for this to be completed within the Practice due to the number of requests we receive.

Once the document is ready for collection we will contact the patient directly.

Thank you for your co-operation.

From today we have introduced a new automated callback facility to our current telephone system.  We have listened to patient feedback and hope this new automated callback facility will improve our patients' experience when contacting the Practice.

When you now telephone the Practice you will be placed in a queue and informed how many callers are currently waiting for their telephone to be answered. After a period of time you will be offered the following choices:

1. press 3, to receive a callback from ourselves (once your virtual place in the telephone queue reaches number 1).  You will be asked to confirm your callback telephone number, which will be read back to you, and to press 1 to confirm or 2 to enter a different callback number.
2. press #, to return to the queue and wait until your call is answered.
3. hang up and try again at another time.

 It is important:

1. to keep your telephone close to you so you can be ready to answer the automated callback.
2. for any call which isn't answered, a member of our Reception Team will leave a voicemail message letting you know we have returned your call.  Due to the automated callback system we are limited to returning your original call only once.

We looking forward to receiving your feedback regarding this latest improvement to our Practice.

If you have a Learning Disability and are aged 14 years or over, you are eligible for an Annual Health Check.

Please contact our Reception Team to book an appointment.

As a Practice, we welcome all feedback - both positive and negative -  on our patients' experiences in the Practice.  Below are the different ways patients can submit their feedback to us:

1. either going to the NHS Friends and Family form on our website's homepage or completing a paper form in the Practice and posting it in the box to the left of our Reception desk;
2. leaving a review via the NHS website here;
3. if you have a Google account click here and then search for 'Killamarsh Medical Practice;
4. join our Patient Participation Group (PPG) and attend meetings in the Practice with members of our Management Team.

Patient feedback is imperative to the future of our Practice as it is key in us knowing:

1. where we can improve;
2. where we can celebrate our achievements.

Please let us know what you think ... our patients are our priority.

Today members of staff at Killamarsh Medical Practice took time out of their busy working day to acknowledge and celebrate Nicola Parker's 20th anniversary of working at the Practice.

Nicola, one of our Healthcare Assistants, is not only well-loved and respected by all members of staff but also by many of our patients.  Dr Strachan paid a heartwarming tribute to Nicola not only acknowledging her healthcare work, but also her friendship and a long-standing supportive colleague to many in the Practice.

Nicola said "I started at Killamarsh Medical Practice in 2003 as a part-time Healthcare Assistant when my youngest son started school full-time. As the years progressed my hours increased and I have been full-time for the last 7 years.

I am fortunate to work with some wonderful colleagues that I can also call my good friends who certainly make coming to work a pleasure and, without them, I think getting through the pandemic and my personally challenging times would have been a lot harder. So thank you to my colleagues for that!

I enjoy coming to work every day as I enjoy meeting and helping our lovely patients and also taking their blood!

Over the years my role has evolved from taking bloods, blood pressures and ECGs, to doing lots of other things including spirometry, health checks, podiatry (as part of the diabetic reviews) and vaccinations.  Recently I have taken on a new role recently of Infection Prevention and Control Lead with the help of the Senior Practice Nurse.

I hope to be here for many years to come!"

Thank you Nicola for everything you are and do for us.

During hot weather it is important to take extra care of ourselves and others.  Some top tips are:

• Keep out of the heat if you can: if you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11.00am and 3.00pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter.
• Cool yourself down: have cold food and drinks, avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes.
• Keep your living space cool: close windows during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down. Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees. Check the temperature of rooms, especially where people at higher risk live and sleep.

For further NHS advice on how to cope during hot weather, please click here.

Did you know we have a Community News noticeboard specifically for events in Killamarsh and the local area?  It can be found on the left-hand side as you enter the Practice.  If you have an event you would like to publicise, please hand the information to a member of our Reception Team.

Whilst visiting our Practice, please also take the time to look at our Waiting Room noticeboards and information stand (to the right of our Front Desk) as they contain a lot of useful information relating to not only local and healthcare services, but also a specific topic such as 'Loneliness' and 'carer support'.

In a new ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign that is the first of its kind nationally, NHS England is encouraging people who have been sent an NHS bowel cancer screening kit to complete the test.

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, and detecting it at the earliest stage makes you up to nine times more likely to be successfully treated.  But, almost one third of people who were sent an NHS bowel cancer screening test in England last year did not go on to complete it.

Just a tiny sample detects signs of cancer before you notice anything wrong. The test is simple to complete and can be done in the privacy of your own bathroom. Anyone aged 60 to 74, who lives in England and is registered with a GP practice will be sent a test in the post automatically, every two years. NHS England is also extending this to include all 50 to 59 year-olds by 2025.

So, the NHS is asking anyone who is sent a bowel cancer screening test to remember to complete it. Put it by the loo. Don’t put it off. Your next poo could save your life. Visit here for more information.

We would like to raise awareness regarding these two medical infections following a rise in cases nationally.  Please watch this YouTube video for further information as to what to look our for in children.

Please also see the NHS guidance here regarding how to treat a sore throat yourself.