Issue 2
WHAT’S IMPORTANT RIGHT
NOW AND WHY
February 2017

Friends for You is a befriending service
provided by the Gloucestershire Rural
Community Council. A befriender is a local,
reliable volunteer who visits you regularly.
This is especially valuable if you are housebound. If this service is of interest to you or
if you would like to volunteer contact Sue
on 07810 630167 or email
[email protected]

Most importantly, keep a look out for
those around you.
Give your telephone number to elderly and
isolated neighbours so they can ask for
help if they are under the weather, or better
still pop around for a cup of tea and a
friendly chat. You could be the only person
they speak to in days. Research suggests
that being isolated can be as bad for your
health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Keep Well over the winter months
It's especially important over the winter months to
look after yourself and vulnerable neighbours. Here
are some useful tips:

To prevent a minor illness like colds,
coughs and sore throats developing into
something more serious, get advice from
Berkeley Pharmacy 01453 810316

Look out for any elderly neighbours. If you
are worried about a friend or neighbour
contact the county council's Adult Helpdesk
on 01452 426868.

Worry is not good for you. If you are
worried about something contact the
Village and Community Agent who provides
older people across Gloucestershire with
easier access to information and services.
Call 01452 528491 or visit
www.villageagents.org.uk


Telecare is a free service and can provide
equipment to help vulnerable adults stay
safe in their homes. Equipment such as
temperature extreme sensors, door
contacts or GPS devices can be provided
to help manage the increased risks the
colder weather can bring. Referrals can be
made via the Adult Helpdesk (01452
426868)
Pastimes Café runs every 2 weeks, 2pm
on Wednesdays at Marybrook Medical
Centre for a cuppa, a chat and much more.
Next sessions 8th March. 2pm
HELPING US – HELPING YOU
– HELPING EVERYONE
Help us to help you to get the best from us
We all want to have our doctors or nurses full
attention for as long as it needs them to fully
understand our situation and prescribe appropriate
treatment. If you think your appointment might take
a while, due to complicated symptoms, or if you
have more than one ailment to discuss, please
make a double appointment with the receptionist.
This enables the doctor or nurse to take extra time
with you without creating a backlog of patients in
the waiting room.

Surgery email:
[email protected] :
Website:
www.marybrookmedicalcentre.co.uk
Issue 2
REAL PEOPLE....WITH YOU IN
MIND!
Referrals to Slimming World MMC (Marybrook
Medical Centre) have been delighted with the huge
success our patients have achieved since we
began referring them for a free 12 week
programme to Slimming World. Here is just one
success story from one of our patients.
Graham writes about his shrinking experience
During a health check with the Practice Nurse, I
was offered the opportunity to attend Slimming
World (SW) free of charge in an effort to lose some
weight. The purpose of this article is to give you an
idea of what to expect as a patient.
Once registered with SW, you will be given a list of
your nearest SW Groups and times of meetings.
Currently local Groups meet in Berkeley, Cam,
Dursley, Wotton, Eastington and Thornbury.
Weekly meetings are held morning, afternoon and
evening, so finding one at a convenient time is
relatively straightforward. The Berkeley sessions
are in the town hall at 5.30 and 7.30 on a Monday.
You start with a one-to-one meeting with your SW
consultant, who explains how the three-step
programme works and gives you the SW Member
Pack. You then weigh. Your weight is kept
confidential, with only your weekly loss or gain
being shared. There is no embarrassment as
everybody is in the same position and everybody is
friendly. The programme breaks food into three
groups. The first group is Free Foods, of which
you can eat as much as you like and never feel
hungry.
The second group is called Healthy
Extras, designed to give your body the vital
vitamins it needs. You choose two foods a day
from a list. The final group is called Syns. Within
this group each food is given a syn value and you
limit yourself to a daily/weekly total. Full details and
comprehensive lists of all these food groups are
contained in the SW Member Pack.
During the hour-long meeting, the SW Consultant
will check how everybody is progressing, offering
advice, support and tips to anybody who is
struggling. They will also discuss what they call
Food Optimising, which is using the latest scientific
thinking and sound healthy eating principles, to
Surgery email:
[email protected] :
February 2017
help everybody achieve their individual goals. You
can produce really tasty, healthy food with reduced
salt and sugar thanks to the recipes available from
SW, your fellow slimmers and the Internet. Unlike
certain other slimming groups, exercise is not a
compulsory part of the programme although it is
encouraged.
How did I do? I set myself a target to lose 10 kgs
(22 pounds) over the 12 weeks. I actually lost 11.3
kgs (24 pounds) and was “Slimmer of the Week”
twice. You can, of course, continue after the 12week period at a cost of £4.95 per week or continue
with the programme on your own. For many
overweight people, it is a life changing experience.
If you want to lose weight, I can thoroughly
recommend you give it a try.
Message from
Practitioner:
Julie
Phipps
MMC
Nurse
If you are over 18 yrs, have a BMI of 30 or more
and have not used SW in the past six months book
an appointment with the Practice Nurse to discuss
your eligibility.
Graham really stuck at the program, attended all
the sessions and achieved amazing results, for
which I am sure he feels the benefits. Well done
Graham! So far we have had 19 patients who have
had fantastic results on this program with more
joining each week…
Here are a few tips for all of our patients to
maintain a healthy lifestyle.
It is important to remember that both dietary and
exercise regimens are of equal importance when
looking at lifestyle changes.
Healthy Eating:
Good nutrition is an important part of leading a
healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity,
your diet can help you to reach and maintain a
healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases
(like heart disease and cancer), and promote your
overall health.
When checking food labels choose items
BELOW these Fat, Sugar and Salt numbers.
FAT
 Saturated fat: Less than 5g of saturated fat
per 100g
SUGARS
 Less than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g
SALT
 Less than 1.5g of salt per 100g
Website:
www.marybrookmedicalcentre.co.uk
Issue 2
Eat more fibre
In the UK most people do not eat enough fibre (the
average intake is 12.8g/day for women and
14.8g/day for men). The recommended average
intake for adults is 18g per day.
EXERCISE recommendations
This should be a combination of both
cardiovascular and strength.
 Adults should aim to be active daily. Over a
week activity should add up to at least 150
minutes (2½ hours) of moderate intensity
activity, in bouts of 10 minutes or more –
one way to approach this is to do 30
minutes on at least 5 days a week.
What are the benefits of being active daily?
 Reduces risk of a range of diseases, e.g.
coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2
diabetes.
 Helps maintain a healthy weight.
 Helps maintain ability to perform everyday
tasks with ease
 Improves self-esteem.
 Reduces symptoms of depression and
anxiety.
NB: These guidelines will vary for children and the
elderly.
Most important is to keep hydrated:
DRINK MORE WATER!
HOW ARE WE DOING?
FLU: Last year Marybrook Medical Centre were the
2nd most successful practice in the county for
immunising patients against influenza, we hope to
do as well this year. The figures are not yet collated
but we will let you know. However, we do know that
300 of our 1746 eligible patients did not take up the
offer of a free flu jab, so next year there is still room
for improvement!
CANCER: The prevalence and mortality rate for
cancer in our surgery’s area is below
Gloucestershire and below England average levels.
Source :-( OCSI Local Insight Sept 2016) This is a real
indicator of care in this area.
PATIENTS: The surgery’s current patient list size is
5100 and growing due to new houses locally and to
patients choosing to change from their current GP
to Marybrook Medical Centre as they find booking
appointments much quicker and easier here in
Berkeley.
Surgery email:
[email protected] :
February 2017
NEW CLINIC: The surgery is shortly to introduce a
new clinic aimed at patients with 3 or more chronic
illnesses. Clinicians plan to call patients in annually
for a longer appointment covering all of their
illnesses. This will include a full medication review.
We believe this is a more holistic way of treating the
individual patient rather than the illnesses and that
it will produce beneficial outcomes for all
concerned.
FINAL WORD
From Gordon Craig PPG Chair
PPG: I would like to congratulate the doctors and
staff of Marybrook for their determination to ensure
our medical centre is the best it can be going
forward. The Patient Participation group will keep
you up to speed through future newsletters as
various new initiatives come on line. If you would
like to join the patient participation group and help
our practice, particularly if you are in your teens or
twenties, please drop into the surgery and let the
receptionist have your details. Your input will be
really valued. If you prefer to just let us have your
thoughts and ideas please e-mail us at
[email protected] call the surgery or just
pop your ideas in the suggestions box at reception.
BUILDING WORKS: Many of you will be wondering
about the demolition work going on beside the
surgery. I can tell you that the demolition and
crushing process has now been completed and the
car park at the front of the surgery is and will be
open throughout subsequent building works. When
completed, the new houses being built will be set
further back than the hospital building originally
was. Its Business As Usual at Marybrook
Medical Centre.
And finally……..
Our intrepid GP recently rolled his car over. Almost
miraculously, he escaped unscathed, but his mobile
was lost in the wreckage. He staggered over to a
nearby house to ring for the garage. The good lady
was just putting down the phone. “Oh Doctor, I’ve
only just called your surgery; how good of you to
come so quickly. There’s been a terrible accident
outside.”
Website:
www.marybrookmedicalcentre.co.uk
Issue 2
The Back Page:
Something to keep by the telephone or on your
fridge door!
February 2017
fractures and minor head injuries. Our nearest
Minor Injuries unit is at The Vale Hospital and is
open between 8am and 8pm there is also Stroud
Hospital Minor Injuries which is open 8 am to 11pm.
When is a 999 needed:
A GUIDE FOR WHERE TO GO
AND WHEN:
“I didn’t want to waste the GPs time”
I need an urgent appointment I can’t stop
sneezing!”
Here at MMC we get lots of different requests each
day and every case is individual so it is difficult to
give a definitive guide but here are some guidelines
on where your first point of call should be for
different ailments.
NHS 111 is also available for you to call if you are
unsure as to what action you should take when you
or a loved one is feeling unwell.
First aid, self-care. A well-stocked medicine
cabinet will help you to treat many every day illness
at home. For example a small supply of
paracetamol or ibuprofen (available in syrup for
children) and other remedies will help you to treat
common ailments such as coughs colds and sore
throats. An A-Z self-care guide covering a wide
range of minor ailments is available at
www.asapglos.nhs.uk You can also download the
app to your mobile or tablet to help when you are
unsure where to go.
Seek Advice, Pharmacists are experts on
medicines and how they work. They are qualified to
give advice on things like coughs, colds, sore
throats, ache and pains, sprains and stomach
upsets. You can talk to you pharmacist in
confidence – even about most personal symptoms
– and you don’t need to make an appointment.
Your pharmacist will also advice you on whether
you need to visit the GP or any other NHS service.
Call your GP Surgery, If you have a “flare up” of a
long standing illness such as kidney or lung
disease, bronchitis, asthma or diabetes that is not
responding to self-care or advice from your
pharmacist, call your GP surgery. If you find a lump,
are passing blood in your urine or if you have acute
pain please call your GP surgery. If you are
concerned about babies or young children please
also call the surgery.
If you call the surgery during closed hours your call
will be directed to the Out of Hours Service.
Minor Injury Units treat a variety of injuries and
illnesses such as sprains, cuts and wounds, minor
Surgery email:
[email protected] :
An Emergency is a critical or life-threatening
situation, which may include loss of
consciousness, severe breathing difficulties,
deep wounds such as a stab wound, severe
chest pain or heavy loss of blood.
If emergency care is required, a trip to A&E or
a 999 call for an ambulance is the right course
of action to take.
A-Z of minor ailments treatable by either the local
pharmacist or our Senior Nurse Practitioner Julie
Phipps who holds a nurse telephone triage each
morning from 8.30am.
Acne
Athlete's foot
Back ache
Bites and stings
Cold sores
Constipation
Cough
Cystitis
Diarrhoea
Ear ache
Eczema and allergies
Emergency contraception
Haemorrhoids (piles)
Hay fever
Headache
Head lice
Indigestion
Mouth ulcers
Nasal congestion
Pain
Period pain
Thrush
Skin irritations
Sore throat
Stomach upsets
Threadworms
Warts and verrucae
Website:
www.marybrookmedicalcentre.co.uk