Primary Care Cheshire

Don’t ignore your cervical screening invite.

If you were invited for cervical screening but missed or did not book an appointment, you can contact your GP surgery or local sexual health clinic to book now

We had lots of smiley faces this week at Elton's Cookery Class,
the group made yummy meatballs and tomato salsa. They all thoroughly enjoyed cooking this and having a dinner to take home for later! Well done everyone.

This week is National Carers Week.
With 1.4 million people providing 50 or more carer hours a week for a partner, friend or family member, they make a significant contribution to society and the NHS! Find out more about supporting Carers here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/commitment-to-carers/

Your hot drink stays hot enough to scald your young child’s delicate skin for up to 15 minutes after it’s been made. It could be the most dangerous thing in your lounge.

You can keep children safe from hot drink scalds by putting them down in places you know are out of reach each time. It’ll soon become a habit you don’t need to think about.

For more top tips to prevent serious burns visit https://capt.org.uk/burns-scalds/

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⭐It’s 2024 – Follow us for more top tips to get ⭐

Whooping cough (pertussis) rates have risen sharply in recent years, and babies who are too young to start their vaccinations are at greatest risk. Pregnant women can help protect their babies by getting vaccinated against whooping cough. Ideally, this vaccination should occur between 16 weeks and 32 weeks of pregnancy. The immunity you receive from the vaccine will pass to your baby through the placenta, providing passive protection until they are old enough to be routinely vaccinated against whooping cough at 8 weeks old.

The Long Covid service in Cheshire West is still available to access. If you have been struggling since a Covid infection, please contact your GP for a referral. For an informal discussion with the long Covid team, please email
[email protected]

Our wellbeing walkers after enjoying a leisurely stroll last week, down to Gold Finch Meadow from Elton Community Centre.

The Knit and Stitch Community Group was started as a way of bringing people together. We knew from past experiences that there is in our community a real desire to help those less fortunate than ourselves and also that people were eager for an outlet for their creative achievements. Knitters and stitchers are often at a loss to find recipients for their handiwork, they are sometimes isolated and alone and Knit and Stitch aims to remedy both of these situations.

The group has a well established and lively presence on social media and it is planned to have face to face meetings in the near future.

The group wanted to brighten up their community in Frodsham so have decorated the outside of the Parish hall in church street with a spring theme

Smoking is still the single largest preventable
cause of death in England – estimated to account
for 64,000 deaths each year. It’s never too late to
quit. You can quit smoking
https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking

If you’re over 40, you could be one of millions with high blood pressure without knowing it. It can pose significant health risks but is highly treatable.

To find a local pharmacy offering a free blood pressure check, without needing to book, click here: qrco.de/benI0T

Happy !

What is social prescribing?

Many things that affect our health cannot be treated by
doctors or medicine alone, like loneliness, isolation or stress
due to problems with debt or housing. Social prescribing
connects people to non-medical support to address these
issues and other unmet needs.

This could involve a Social Prescribing Link Worker or an
equivalent role:

Helping someone who is isolated to join a befriending
group, an art class or a community gardening project,
based on what matters to them.

Connecting someone struggling with financial stress to a
service that helps with managing debt or claiming
benefits.

Working with someone with high blood pressure to take
up a form of exercise that they’re comfortable with.

Social prescribing involves understanding the complexities
of people’s lives and the inequalities they may face. It can
help change the circumstances that make people unwell,
and empower people to manage existing health problems.
It can help people to connect and to grow in confidence

Please see information below regarding the Living Well bus for advice and managing symptoms of Long COVID. Fleur our Long COVID Wellbeing coordinator is at Princeway, Frodsham on Friday 10.30 - 4 with the Living well bus. Other long covid teams are with the bus during it's travels this week.

This Friday is , and throughout the week the Living Well bus will be in different locations, offering people advice on managing symptoms of and whether you are suitable for a referral from your GP.

Visit our timetable: https://bit.ly/4a5jlr8
Long COVID service: https://bit.ly/42JJsRH

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Struggling with feelings of depression, excessive worry, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress or obsessions and compulsions? NHS Talking Therapies can help.

The service is effective, confidential and free.

Your GP can refer you or refer yourself at nhs.uk/talk

Patients can now view their prescriptions in the NHS App, including repeat prescriptions, and one-off prescriptions. This gives patients earlier visibility of exactly what their healthcare provider has prescribed for them and what they will then collect or receive from pharmacies.

On Wednesday the 7th February, We are holding a 'drop-in' session for those who suspect they may have Long Covid or are not quite fully recovered post Covid infection or injection.

Come along to your local wellbeing walk!
From Elton Community Centre starting Wed 31st Jan, Meeting 9:45 for a 10am start.

Join Helen for a leisurely 30-45 min circular walk from the Community Centre, returning for a coffee / tea after, parking / toilets available, bus stop nearby.

For more information contact Helen on 0774 190 7131.

Check test results, order repeat prescriptions and much more. Manage your health the easy way with the NHS App.

Find out how you can use the NHS App to order repeat prescriptions

➡️ nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/how-to-order-a-repeat-prescription

Cheshire West and Chester's libraries will once again be offering a wide range of free activities to help improve your mental and physical wellbeing during their Health and Wellbeing Week 2024.

Lots of activities are planned in libraries between Monday 22 to Sunday 28 January 2024.

The Library Service is teaming up with a range of partners to provide something for everyone including: Brio Leisure, Cheshire Police, Cheshire West Communities Together, Citizens Advice, Employment Directions, End of Life Partnership, Fallen Angels, Healthbox, Healthwatch, Health Rangers, Koala North West, Open Eye Gallery, Platform for Life, Primary Care Cheshire, Radiate Arts, The Reader, the Council's Road Safety team and Starting Well.

For the first time larger libraries will be holding health and wellbeing marketplaces with those partners, from 10am to 4pm at:

Storyhouse Chester on Monday 22 January
Neston Library on Tuesday 23 January
Ellesmere Port Library on Wednesday 24 January
Winsford Library on Friday 26 January

If you are suffering from any of the mentioned symptoms, especially after a Covid infection, please come along and chat with the Long Covid team who are attending the following events:
Monday 22nd - 1300-1600 at Storyhouse Chester
Wednesday 24th - 1300 -1600 at EP library

During wellbeing week our bereavement support link worker Kay will be at the library Helsby on Tuesday 10:30–11:30 and Wednesday Frodsham 10:30-11:30. Please feel free to pop in and have a chat.

90% of your child's brain growth happens before the age of 5. Right from the start, all those little moments you spend together with your child are building their brain.

Every smile, cuddle, chat and game makes a huge difference, helping them learn to communicate, develop confidence and make friends.

Find lots of ideas, easy tips and activities you can do together with your child.

For more information and tips visit https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/early-learning-development/

When you quit smoking, good things start to happen — you can begin to see almost immediate improvements to your health.

It's much easier to quit when you get the right support and there are lots of options to choose from.

For free tools and tips to help quit please visit https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/

Fleur Roberts our Wellbeing Coordinator is with her colleagues from the Long Covid team today at the Big Book of Best Practice event.
For further information please click on the link
https://www.cwp.nhs.uk/about-us/news-campaigns-and-events/news/big-book-2022-23-launch

2nd - 8th December is Grief awareness week. Please see below events being held in the West Cheshire area.

The Council and partners in the NHS and third sector are carrying out work on 'ageing well' in Cheshire West and Chester.

As part of this, we want to understand local participation by residents aged 55 plus in activities and groups. This includes current participation in groups and/or activities, what people would like to do, if people know what is on in their local area, how they would want to be kept informed of what is on offer, and the barriers to participating.

Please complete the survey to share your views:

Participation in Activities and Groups by Over 55s Survey The Council and partners in the NHS and third sector are carrying out work on 'ageing well' in Cheshire West and Chester.

This week our team attended the Cheshire West Voluntary Action Empowering Our Communities event at the Ellesmere Port Civic Hall. This event was for organizations across the community sector and public sector to come together to discuss the important services we all provide.

Your general practice team is here to help you