Services for Asthma are nurse led within the surgery. Please contact Reception for your appointment. 

Face to face appointments are  available, however a telephone consultation may be arranged if you are unable to attend the Nurse clinic for review.

If you are experiencing any changes in your breathing and already have a diagnosis of asthma, or you feel your inhalers are not as effective please call the surgery

To book an appointment in the asthma clinic please call the surgery

You may receive a Text invite if we hold an up to date mobile number for you on our records.  This text will enable you to self book an appointment at the clinic to suit you.

Using your inhaler correctly is critical to managing your asthma well

Some people may be on what is called a MART or SMART regime. This is where they only have one inhaler (either Fostair or Symbicort) and that inhaler is used to both relieve and prevent. The advantage of this is that when symptoms flare up the airways are getting treated with both a steroid to reduce inflammation and a bronchodilator  to open up the airways.

An example of this can be found by clicking on this link https://chiesiair.co.uk/hcp/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Fostair-NEXThaler-in-MART-user-guide_UK-NEX-1800024_V8F.pdf

Below are links to some videos to demonstrate how to do so

How to use a pMDI inhaler | Asthma UK (For inhalers such as Ventolin, Fostair, Clenill, Trimbow)

How to use a NEXThaler inhaler | Asthma UK (For inhalers such as nexthaler)

How to use an Ellipta inhaler | Asthma UK (For inhalers such as anoro ellipta or trelegy)

How to use an Accuhaler inhaler | Asthma UK (For inhalers such as Spiriva or Seretide)

How to use a spacer (multiple breath) | Asthma UK (Using a spacer device to tidal breathe)

How to use a spacer (single breath) Asthma UK (Using an inhaler with single breath and hold technique)

Peak Flow Diary

Services for COPD are nurse led within the surgery. Please ensure you attend your appointment.

Face to face appointments are now available, however if you are unable to attend the Surgery, please advise the reception staff when you are booking your appointment and a telephone consultation can be arranged.

All patients with a diagnosis of COPD should be reviewed yearly

If you are experiencing any changes in your breathing and already have a diagnosis of COPD, or you feel your inhalers are not as effective please call the surgery

To book an appointment in the COPD clinic please call the surgery

For more information about symptoms follow the link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd/symptoms/

www.cancerfocusni.org

www.stopsmokingni.info

Below are links to some videos to demonstrate how to do so

How to use a pMDI inhaler | Asthma UK (For inhalers such as Ventolin, Fostair, Clenill, Trimbow)

How to use a NEXThaler inhaler | Asthma UK (For inhalers such as nexthaler)

How to use an Ellipta inhaler | Asthma UK (For inhalers such as anoro ellipta or trelegy)

How to use an Accuhaler inhaler | Asthma UK (For inhalers such as Spiriva or Seretide)

How to use a spacer (multiple breath) | Asthma UK (Using a spacer device to tidal breathe)

How to use a spacer (single breath) Asthma UK (Using an inhaler with single breath and hold technique)

Spirometry

You may have had spirometry in the past- a breathing test in the surgery where you blow into a machine multiple times

Spirometry is a way to diagnose COPD and can asses how much restriction you may have in your airway therefore assessing how severe or advanced your COPD is

Currently we are not able to perform spirometry in the surgery due to covid 19 guidance but hopefully this will be up and running again soon

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a service that is available for those with COPD. During Pulmonary rehab specialists will train you how to improve your lung capacity and keep your lungs healthy via a mix of breathing and physical exercises available to people of all abilities.

It is important to keep your lungs as healthy as possible especially with COPD and some simple guidance can help relieve your symptoms over time and stop the disease worsening.

Speak to your Practice Nurse if this is something you would like to be referred for

Below are some basic exercises you could do at home

 It is possible to have both asthma and COPD at the same time and both conditions need to be addressed separately even though symptoms may overlap. Please speak to your Nurse about this

Diabetes

Diabetic clinics operate in the surgery 2-3 times a week. The appointments are face to face reviews by one of the Practice Nurses. Prior to the appointment you will need to have bloods taken, blood pressure, height and weight and provide a urine sample. You will receive an invite to book in with the Healthcare assistant.

You may receive a Text invite if we hold an up to date mobile number on our records.  This will allow you to self book an appointment at the clinic at a time which suits you.  Please ensure we have an up to date mobile number on your record.

If you are unable to attend the Surgery for your review, please advise a member of staff when you ring, a telephone consultation can be arranged as required.

If the Nurse has asked you to attend more regularly for review of your diabetic bloods, a telephone consultation can be arranged to follow up on these results.

Appointments usually occur 3-12 monthly depending on how stable your condition is.

There are mainly 2 different types on diabetes- Type 1 and Type 2. We are discovering more and more subtypes all of the time in between these two. All people with type 1 require insulin but not everybody with type 2 does.

Those with Type 1 Diabetes will be managed in the hospital by specialist nurses and consultants who will review all aspects of their care and medication.

Those with Type 2 are usually managed by their Practice Nurse in the surgery unless they begin to need insulin in which case their care will be passed over to the hospital.

If you are diagnosed with either Type 2 Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes as well as nurse education in the surgery you will be given the opportunity to attend a more formal education programme. It is beneficial to get some more in depth knowledge about the condition and also an opportunity to meet other people with it.

Follow this link for more information: https://www.desmond.nhs.uk/

A healthy balanced diet is key to managing diabetes.

Sugar comes from not only obvious places like sweets, biscuits, buns and drinks but also for carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are foods such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes. They should only make up 1/4 to 1/3 of your daily food intake. They should be kept wholemeal where possible

If your struggling for inspiration below is an example of a typical good healthy meal plan and below is a food diary you can fill out and give to your nurse if you would like. Both are available to download as a PDF

Jan 25

If you still require a  Covid vaccine, please click on the link below to book your vaccine & check eligible criteria.

COVID-19 vaccine | nidirect

The Surgery no longer have stock of Covid Vacs.

If you meet the criteria for Flu vaccine, please contact The Surgery and speak to a Receptionist.

Your local Pharmacy may also still have stock of Flu vaccines.

CROSS BORDER WAITNG LIST REIMBURSEMENT SCHEME

From June 25 this is a new service implemented.

Please click on the link below for further information and eligible criteria:

https://online.hscni.net/our-work/travelfortratment/wl-reimbursement

PRIVATE PROVIDER SERVICES

INFO FOR PATIENTS

• If you see a private Consultant, they may suggest further simple tests such as bloods, urine or stool tests etc., or more complex tests such as X-rays, scans, scopes depending on the problem. These should also be done within the private sector and should be factored into total costs.
• If the Consultant suggests a prescription, we are often happy to do an NHS prescription, but only if it is a licensed drug used appropriately, and is in the Northern Ireland formulary, but GPs retain the right to decline prescribing if they have significant concerns, and the Consultant is still able to prescribe by themselves privately.
• Depending on what treatment/prescription a Consultant recommends, patients should understand and be aware they may have to pay for any ongoing treatment or medications which are recommended (which the GP is not able or willing to prescribe for the reasons above).
• Sufficient post-operative medication, e.g. pain relief or anticoagulation, should be provided at discharge following procedures carried out by private sector Providers, without needing a GP prescription.
• Please note – following any surgical procedures, the practice will not be able to accommodate routine follow up including, but not limited to, dressing changes, suture/clip removal or post-operative complications. Please see attached letter from the Dept of Health.
• If you are already on an NHS waiting list, it is your responsibility to cancel this.