Brereton Surgery

03/12/2025

💙 Feeling connected and supported matters more than ever. Social isolation can deeply affect mental health, especially for people living with disabilities - but there are ways to stay active, engaged and supported. 🌈✨

Check out these helpful resources for advice on reducing loneliness and staying well:
👉 https://ow.ly/1lbc50XzUOS
👉 https://ow.ly/fwHv50XzUPo
👉 https://ow.ly/oUq850XzUPt

Whether it’s joining a local group, finding an accessible exercise routine or learning what support is available, small steps can make a big difference. 💪💬

01/12/2025

🌍❤️ This World AIDS Day 2025, let’s come together to fight stigma, share knowledge and stand in solidarity with everyone affected by HIV. 💪✨

There are still so many myths surrounding HIV and AIDS — but knowledge is power! Learn the facts and help stop misinformation:
👉 https://patient.info/features/sexual-health/dispelling-common-myths-about-hiv-and-aids
👉 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hiv-and-aids/

Find out how you can get involved and show your support this :
🔗 https://worldaidsday.org

Together, we can end stigma and empower healthier futures. ❤️🕯️

28/11/2025

🩹😣 Got a splinter? Whether it's a tiny piece of wood, glass, or metal, a splinter can be surprisingly painful - and if left untreated, could lead to infection 🦠

👉 In this helpful video, you’ll learn:
✔️ How to remove a splinter safely using tweezers
✔️ Tips to prevent infection
✔️ When to get medical help

💡 Don’t ignore it! Even a small splinter can cause problems if not removed correctly.

🧼 Always wash your hands and clean the area before & after removal.
If redness, swelling, or pus appears - seek medical advice 🧑‍⚕️

📚 Learn more about treating cuts, grazes & minor wounds:
👉 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cuts-and-grazes/

👍 First aid essentials for your home:

🌟 https://patient.info/news-and-features/essential-first-aid-items-for-your-home

27/11/2025

27/11/2025

Thank you to all our patients that accessed the practice last month.

During October 2025;

📞 Reception staff answered 2909 calls

🔖 3737 (997 for Flu/COVID Vaccines) appointments were booked

👥 3275 (88%) were booked as face to face appointments

☎️ 462 (12%) were booked as telephone appointments

🩺 1101 appointments were booked with a GP and 1826 appointments were booked with our nursing team inc our Advanced Nurse Practitioners

🩼 We administered 438 COVID and 1018 Flu Vaccinations to our eligible patients

⏰ 62 patients did not attend their appointment and did not cancel.

This equated to 13.48 hours of wasted appointment time (GP- 1.83hrs, Advanced Nurse Practitioners- 1.8hrs, Nursing Team- 4.97hrs, Mental Health Practitioners- 4hrs, Urgent Care Practitioner - 0.25hrs & Paramedic - 0.63hrs)

If you no longer require your appointment, please ensure that you cancel it by contacting the practice to allow others to book

Thank you for your continued support!

27/11/2025

Friends and Family Test (FFT) Results - October 25

Thank you to everyone who completed a friends and family questionnaire during October 25.

Your feedback about the care and treatment you receive is extremely important to us as we seek to continuously improve the services that we provide.

Total Responses: 255

Very Good: 229 (90%)
Good: 22 (8.5%)
Neither Good nor poor: 3 (1%)
Poor: 1 (0.5%)
Very Poor:
Don’t Know:

To complete our FFT questionnaire, please visit our website or come into the practice.

Thank you for your continued support!

26/11/2025

🫁💙 Living with COPD? While there’s no cure, there’s plenty you can do to manage it and improve your quality of life. COPD happens when the lungs become inflamed, damaged and narrowed - often due to smoking, long‑term exposure to dust/fumes or genetic factors.

Here are some ways to live well with COPD:
🔹 Stop smoking - the single most effective step.
🔹 Take inhalers and follow your treatment plan to reduce flare‑ups.
🔹 Stay active, eat well, keep weight in check and avoid triggers like pollution or cold air.
🔹 Be alert to symptoms like persistent cough with phlegm, shortness of breath or wheezing - mention them to your GP.

Need more support or want to learn how to cope?
👉 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd/
👉 https://patient.info/news-and-features/how-to-live-healthily-with-copd

24/11/2025

🤢💧 Vomiting and diarrhoea affect both children and adults, but the risks and care needs can differ. Here’s what to watch out for and how to respond 🧠

👶 Children vs 🧔 Adults - What’s Different?

Children:
‑ Dehydrate more quickly - loss of fluid builds up faster
‑ More vulnerable to electrolyte imbalance
‑ May refuse drinking or have a harder time telling how they feel
‑ Risk signs: dry nappies, sunken eyes, irritability, listlessness

Adults:
‑ Might manage symptoms longer before seeking help
‑ Risk of complications if they have chronic conditions (e.g. diabetes, kidney disease)
‑ The underlying cause can vary (infection, foodborne, side effect of meds)

✅ What to Do (For All Ages)
🛌 Rest & stay home
💧 Sip small amounts of fluids frequently
🍚 Once able, introduce bland, easy-to-digest foods
🧼 Wash hands often, especially after bathroom or caring for sick
❌ Avoid preparing food for others until 48 hours after symptoms subside

⚠️ When to Seek Medical Help
Watch for these red flags (in both children & adults):

• Persistent vomiting or diarrhoea lasting more than a few days
• Blood in vomit or stool
• Unable to keep fluids down
• Signs of dehydration (dizziness, extreme thirst, low urine output)
• High fever or unexplained pain

More trusted advice here:
👉 https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/diarrhoea-and-vomiting/

Stay alert, act early, and take care 💚

21/11/2025

🥦🧠 It’s Malnutrition Awareness Week - and while it’s often associated with undernutrition, malnutrition can affect anyone, even those trying to lose weight.

Healthy eating isn’t just about cutting calories - it’s about getting the nutrients your body needs to thrive 💪

💡 Did you know?
⚠️ Weight loss medications like Mounjaro, Wegovy or Saxenda can reduce appetite so much that people may miss out on essential nutrients.
⚠️ Malnutrition symptoms can be subtle - like fatigue, slow healing, or feeling cold all the time.
⚠️ Even if you're eating, you could be missing key vitamins or minerals.

✅ Learn more:
🍽️ NHS Better Health tips: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/
📋 Malnutrition symptoms: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/malnutrition/symptoms/
💊 Weight loss med side effects: https://onlinedoctor.boots.com/weight-loss/wegovy-saxenda-side-effects
🥕 10 nutrients you might be lacking: https://patient.info/news-and-features/10-essential-nutrients-you-might-be-lacking

Eat well. Stay strong. Be informed. 💚

19/11/2025

👨‍⚕️📋 International Men’s Day is approaching – and it’s the perfect moment to prioritise our health checks!

Did you know the NHS offers a free health check for adults to help spot risks like heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and more? Check it out:
👉 https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/nhs-health-check

Want to know what happens at the check? Learn more at:
👉 https://patient.info/news-and-features/what-to-expect-at-an-nhs-health-check

📌 This is important for every man – whether you feel fine or not. Strong health starts with awareness and action.

17/11/2025

🦠💊 Antibiotics are powerful medicines - but they aren’t always the answer. Using them when they’re not needed can cause harm and make future infections harder to treat.

Here’s what you should know:
✔️ They only work against bacterial infections, not viruses like colds or flu.
✔️ Overuse is driving antibiotic‑resistance (“superbugs”) - which means common infections can become untreatable.
✔️ Do these things to help protect their effectiveness:
‑ Only take antibiotics when prescribed by a healthcare professional
‑ Complete the full course exactly as directed
‑ Never save antibiotics for later or share them with others

📚 Learn more here:
👉 https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/antibiotics/antibiotic-antimicrobial-resistance/
👉 https://patient.info/news-and-features/why-antibiotics-should-not-be-overused

14/11/2025

🩺🔍 Worried you could be at risk of type 2 diabetes? A few changes in your family history, lifestyle or symptoms might mean a lot.
Here’s what to keep in mind:

• 👪 Family history matters – If a parent, sibling or relative has diabetes, your own risk goes up.
• 🍔 Lifestyle factors count – Being overweight, inactive or having higher waist size can all raise risk.
• 🚩 Symptoms might be subtle – Increased thirst, tiredness or needing to wee more may be signs.
• 📊 Want to know your risk? Try this tool: https://riskscore.diabetes.org.uk/start
• 📖 More reading on what to expect and why this matters: https://patient.info/diabetes/diabetes-mellitus-leaflet

It doesn’t mean diabetes is inevitable - taking action now could make a real difference. 💪