News:

Extended Opening Hours
The practice is now going to open the surgery for enhanced opening hours on a Tuesday evening and a limited number of Saturday mornings.

Tuesday 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm
Saturday 8.00 am to 9.30 am (alternate Saturday please phone reception for appointments)

We are also now offering late routine appointmnets with the Practice Nurse. She is available each Tuesday 6.00 - 7.30 pm for General Routine proceedures.

Daibetic patients can also benefit from a late clinic runevery month by our Diabetic specialist nurse Catherine Brant

Cancelling your Appointment
If you are unable to attend an appointment with one of the doctors or nurses, please telephone or use the link at the bottom of this page to cancel your appointment.

By giving us as much notice as you can you are helping us to make sure that someone else is given your slot.

Out of Hours
Between the hours Friday 6.30pm and Monday 8.00am, and every evening between 6.30pm and 8.00am the following morning our Doctors are not available. You can contact the Out of Hours provider by calling the surgery number 01794 517878

Announcements

01 Sep - 01 Oct
NHS Smokefree

Find out about all of the free NHS services available to support you as you go try to give up smoking.

01 Aug - 01 Oct
NHS Summer Health

Stay safe in the sun, including sunscreens, sunburn relief, heat exhaustion, eczema and moles. Summer holidays are great fun for children, but can bring risks. Find out more

01 Jul - 01 Oct
Change for Life

Would you like loads of tips and help to make changes for a healthier future? As part of Change4Life, you will receive tons of helpful information, recipes, tools, tips, and games for the kids.

BBC Health

Bipolar 'not linked to violence'

People with a mental illness are no more likely to be violent unless they abuse drugs or alcohol, a study suggests.

Diabetes drug advice 'not heeded'

A type two diabetes drug is still being prescribed in the UK two months after it was recommended for withdrawal, BBC Panorama learns.

Junior medics 'leaving training'

Nearly one in four junior doctors drop out of their NHS training after two years, figures show.

Gum and heart link 'breakthrough'

Scientists say they have established one reason why gum disease may increase the risk of heart disease.

Reading Arabic 'hard for brain'

Israeli scientists believe they have identified why Arabic is particularly hard to learn to read.

'No evidence' implants are toxic

Tests on a type of breast implant filled with an unapproved gel have shown no evidence they are unsafe, UK experts say.

Research into age-related illness

Edinburgh scientists are attempting to find the trigger which leads older people to develop dementia.

Clue to egg flaws in older women

British scientists say they are closer to knowing why older women trying to fall pregnant are more likely to produce abnormal eggs.

Bone drug linked to cancer risk

Long-term use of bone-strengthening drugs may boost the risk of oesophageal cancer, a study suggests.

'Big drop' in alcohol consumption

Alcohol consumption has fallen faster than ever, figures from the British Beer and Pub Association suggest.

Yahoo Health

FDA relents from midodrine withdrawal plan (AP)

AP - Federal regulators have backed off a plan to remove a Shire PLC low blood-pressure treatment from the market after warning in August that the drug has not been proven effective.

Picking right blood pressure medicine challenging (AP)

AP - It's hard to predict which pills will best lower which patient's high blood pressure, but researchers are hunting ways to better personalize therapy — perhaps even using a blood test.

Cholera outbreak in Cameroon 'worst in 20 years' (AP)

AP - UNICEF says more than 300 people have died in the West African nation of Cameroon from the country's worst cholera outbreak in 20 years.

WHO wants faster, more flu vaccine production (AP)

CVS employee Mambo Muntanga, left, receives a flu shot from nurse practitioner Susan Brown, Friday, Aug. 27, 2010, in Rockville, Md. It's flu-shot season again, and for the first time health authorities are urging nearly everyone to get vaccinated — and people 65 or older even can choose to try a new high-dose version. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

AP - The vaccine used to contain the recent swine flu pandemic was effective, but health authorities will need to ramp up the speed and volume of production during the next global outbreak, a World Health Organization official said Monday.

Expert warns of complacency after swine flu fizzle (AP)

Robert Webster, chairman of the Department of Virology and Molecular Biology at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., attends the Options for the Control of Influenza conference in Hong Kong Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010 in Hong Kong. Webster urged health authorities around the world to stay vigilant even though the recent swine flu pandemic was less deadlier than expected, warning that bird flu could spark the next global outbreak. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

AP - A leading virus expert urged health authorities around the world Sunday to stay vigilant even though the recent swine flu pandemic was less deadly than expected, warning that bird flu could spark the next global outbreak.

Cholera kills 41 in Central African nation of Chad (AP)

AP - Health officials in Chad say an outbreak of cholera in the Central African nation has killed at least 41 people.

Young kids who sleep less at risk of obesity: study (AFP)

Children choose snacks in a vending machine. Children under the age of five who don't get enough sleep at night are more likely than kids who do get their 40 winks to become obese at a young age, a study published Monday showed.(AFP/File/Pierre Verdy)

AFP - Children under the age of five who don't get enough sleep at night are more likely than kids who do get their 40 winks to become obese at a young age, a study published Monday showed.

For Bonobo Males, Mom Is the Best Wingman (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - To most human males, the thought of your mother anywhere near your sex life is probably horrifying. Not so for the bonobo, one of our closest primate relatives. A new study confirms that hanging out with mom boosts male bonobos' chances of getting intimate with a fertile female.

Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 3, 2010 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Keep Health in Mind When Planning School Day Menus (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- As parents prepare for their children's return to school, they need to remember that healthy meals and snacks are essential for learning.

MedPage Today

Low-Carb Diet is Better When Rich in Veggies (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Eating a low-carbohydrate diet in which more fat and protein sources come from plants than animals may be protective against death, researchers say.

Males at Greater Risk of Cognitive Impairment (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Mild cognitive impairment may be more common in men than in women, a new study shows.

'Magic Mushrooms' Possible Tx in End-Stage Cancer (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- The active ingredient in "magic mushrooms" -- psilocybin -- may be useful to treat the anxiety and stress associated with end-stage cancer, researchers suggest.

Nonstick Cookware May Raise Kids' Cholesterol (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Kids who eat food cooked in nonstick pots and pans may have higher levels of LDL cholesterol, a large cross-sectional study found.

Childhood Obesity Woes Linked to Too Little Sleep (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Late bedtimes may exact a hefty price by contributing to childhood obesity, results of a prospective longitudinal study showed.

Parental Depression Common After Birth of Children (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- More than a third of mothers and a fifth of fathers experienced at least one episode of depression in the 12 years after the birth of a child, British researchers found.

Investigation Reveals More Woes for Rosiglitazone

(MedPage Today) -- On July 15—a day after the FDA completed two days of hearings on rosiglitazone (Avandia)—a British advisory commission on drugs concluded that the product should be withdrawn from the market, according to an investigation conducted by BMJ.

Washington Week: Insurance, State Actions Top News

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- Several studies highlighting insurance issues were released this week, including one on federal programs for kids and two others focused on employer-provided medical coverage.

FDA Approves New Eye Pressure Drop Formulation

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- The FDA approved a new formulation of the drug bimatoprost (Lumigan) in a 0.01% solution as a first-line treatment to reduce elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Kids on HAART Would Benefit from Revaccinations (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Children with HIV who received standard childhood immunizations before starting on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) could benefit from revaccination, a review suggests.

Dispensary

prescriptions Nightingale Surgery has its own Dispensary and patients living over 1 mile from a chemist and in a Health Authority designated rural area can have medicines dispensed. The Dispensary is open between 9.00am -12.30pm and 2pm-6.00pm Monday to Friday.

The dispensers are Lesley Hickman (Btech) and Melanie Locke All aspects of dispensing and repeat prescriptions.

The Dispensary is not open on a Saturday

Dispensary Review of Use of Medicines (DRUM)
(A new service for our dispensing patients)

We are able to offer you a review of your medication with Lesley our Dispenser. She can discuss with you any of the following areas:

knowing how to take their medicines (with water and/or food)
identifying medicines they do not want or do not take any more
discussing how they open containers, including the need for compliance aids where appropriate
using devices such as inhalers
talking about any side-effects you may be having
identifying what to do if they think they may have two medicines for the same purpose.

If necessary, help for patients will include passing information sourced through the review to their GP or another registered health professional within the practice.

Simply call into the dispensary during opening times, or if you prefere make an appointment between 1.30 - 2.00 on Wednesday or Thursdays.

Practice Information

For quick medical advice online or on the telephone contact NHS Direct