Keeping you well

Clinics

A number of our clinics are run by our health visitors or by one of our practice nurses in conjunction with a district nurse.  We believe that the patients benefit from this mix of skills.

Clinic timetable

Minor illness clinics

In 1997 we started a daily nurse-run minor illness clinic. Patients who would otherwise have been booked the same day as extras are now asked if they would like to see a nurse instead. (For times, see table above).

The problems suitable for this clinic are:

Immunizations

For Children

Many childhood illnesses, some of which were life-threatening or led to disability, have been reduced or virtually eliminated, thanks to widespread immunization of children. Your child is only protected from the remaining risk by being immunised.

For Travel

Although travel to most countries offers no extra risk of serious disease, immunization is recommended where there is a known risk. Our Healthy Traveller booklet will answer many of your questions and is available from the nursing staff, or you can simply read it online if you prefer. It is important to consider precautions in good time and also to seek up-to-date information once your travel plans are known, as the situation is not static.

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Complementary therapies

Newer therapies, and even some of the ancient ones like acupuncture, have often received a poor press. We have always tried to be open-minded and we trust our own experience and observation rather than rely on convention and tradition. The result is that, where we think it will be helpful, we refer patients to colleagues who specialise in alternative, or more accurately named, complementary therapies.

Acupuncture and homeopathic treatments are provided by Alison Willson, for example, and chiropractic treatment is also available at the Health Centre in the clinics run by Dr Jérome Poupel.

Most people think of chiropractors as just dealing with back pain, but their expertise can also help with

• sports injuries

• whiplash

• headaches

• neck pain

• chronic fatigue

• various paediatric illnesses

• infantile colic, chronic ear infections

• Attention Deficit Syndrome, and some forms of dyslexia

Dr Poupel qualified in the USA after six years' training. The Institute of Health Statistics (USA) published a report in 1993 showing that doctors of chiropractic have more hours of relevant education than American medical doctors.

Patients may either be referred by their GP or contact the chiropractor direct for an appointment and details of charges, on 01491 579204.

Test results

Results of tests are often given and explained to you personally by your doctor. On other occasions the doctor may ask you to phone in for them (0118) 972 2188. If so, please note the time to allow:

Smoking - Giving it up

Do you welcome that sign but  find it difficult to comply? Did you know that smoking kills over 120,000 people a year?

Did you know that . . ? Recent research has shown that passive smoking is associated with poorer lung function in children both with and without asthma. The results showed that respiratory symptoms increased in all children from a household with a smoker.

Smoking remains the single greatest cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK. In this practice we know that, for instance, at least 19.3% of 15-74 year olds smoke.

We may well ask you about smoking when you come to see us but, if we don't, please ask what our records show, because they may need updating.

Here are some hints to help you to quit:

• Set yourself a date to stop completely

• If you've tried before and failed, try to work out why. Ask yourself what will help you to cope. For example, if you always smoke while you're having a pint in a pub, try to avoid the situation for a while. It doesn't have to be permanent.

• Tell your family and friends that you're giving up and get them to help you.

• Work out how much money you'll save in a year. Plan a treat with it.

• Consider nicotine replacement therapy (gum, patches, inhaler). These double your chances of stopping. Remember what you spend on these products over three months will soon be saved if you don't smoke.

We understand the problem and can help. On your own it's tough but together we have a chance. Why not contact Anna Brodie at the Health Centre? They can check that you really have stayed off cigarettes each week by using our smokerlyser and they can offer lots of moral support and handy hints

Phone (0118) 972 2745 for an appointment.

You can also get an online individual programme if you wish. Try the Swiss website stop-tabac (It's in English as well as French).

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Self-help Groups

If you are suffering from a disease or condition for which there is no immediate remedy, sharing experience and concerns with others has been found to be immensely helpful in most cases.

The following list of some local and national groups may include what you are looking for.  If not, try Self-Help  - a dedicated website with a comprehensive database.

Age Concern
302 Oxford Road, Reading 
RG30 1AD 
(0118) 959 4242

Alcoholics Anonymous
(0700) 049 4444

ARC (Young People's Counselling Service)
(0118) 977 6710

Berkshire County Blind Society
5 Erleigh Road, Reading 
RG1 5LR
(0118) 987 2803

Berkshire Disability Information Network
Brackenhale School, Rectory Road,
Bracknell
(01344) 301 572

Berkshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre
(0118) 948 2072

British Colostomy Association
13 Station Road 
Reading RG
(0118) 939 1537

British Heart Foundation

British Red Cross
90 Eastern Avenue 
Reading RG1 5SF
(0118) 966 6645

Cancer Care Society
(0118) 975 0087

Family Planning Association

Help the Aged (Senior Link)
(0800) 65 00 65 (Minicom: 0800 26 96 26

LIFE Pregnancy Care Service
Watlington House, Watlington Street,
Reading 
(0118) 958 1699

National Childbirth Trust
(0118) 9567679

Neutral Zone Drug Services Unit
(0118) 939 1452

No 5 (face to face counselling, information, advice)
(0118) 958 5858

Reading Association for the Blind
(0118) 957 2960

Reading Carers' Centre
10 Duke Street
Reading  
(0118) 950 5177

Samaritans
59a Cholmeley Road
Reading RG1 5NB
(0118) 926 6333

Stroke Association
0118 978 1679 or 
(0845) 30 33 100

ABCs of Parenting

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The Well Advice Service, which is based at the Health Centre, offers confidential counselling and (usually free) professional advice on a wide range of topics.

Other websites to visit

The NHS site with information about conditions/illnesses as well as the Health Service itself.  The beginnings of self-diagnosis too. The NHS NICE site (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) is full of reliable information on health, drugs and medicines

Two other extensive sites in English are Health on the Net and Net Doctor.

A very different site - Embarrassing problems - gives matter-of-fact advice on a wide range of conditions, like incontinence and premature ejaculation, that some patients find it difficult to talk about.

CancerBACUP is reputed to be Europe's most extensive site for information about cancer and now has a personalised interactive service for visitors.

Specifically for heart problems, the British Heart Foundation

A wide-ranging and attractive U.S. site for information about conditions/illnesses is the Mayo Clinic

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© 2002 Sonning Common Health Centre