We regret to inform patients that due to a significant increase in our core NHS work commitments we are no longer able to provide our private Travel Health Service.

Patients requiring travel health advice may consult the following websites (please note we are not responsible for their content or their recommendations):

• www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/
• www.masta.org
• www.doh.gov.uk
• www.natnac.org/travel/index.htm

Local travel vaccination is available at:

Nomad Clinic, Bristol 01179 226567

Since the beginning of 2020, Severnvale Primary Care Network (of which St Mary Street is a member practice) has jointly signed up to to the South Gloucestershire locality offer of a Social Prescribing Service. The Service is provided by Southern Brooks Community Partnerships.

So what is Social Prescribing?

Green prescribing has been proven to have a positive impact on both mental and physical health and well being.

But what is green prescribing and where can I find local green and blue spaces:

The NHS Health Check is a health check-up for adults in England aged 40-74. It’s designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia. As we get older, we have a higher risk of developing one of these conditions and an NHS Health Check helps find ways to lower this risk. (Extracted from NHS Choices)

All eligible patients will be invited into the surgery every 5 years for a free NHS Health Check which we encourage our patients to take up. For further information about the NHS Health Check programme, you can visit the NHS Choices website by following the link above.

For insurance, occupation or HGV purposes. By appointment, usually held at the end of morning surgeries at 11.15. Charges may apply, please ask for more details.

To obtain help with stopping smoking, including the prescribing of nicotine patches, see one of our nurses specifying “Stop Smoking Clinic” when you book.

We provide a full range of contraceptive services, including fitting implants (Nexplanon) and coils. Please discuss the options with one of the doctors.

This health check will provide information to help us catch any problems early, and for you to make informed choices to be in control of your own health

Physical health can affect mental wellbeing and mental health problems can also affect physical health. Also people with mental health difficulties tend to have more physical health problems than the rest of the population, so we are committed to improving this and offer all our patients with SMI (Severe Mental Illness) an annual check to help you manage your health well.

What we can offer you at your physical health check

At this appointment, which will take about 20 minutes, you will see our Health Care Assistant (HCA). With your agreement the appointment will include a few questions around your physical health (alcohol use and smoking), physical checks (height, weight and blood pressure) and a blood test (to check for diabetes and to obtain your cholesterol level). We can also offer you advice on your diet, support to stop smoking and other ways of staying healthy.

We understand that, for some people, these may feel difficult topics to talk about and / or checks to undergo, so our HCAs will be sensitive and compassionate throughout the appointment. We will not judge or criticise you for your physical health but will be here to support you to improve it.

What we can offer you next

The information obtained from this health check will allow your GP to be in touch quickly if there are any health issues arising from the results that might require further investigation or treatment. To avoid any anxiety you might feel, we will also contact you if there is no need for a further appointment.

You will also have the opportunity to be directed to other trained support workers / volunteers to talk about your lifestyle. They will be able to advise and support you on any simple adjustments you could make to improve your health and you will also be able to ask them any questions you may have. Should you require it, further help will be available for losing weight; stopping smoking; exercise plans; etc. We may also be able to offer you support and advice from our Clinical Pharmacist, social prescriber, smoking cessation nurse, peer support worker / volunteer as suits your needs.

We are happy for you to bring a friend, family member or support worker along with you to the appointment.

Please let us know if there is anything that we can do to help you get to this appointment and to make sure it is accessible to you. If you have a disability or impairment that affects communication or you require an interpreter or information in an alternative format (e.g. large print) or community language (including BSL), please contact us so that we can provide you with that support. Requests can be made by either email or telephone using the details in the accompanying letter.

Due to commissioning changes in the local area, we no longer provide a Minor Injuries service here at the practice.

Should you experience any of the following; sprains and strains, cuts and grazes, suspected minor fractures, minor burns and scalds, bites, minor eye injuries and minor head injuries you are asked to attend Yate West Gate Centre or Southmead Hospital Minor Injuries Unit in the first instance. NHS 111 can also be contacted for advice. Calls to 111 are free from any landline or mobile.

Updated: 7.11.19

Taking your prescription on your flight

If you take regular medication and are planning to go abroad, we recommend following these steps to ensure that you have your prescription for the length of the trip.

• Please contact us 2 months before your flight to let us know what medication you may need and how long you are going away for. You may need a letter signed by the GP stating what medication you are on and why you need it. This may come with a charge of £18.
• You will also need a copy of your prescription stating the generic name of your medication. This is due to medications having different brand names and therefore you will need to know the name that is carried across all countries. 
• Carry your medication in labelled packaging. NHS guidelines advice that you carry the majority in your hand luggage in a separate easily accessible bag and then some spare in your suitcase luggage in case of loss or damages.
• If you are travelling with liquid medicines over 100ml, contact the airline and airports you are travelling through. This also includes medications such as inhalers. You may need a document to prove the liquid form of the medication is necessary. Carrying over 100ml can sometimes mean this medication needs to be screened separately to your luggage. Inform security before your X-Ray that you have liquid medication with you. 
• If you need to travel with needles or syringes you will need to carry the relevant medication alongside the equipment. You will not be able to travel with needles and syringes only.
• If you are travelling to a warm country, get advice from the pharmacy on how to store your medication or see the NHS website‘s advice for storing your medications.
• The country you are travelling to may have restrictions on the medications that they allow into the country. You will want to contact the embassy of the country you are travelling to in order to confirm the regulations. If any medications, you are taking are controlled drugs then you will need to contact the relevant embassy before you travel.

Use of Benzodiazepines (and related medications) for flying

Diazepam in the UK is a Class C/Schedule IV controlled drug.  People often come to us requesting the doctor or nurse to prescribe diazepam for fear of flying or assist with sleep during flights. Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and more relaxed. Below outlines the issues surrounding its use with regards to flying and why the surgery no longer prescribes such medications for this purpose.

• According to the prescribing guidelines doctors follow (British National Formulary) diazepam is contraindicated (not allowed) for treating phobias (fears). It also states that “the use of benzodiazepines to treat short-term ‘mild’ anxiety is inappropriate.” Your doctor would be taking a significant legal risk by prescribing against these guidelines. They are only licensed short term for a crisis in generalised anxiety. If this is the case, you should be getting proper care and support for your mental health and not going on a flight. Fear of flying in isolation is not a generalised anxiety disorder.
• Although plane emergencies are a rare occurrence there are concerns about reduced awareness and reaction times for patients taking Diazepam which could pose a significant risk to themselves and others due to not being able to react in a manner which could save their life in the event of an emergency on board necessitating evacuation.
• The use of such sedative drugs can make you fall asleep, however when you do sleep it is an unnatural non-REM sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep. This can cause you to be at an increased risk of developing a blood clot (Deep Vein Thrombosis – DVT) in the leg or even the lungs. Blood clots are very dangerous and can even prove fatal. This risk is even greater if your flight is greater than 4 hours, the amount of time which has been shown to increase the risk of developing DVT whether in an aeroplane or elsewhere.
• Whilst most people find Diazepam sedating, a small number have paradoxical agitation and aggression. They can also cause disinhibition and lead you to behave in a way that you would not normally which can pose a risk on the plane. This could impact on your safety as well as that of other passengers and could also get you into trouble with the law. A similar effect can be seen with alcohol, which has led to people being removed from flights.
• Diazepam and similar controlled drugs are illegal in several countries. They may be confiscated, or you may find yourself in trouble with the police. The passenger may also need to use a different strategy for the homeward bound journey and/or other legs of the journey
• It is important to declare all medical conditions and medications you take to your travel insurer. If not, there is a risk of nullifying any insurance policy you may have.

Given the above we will no longer be providing Diazepam or similar drugs for flight anxiety and instead suggest the below aviation industry recommended flight anxiety courses.

Flight anxiety does not come under the remit of General Medical Services as defined in the GP contract and so we are not obliged to prescribe for this.  Patients who still wish to take benzodiazepines for flight anxiety are advised to consult with a private GP.

Useful Links

Fearless Flyer – Easy Jet

Flying with confidence – British Airways

Flying Without Fear | Courses to Conquer Your Fear of Flying

The getUBetter app is provided free of charge by BNSSG CCG for patients registered at St Mary Street Surgery. It can be accessed on a Smartphone or on the Web and guides you day-by-day through a sequence of exercises and tips to help you get better from a range of new or recurrent musculoskeletal conditions:

• Lower back pain
• Back and leg pain
• Neck Pain
• Shoulder Pain
• Ankle Pain
• Knee Pain
• Soft Tissue Lower Limb

You will be referred to the App by one of our GPs or Physio, or you can self-register by clicking on this link or the App image.

Please use an email address that is unique to you and select the condition you need help to manage. You will then be sent an email with all the information you need to get started.
You can download the getUBetter App to your Smartphone for easiest access or use the Webapp.

If you develop another condition register again with the same email address, select your new condition and it will be added to your account.
The app will also connect you to your local; treatment, healthcare providers or support services if needed like Physiotherapy.

Disclaimer: We do not manage this App so cannot support you with any technical difficulties. These should be reported via the App to the developers.