Falling as we get older is quite common. 1 in 3 adults over 65 and half of people aged 80+ will have at least one fall a year and although
most falls don't cause serious injury, they can really dent our confidence, causing distress or embarrassment. Worse still, they can
threaten our independence.

The good news is there’s lots of things we can do to reduce the risk of falling and stay steady on our feet – and all these tips are
available in one handy guide.

‘Fall Proof’ is a 12-page booklet with a checklist of actions to take to reduce the risk of falling, including sections on trip hazards,
hydration, balance, blood pressure, eyesight and exercise.

The guide is available online at: Improving your strength and balance and preventing falls - Mid and South Essex ICS

You can also visit Active Essex - Able like Mabel to access information on how to reduce your risk of falling by doing simple
movements and exercises at home, to keep yourself strong and steady.

From boosting your immunity to swapping slippers, now is the time to take action to stay well this winter. As the colder months approach, it’s essential to take steps to protect your health and that of your loved ones. The NHS in mid and south Essex is encouraging everyone to ‘Be Prepared for Winter’ by following key health advice early in the season to help prevent illness. 

Key actions to take 

Get vaccinated: Ensure you and your family are up to date with flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccinations if eligible. These vaccines are especially important for older adults, those with underlying health conditions, and pregnant women. 

Practice self-care: Keep your medicine cupboard well-stocked with essentials and know how to manage minor illnesses at home. For minor health concerns, your local pharmacy should be your first point of call. Pharmacists are trained professionals who can offer advice and treatment without the need for an appointment. Using your local pharmacy can help you get care quickly. They may also be able to offer treatment and prescription medication for some conditions without you needing to see a GP, a service known as Pharmacy First. 

Using community referral tools like Essex Frontline can connect you with vital support services in your local community. Whether you need help staying warm, managing energy bills, or accessing food and healthcare, Essex Frontline is ready to guide you. 

Look after your mental health and boost your immunity: Winter can be challenging for mental wellbeing, so take steps to stay connected, active, and mindful. 

A balanced diet and regular physical activity are crucial for maintaining a strong immune system. Even in colder weather, try to incorporate fruits, vegetables, and exercise into your daily routine. Drinking enough water is also essential, even in winter. It helps your body function optimally and prevents dehydration, which can weaken your immune system. 

Prevent falls: Take precautions to prevent falls, especially if you're older or caring for someone who is older. For more information, resources, and guidance on winter fall prevention, visit the Preventing falls and staying well guide, developed in partnership with Active Essex. 

Subscribe now to uncover the secrets to winter health 

Winter can be a challenging time for health, but with the right information, you can stay safe and well. The NHS winter email series offers regular tips, advice, and updates on how to manage your health and wellbeing during the colder months. 

Don’t miss out – subscribe today and have expert advice delivered straight to your inbox. https://pages.comms.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk/pages/p47-jbh74hh1 

These sessions are designed for support and activities for mental health, based at our Chelmsford Sport and Athletics Centre. We offer inclusive activity sessions for adults who want to improve their confidence, wellbeing and mental health. Our team of Activity Coordinators and Mental Health First Aiders will support you at each session. We will provide an area to speak openly to our support team who can help with signposting you to services.

Sessions are on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 2-4pm and the first session is FREE!

We are pleased to announce our autumn/winter one-off events timetable at out With you in Mind sessions:

• Trampoline – Thursday 12^th September from 2.30-3.30pm
• Table Tennis – Wednesday 9^th October from 2.30-3.30pm
• Card Making – Thursday 21^st November from 2.30-3.30pm

Therapy dogs - All sessions are from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

• Friday 18 October
• Friday 15 November
• Friday 13 December

For more information about the sessions please go to www.chelmsford.gov.uk/withyouinmind or call 01245 606569.

You can now join the surgery online via the NHS App or by following this link: Online Registrations

The Children and Young People's Primary Care Network (CYP PCN) is offering a webinar aimed at supporting parents to support their child to gain better understanding of their children's anxiety/worries.

They are held every 3rd Wednesday of the month via MS Teams at 1:30pm 

Future Dates: 17th July, 21st August, 18th September, 16th October 20th November.

To secure your spot kindly email: PCNCYP_ADMIN@Nelft.nhs.uk with 'Webinar' as the subject line and your preferred attendance date.

We’re proud to support #ArmedForcesDay, when the nation unites to honour the selfless service of the entire Armed Forces community.

RESERVES DAY - 26TH JUNE 

ARMED FORCES DAY - 29TH JUNE

As an armed forces accredited practice we support all members of our community who have served, regardless of which service or for how long. We strongly encourage you to come forward and tell us about your service history so we can best support you.

Further information about the help and support available to you can be found on our Veterans Support pages. 

You don't always need to speak to a doctor. We are part of Chelmsford City Health PCN and can book you appointments with a range of healthcare professionals, the benefits of which include being seen quicker and also having support tailored to your needs.

For more information please follow this link

Chelmsford City Health PCN Limited - Whitley House Surgery

For advice and guidance on how our Health and Wellbeing team can support you, as well as for self care and self referral pathways please follow this link

Health and Wellbeing Team - Whitley House Surgery

Life with diabetes can feel like number, check and test overload. You might feel fine, or feel like you don’t have the time. Or maybe you’re not sure what checks you should be getting. But these regular diabetes health checks are vital to keep you healthy, so you can continue living life to the full.

If you require more information about keeping well with diabetes you can request an appointment to speak with our Diabetes Lead Pharmacist - Rashmi Patel

Dementia Intensive Support Service (DISS) provides joined-up mental health and physical health support for people living with dementia or suspected dementia in mid Essex

The service offers:

 Rapid support for people who are in crisis

 Intensive support and treatment at place of residence

 Signposting to further advice and support You do not need to speak with health or social care professional to be referred as self-referrals are accepted.

CALL: 01245 515 313 for advice, support and referral. The helpline is open 7 days a week: Monday to Friday 9am – 7pm, weekends and bank holidays 9am – 5pm.

111 option 2 outside these hours if you are concerned about mental health needs.

At the NHS, we want our patients to have the best experience possible and having continuous patient feedback is crucial in helping us deliver what patients want and need. 

The national Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) asks for feedback from cancer patients (16 years and over*), to inform and improve local cancer services across England. Those who were treated for cancer as an inpatient or day-case, and left hospital in April, May or June 2023, will be invited to take part in the survey. 

The survey takes no more than 20 minutes to complete and can be done online, on paper, or over the phone. If you need support completing the survey or need it made available in another language, you can call the free helpline number: 0800 103 2804.  

The NHS and cancer charities use the results to understand what is working well and which areas need improvement. The results enable them to identify national and local priorities and work with patients and partners to deliver change.

The survey is anonymous, and all personal data will be kept safe.

The results of the survey will be available in Summer 2024. 

For more information on the survey and how to access help and support in completing it, please visit www.ncpes.co.uk. 

*For those aged 16 and under, feedback is collected via the Under 16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey: www.under16cancerexperiencesurvey.co.uk. 

If you have been asked to complete an annual contraceptive medication review form, please click on this link to access our new 'Online Clinical Forms' page Online Clinical Forms

 If you are attending the surgery and have something that could infect others, please consider wearing a mask to protect patients and staff 

From 1st October 2022 our Extended Hours are changing

Currently:

We open 7-8am on a Tuesday / Thursday and Friday

Changes: 

From Saturday 1 October 2022, out-of-hours appointments will be available from 6.30pm to 8pm on weekdays, and from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays.

We want to provide the right services at a time which is convenient for you.

We’ve listened to feedback from people in our local area, and we are making changes to our out-of-hours appointments to deliver better services for you.

The new way of delivering out-of-hours appointments will give you:

• Access to more healthcare professionals. This new service will be delivered by professionals including GPs, nurses, pharmacists and health care assistants.
• More choice about the type of appointment you want. These include a mixture of in-person face-to-face appointments and remote appointments like telephone, video, or online appointments.
• Make it more convenient for you to travel to out-of-hours appointments. These appointments are being planned and delivered locally, so it is likely they will available closer to your home.

From Saturday 1 October 2022, out-of-hours appointments will be available from 6.30pm to 8pm on weekdays, and from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays.

When we asked local people what you wanted from these appointments you told us you would be happy to travel to any of Chelmsford City Health’s practices which are all within a close proximity of one another. In response to this, we have arranged the following.  For the month of October, out of hours appointments will be available at your usual surgery with a focus on providing mainly flu and COVID vaccinations.  From November, most appointments will be available at the Baddow Village Surgery, Longmead Avenue, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, CM2 7EZ.

Out-of-hours appointments were previously planned by Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) on behalf of many GP practices in a bigger area. From Saturday 1 October 2022, this is now being planned and delivered locally by Primary Care Networks (PCNs).

We are working together with other GP practices in our local area as part of the Chelmsford City Health Primary Care Network. You can find out more about Chelmsford City Health Primary Care Network on our PCN website at https://www.chelmsfordcityhealthpcn.nhs.uk.

An out-of-hours appointment might not be at your regular GP surgery. When you book an appointment, you will be told where the appointment will be.

All the out-of-hours appointments will be routine and not available as walk-in appointments. You will need to book the appointments in advance.

To book an out-of-hours appointment, you should contact your regular GP practice in the usual way. They will advise you on the appointments which are available, and which healthcare professional is the right person to help you.

If you need medical help now but it's not an emergency, you can also go to 111 online or call 111.

If you are attending with anything infectious, please be courteous to others in the waiting room and maintain social distancing

If you are vulnerable and concerned about being in a busy waiting room, please see a receptionist who can find an alternative solution for you

The surgery's new phone system is helping us answer 2250 to 2500 calls a week from our patients ! We can also see that 40 to 50 patients call us as the phone lines open at 8am. We try hard to answer this huge volume of calls as quickly as we can, please bear with us. 

One benefit of the new system is 'queue buster' whereby patients are offered the opportunity to keep their place in the queue but put their phone down – they will receive an automatic call back when their call reaches the top of the queue. 

Please note all calls are recorded for training and monitoring purposes.