REMEMBER - TRY AND ATTEND THE SURGERY ALONE UNLESS YOU HAVE A CARER

VACCINATIONS AND IMMUNISATIONS

In line with NHS Highland direction, we will no longer be responsible for the delivery of vaccinations and immunisations effective, including childhood immunisations.

All vaccinations will be NHS Highland run clinics held in the community. Patients eligible for vaccination will be invited via letter to attend or book the appointment.

Patients can direct questions about child or adult immunisations to the NHS Highland Service Delivery Centre (SDC) helpline: phone 08000 320 339. For specialist advice about your vaccinations and immunisations, please contact the Health Protection Team on 01463 704886.

Information is also available on the following websites:

Immunisation and vaccines –

https://www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/health-and-wellbeing/immunisation-and-vaccines/

Immunisations in Scotland –

https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/immunisation

Specialist advice in relation to vaccination and immunisation -

https://www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/your-services/all-services-a-z/health-protection/

Travel vaccination -  

https://www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/health-and-wellbeing/immunisation-and-vaccines/travel-vaccines/

PHYSIOTHERAPY APPOINTMENTS NOW AVAILABLE

We now have a Physiotherapist, Emma Cameron, who is available for appointments in the Surgery on Wednesdays and Fridays.  If you are age 16+, you can book a direct appointment with the reception staff to see Emma instead of making a GP appointment – no referral needed from your GP and you don’t need to fill out any forms either. 

This service gives patients improved access to assessment for musculoskeletal symptoms affecting your joints, bones, muscles and soft tissue conditions.  Emma can also provide cortisone steroid injections for shoulders, knees and hands.

Emma can provide diagnosis, self-management advice, exercises as well as onward referrals and investigations such as x rays and blood tests. She can arrange medication, if required, following assessment. At your appointment she will assess your symptoms and discuss your treatment options. She can answer any questions and help you decide how best to manage your condition.

To make an appointment, simply ask reception staff for a physio appointment.  You can also watch this short clip about the service - First Contact Physiotherapist

Phio - NHS Highland's digital musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy assessment

As part of our physiotherapy service, we believe it's important to offer you immediate support when you feel like you need it.  Phio is a clinically-supported, digital musculoskeletal system. It is a free interactive online tool that quickly and accurately signposts you to the right pathway to support your MSK condition.

The Phio assessment takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and your answers will always be assessed by a qualified physiotherapy team. If your condition is deemed suitable, you will be invited to download an app on your smartphone with a programme of exercises tailored to your condition. You should receive this within 48 hours. Once you start, a team of physiotherapists are on hand to monitor and support you via a two-way chat.

This service is totally free, is overseen by the physiotherapy team at Phio, and will not impact your access to our other care services.  Access Phio Here

Diabetes - Type 2, gestational and pre-diabetes

There are new resources for diabetics, including iPad loans - click on link below for new info

Diabetes Resources

Free Period Products

Free period products are available in Highland to everyone who needs them. They can be accessed at community locations, through a home delivery service and are also available to pupils in schools.

Who can access free period products?

Everyone can access the free period products. Whether you need them for yourself or for someone else, if you live or work locally, or you are visiting the Highlands, you are welcome to take what you need at our collection points.

What types of products are available?

You can access disposable pads and tampons at collection points and through the home delivery service.  You can also order reusable products such as cups and pads through the home delivery service.

For further information on collection points or to order for home delivery, visit https://www.highland.gov.uk/freeperiodproducts

** NEW - SURGERY ABROAD WITHOUT NHS REFERRAL** - updated June 2023

**Updated guidance Information for Patients Attending Private Hospitals and Clinics .pdf**

NHS Scotland does not recommend choosing to pay to travel abroad for surgery as part of a packaged holiday. This is sometimes called surgical or cosmetic tourism. Surgical options in Scotland can appear more expensive. But you should think about the potential savings against the potential risks of travelling for surgery.

Decisions about surgery

The most important decision to make about any operation is whether it is the right one for you. You should always talk to the surgeon who would carry out your operation about the best way to get the results you want.

To help you make an informed choice, you should ask:

• what are the benefits?
• what are the risks?
• what are the alternatives?
• what if I do nothing?

 Read more about asking the right questions -

https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/its-ok-to-ask/

 Many clinics abroad do not offer a consultation with your surgeon until the day of surgery. This does not allow enough time for you to make decisions. You should have time to think about what was said, and to decide what's right for you.

A common alternative offered by these clinics is an appointment with an advisor. The advisor may or may not be medically qualified. This is unsafe, as the only person who can advise you properly is the surgeon who will operate.

You may also be offered video consultations. Video consultations do not allow for a proper physical examination, which is key to deciding the best operation for you. In the UK, the medical regulators (General Medical Council) require a face-to-face consultation before planning cosmetic surgery.

Packages of care

You should fully understand what's included in any private treatment package, either at home or abroad. The operation is only one part of treatment. You'll need routine care before and after the actual operation. NHS Scotland is under no obligation to provide this.

Complications of having surgery abroad

Most surgical procedures go well but there can always be complications. You should understand what's included in your treatment package in the event of complications. One cause of problems after surgery abroad is the holiday that comes with the surgical package. A key part of recovery after surgery is rest. Taking part in activities such as swimming and sunbathing can have a negative effect on healing. You should not fly soon after surgery as the risks of clots in the legs is much greater. It's possible for clots in the legs to spread to the lungs, which can be life threatening.

NHS Scotland recommend you do not fly for:

• 5 to 7 days after procedures such as breast surgery and liposuction
• 7 to 10 days after facial cosmetic procedures or tummy tucks (or any abdominal surgery)

NHS Scotland will always provide emergency care where needed. But there's no obligation for NHS Scotland to provide further routine treatment. It's important that you know where to go for the routine care needed before and after your operation, and in the event of any complications.

 Why does UK treatment cost more?

The benefit of using UK services if you're choosing to pay for treatment is that hospitals and clinics are all regulated. This means that they may appear to be more expensive than abroad. But you do not have the reassurance that services outside the UK are regularly inspected. Meeting regulatory requirements comes at a cost, and contributes to the relatively higher price of UK treatment.

Also, most UK centres provide all required aftercare as a part of the package, including follow up visits with your surgeon. In the event of complications, your surgeon is available to deal with any issues if they happen.

You should ask what is included in any package abroad compared with one available locally. All extra care before and after surgery should be provided. Any tests or appointments not included within the original package of care you pay for may prove more expensive to buy later as extras.

 Recommendation

Choosing to pay to travel abroad for surgery is not recommended by NHS Scotland, or by the surgical specialist associations in the UK.

If you still wish to do this, be aware that NHS Scotland is under no obligation to provide pre and post-operative care other than emergency care.

Surgery abroad without NHS referral -

 https://www.nhsinform.scot/tests-and-treatments/surgical-procedures/surgery-abroad-without-nhs-referral

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MOVING HOUSE OR LOOKING TO REGISTER WITH US?  Please check our boundary area!

Are you new to the area or looking to change Practice?  We would be happy to help you.  You can register by clicking here or call the Surgery to speak to the reception staff.  Please remember and check that your address is within our boundary first.

Our boundary has been extended and we can now accept registrations from addresses up to the canal which includes the Bught, Ballifeary, Dalneigh and Merkinch areas and heading east as far as Culloden Academy, including Moray Park Avenue, Moray Park Terrace, Moray Park Wynd, Woodside Farm Drive and Heights of Woodside. 

Our previous boundary areas are all still included too - Citadel, town centre, Millburn, Crown, Raigmore, Inshes, Milton of Leys, Cradlehall, Culloden, Resaurie, Westhill, Smithton, Easter Muckovie, Culcabock, Drakies, Hilton, Milton, Castle Heather, Drummond, Lochardil, Holm, Culduthel, Druid Temple, Holm Dell to name a few! 

Speak to reception or email reception nhsh.gp55874-reception@nhs.scot if you need clarification.

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NEW COMMUNITY LINK WORKER SERVICE

We are delighted to welcome a Community Link Worker, Helen Wilson, to the Surgery.  Community Link Workers (CLWs) use a social-prescribing approach to support individuals to look at what matters to them and help support them to connect with their local community resources in way that will help them reach their identified health and well-being goals. Individuals can seek help for a broad range of needs, for example, if they are feeling lonely, having money worries or concerned about their fitness. 

Patients can have several meetings with the CLW and the service is person-centred in its approach, so the referrals the CLW makes will depend entirely on the issues highlighted by the patient. For example, if the patient highlights a concern about money, the CLW will refer them to money advice services in their local area and sometimes nationwide. If the patient has concerns about their fitness, they may suggest a walking group or exercise class.  And if they are feeling lonely they can introduce them to local groups and social activities.

There is more information about the new Community Link Worker service in Highland, which is delivered by Support in Mind Scotland, on the following link -

Community Link Worker Project, Highlands | Support in Mind Scotland

If you think that you might benefit from a referral to the Community Link Worker, please make a 'phone or face to face appointment with one of GPs .

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APPOINTMENT ATTENDANCE

Patients who do not arrive for their booked appointments results in an increase in waiting time for appointments and frustration for both staff and patients.  If you cannot make it to your pre-booked appointment then please let us know a minimum of 4 hours before the appointment time so we can give the appointment to another patient.

Southside Road Surgery has a policy for dealing with persistent non-attendance and which could result in a patient being removed from our list and having to find another doctor.  Due to the amount of lost appointments, we will now start writing to patients once they have failed to attend pre-booked appointments on 2 occasions.  Full details of our policy can be found here: DNA POLICY