From your Patient Participation Group (PPG)
Every month the Academy Medical Centre Patient Participation Group raises awareness of some health and wellbeing campaigns.
The PPG would like to highlight the following in October:
- Breast Cancer Awareness month: "Wear it pink this October!" Find out about symptoms, treatment and research into this form of cancer. Check out CoppaFeel and www.macmillan.org.uk for what to look out for when checking your body for lumps and bumps. Also visit www.breastcancernow.org.
- Flu vaccination campaign: The annual flu vaccination campaign is currently ongoing so please ensure you attend for your vaccination when invited. NHS Scotland is rolling out the vaccination programme in stages. If you’re eligible, NHS will contact you by post, email or text. Please wait to be contacted. Find out if you’re eligible for any vaccines this winter with this handy self-help guide: http://nhsinform.scot/wintervaccines.
- Self-Care Awareness: Self management aims to empower people with long term conditions to take control of their treatment. Look after your own health as best you can by eating healthily, exercising, reduce smoking and alcohol etc will all help to reduce your risk of many types of illness. Also remember the pharmacist is a good source of help for minor ailments. Check high quality websites for information about your particular condition.
- Menopause awareness: World menopause day is on 18th October this year. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the menopause and the support options available for improving health and wellbeing. There is help and advice available from NHS Inform and The British Menopause Society. There's a guide for employers from Bupa and Champion Health.
You can get involved and raise awareness by talking about the campaigns, tweeting or sharing on social media, or by donating, fundraising and pledging your support.
The Information desk in the foyer, although not manned at present, may have some information leaflets that you may wish to uplift about conditions affecting you. Please take a look.
About the PPG
The Academy Medical Centre PPG has worked with the practice since 2010 to enhance the delivery of primary care services in a number of areas.
You can make a difference to the Practice too! To get involved or find out more about the work and how the PPG assists the practice and you, the patient, see the Academy Medical Centre PPG page. Notes of our meetings are also available to give you a real flavour of what we're doing.
