We are shut all day on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day and open as normal in between.

Please remember to order your repeat prescriptions by Friday 19^th December if you are going to run out over the Christmas period

If you need help when we are closed

If you need medical help now, use NHS 111 online or call 111.

NHS 111 online is for people aged 5 and over. Call 111 if you need help for a child under 5.

Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

Newsletter 2nd February 2024

ECB PCN PPG

See the latest news from NHS Sussex

Historical Health Quiz with Healthwatch

Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed late. Symptoms include bloating, pain, or tenderness, and a frequent need to pee. The symptoms are varied, and if you’re experiencing symptoms twelve times or more in a month, you should contact your GP surgery. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ovarian-cancer/symptoms/

There are different types of ovarian cancer, and treatment and prognosis varies depending on the type, stage and grade. It is important to detect any cancer as early as possible. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/ovarian-cancer

Prostate health

Prostate cancer can be symptomless. If you’re over 50, black, or have a close family member (father or brother) who has had prostate cancer, your risk is increased. You can check your individual risk and the signs you should look for here: https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/about-prostate-cancer/prostate-cancer-symptoms

You can quickly and easily check your risk of prostate cancer. Being aware of your risk level can help you to ensure that you are watchful for concerning symptoms, and that you get the appropriate checks for your individual situation. https://prostatecanceruk.org/risk-checker

NSPCC – Let's talk PANTS

The NSPCC has a brilliant campaign to help educate children about bodily autonomy and when secrets shouldn’t be secrets. The “PANTS” rule helps children easily understand that some parts of the body are private. Talking to your child about what is okay is an important part of raising a child. https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/pants-underwear-rule/


Sexual health

Symptoms of sexually transmitted infections are varied, including unusual discharge, sores, itching and rashes around your vagina, penis or anus. If you’re experiencing symptoms, you should get tested. Many STIs are symptomless, including HIV. If you’re having unprotected sex, you’re putting yourself at additional risk. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis/

 High cholesterol

High cholesterol levels can increase your chances of a heart attack or stroke. High cholesterol can run in families, but can also be caused by eating fatty foods, not getting enough exercise and being overweight or drinking alcohol. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol/

Sepsis

Symptoms of sepsis are varied, and can present differently in children and adults. Symptoms include high temperatures and rashes, but not all patients present with these, and spotting sepsis can be difficult. Please familiarise yourself with the symptoms of sepsis, it could save a life. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sepsis/

Blood cancer awareness

Blood cancer can appear in people of any age, with specific types of blood cancer being more common at different stages of life. Signs and symptoms can include pain, night sweats and infections. You might not necessarily associate the symptoms with serious illness. https://bloodcancer.org.uk/understanding-blood-cancer/blood-cancer-signs-symptoms/

Stem cell donation

If you’ve never considered stem cell donation, you may be asked to consider it when you give blood. Having as many suitable donors as possible helps to ensure that patients can get treatment quickly when they need it. https://www.bbmr.co.uk/donating-stem-cells/

Vascular disease

There are four main types of cardiovascular disease. These affect the blood vessels and heart and are a serious cause of illness, death and disability in the UK. You can decrease your risk by ensuring you exercise regularly and eat a well-balanced, healthy diet. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cardiovascular-disease/

Peri-menopause

Menopause is when your periods have stopped for twelve months or more. Leading up to menopause, you might experience symptoms of peri-menopause. These include irregular bleeding, hot flushes and other physical symptoms, along with symptoms that can affect your mental health. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/symptoms/

Get Britain Standing

As we move into winter, we become more sedentary. On average, British people sit for 8.9 hours per day. Sitting for more than 4 hours per day has been shown to make changes in the operation of our bodies. Get Britain Standing aims to get the British population up and moving. http://www.getbritainstanding.org

Diabetes – Type 2, obesity and activity levels

Being physically active is beneficial if you are diabetic. Incremental changes can make a big difference to the amount of exercise you do on a daily basis. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/exercise

Patients can now self-refer to the new provider of termination of pregnancies in Brighton and Hove - MSI Reproductive Choices.

Download self-referral information here

We have recently committed to buy fairtrade tea and coffee for our staff - rather than going for the cheapest option.  This is because we believe it is contradictory - and unethical - to provide healthcare using goods and services that may harm the health of others - whether fellow workers overseas or future generations.

Many tea and coffee farmers do not receive a fair price for what they produce - and suffer harsh, unsafe working conditions.  Buying fairtrade is a powerful opportunity to improve the health and wellbeing of these workers - and we believe our commitment to support this is an important demonstration of our core values.   

For workers on Fairtrade plantations, there is investment in better housing, better schools and medical facilities - as well as the elimination of child labour.  Fairtrade standards also help protect the environment through strict rules on pesticides, energy use and biodiversity.

We believe we can help make a difference - and that, through this commitment, we are consistent in our responsibilities for health, now and in the future, through the everyday choices that we make.  We’d like to know what you think. 

Dr Rachel Cottam

Did you know that the climate crisis has been recognised as the greatest risk to health this century - but also the greatest health opportunity, reaping huge rewards for health.

It is estimated that 5.4% of the UK's carbon emissions are from the NHS. This is equivalent to all the planes taking off from Heathrow in an average year (pre-pandemic!) At St Peter's we are taking seriously the importance of living and practising sustainably. We have recently signed up for the RCGP Green Impact for Health Award, and have identified key areas where we can focus our attention, some clinical, some not. These include:

• Ensuring we buy Fairtrade products where we can. Fairtrade products guarantee a fixed income for some of the poorest farmers in the world
• Reducing waste and increasing recycling
• Using 'active' modes of travel where we can
• Reducing our use of paper - and making sure our paper is sustainably sourced
• Looking at some aspects of our prescribing. This might include working with you to make sure you know what your medications are for, ensure that you actually want them! - and know how to take them most effectively. If you use an inhaler, you might also want to talk to us about those inhaler options which emit less toxic greenhouse gases - as well, of course, as remembering to take any used inhalers back to the pharmacy to be appropriately disposed of.

There are also things you can do:

• You can talk to us about how we might support you to manage your condition most effectively.
• You can try to use 'active' methods of travel - good for you and good for the planet, the health of our children and future generations.
• Using online consultation when it’s an appropriate way to find the care you need
• Or you could try reducing the amount of meat and dairy you eat - even if just on one or two days of the week, this is one of the biggest environmental impacts you can have and there is lots of support available to you. Take a look at Veganuary and Meat Free Monday or try something like Dairy Free Tuesdays. There are lots of recipes online to inspire you if you want to make small changes to what you eat.

And of course you might have ideas for us. If so, please let us know!

Dr Rachel Cottam & the St Peter’s Team

Please watch this clip by clicking here an animation to help explain to the public how they can continue to access GP services, including how to get in contact, the different ways care may be delivered, and how face-to-face appointments have changed

Important Notice for Patients - BSMS

Right Care Right Place Leaflet

Patients should note that they may with their consent be asked to provide a photograph or screen shot of an area of their body under discussion. This will be requested under strict rules, that will be explained by the consulting clinician. No digital images will be requested or accepted without the patients consent and no images requested of a patients full face, children, or intimate areas. Please note any digital image submitted as part of an online consultation, will be stored within your clinical notes.

The Sussex Health and Care Partnership is made up of local NHS organisations and councils working together to provide the best health and care services for the people of Sussex.

Patients and the public are at the heart of what we do. We strongly believe that involving the public in planning NHS and social care services is key to ensuring that they meet the needs of the population that we serve, which is why we are holding the Big Health and Care (socially distancing) Conversation across Sussex.

This initiative will pick up where we left off with conversations we have been having with local people over the last few years about health and care services. Feedback from our communities has previously informed how we shaped our priorities for, and delivery of, health and care services, to make sure they work for our local population.

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the nature of how health and care services are delivered, in a very short time period. Services had to adapt and change to ensure patients and our staff were protected, which meant that the way people accessed health and care services changed, at a time when we were all also adapting to life in lockdown.

We want to make sure that we understand what this has been like for people if they have needed to use our services, or if they work for the NHS or social care locally – what has worked well, and what could have been better? If you didn’t access services when you thought you needed to, why not? What changes should we maintain, and what needs to go back to normal as much as possible?

There will be a number of themes running during the project and the current theme is mental health and wellbeing

We have created a digital platform for people to engage with us during the pandemic. This is your chance to tell us your experiences, ask questions and share your ideas as we move towards restoring services.  To share your experiences, ask a question or take part in a poll, please visit

https://yoursaysussexhealthandcare.uk.engagementhq.com/the-big-health-and-care-socially-distancing-conversation

How to contact the team if you are not online

Call the team:  01903 708411 

Write to the team using our freepost address:

FREEPOST
RTUZ-ECYG-ERRK
Attn: Public Involvement Team
NHS Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group
Hove Town Hall
Norton Road
Brighton
BN3 4AH