National Diabetes Audit 2017

Our Practice is taking part in the national project about diabetes care and treatment in the NHS.  This is called the National Diabetes Audit (NDA).  We will be sharing information about patients who are diagnosed with diabetes with the NDA.  The type of information and how it is shared is controlled by law and enforced by strict rules of confidentiality and security.  Taking part in the NDA demonstrates our commitment to improving care for people with diabetes.

Important : if you are a diabetic and do not want your data to be used for the NDA, please let us know – this will not affect your care.  Please ask us if you want more information about the NDA.

NHS England now utilises patient data from GP practices for the new care data service.

The aim of care data is to improve healthcare by increasing the availability of timely and accurate data to allow services to be better designed for patients. Patient data will be combined with information from other care settings such as hospitals with the intention of improving healthcare overall and to aid research.

The data to be extracted from GP systems will include personal confidential data such as referrals, all NHS prescriptions and other clinical data. Identifiers such as NHS No and Date of Birth will be used to link your data to that from other sources.

We are raising your awareness of the caredata service and would like to inform you that you have a right to opt out of this. Opting out will prevent your data from being shared. You can opt out of care data completely, or alternatively allow your personal information to go to The Health & Social Care Information Centre but prevent it from being shared with any other parties such as researchers. Click here for more information.

Group A Streptococcus - Information for families and carers of children

You may have seen reports about a higher-than-usual level of Group A streptococcus (GAS) infections in children this year, and we understand if you are concerned.

GAS is a common bacteria – lots of people carry it without being unwell.

It can cause many common mild infections, including sore throats or scarlet fever, which can be easily treated with antibiotics. 

The information below explains how it is spread, and what to look for when your child is unwell.

How is it spread?

GAS spreads by close contact with an infected person. It can be passed on through coughs and sneezes, or from a wound.

Which infections does GAS cause?

The bacteria usually causes a mild infection, producing sore throats or scarlet fever, which can be easily treated with antibiotics.

What is invasive group A strep?

This is when the bacteria gets into the bloodstream and causes serious illness – called invasive Group A strep (iGAS). These cases are very rare.

Symptoms of mild GAS infections

Symptoms of mild infections include: sore throat; fever; chills; muscle aches; and in cases of scarlet fever, a rash and a white coating on the tongue, which peels leaving the tongue red, swollen and covered in bumps

When to contact us:

– If your child is not recovering after a bout of scarlet fever, a sore throat, or a respiratory infection, and you are concerned they are becoming more unwell

– If your child is drinking much less (50% less) than normal

– If your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more, or shows other signs of dehydration

– If your baby is under three months and has a temperature of 38C, or is three to six months old and has a temperature of 39C or higher

– If your child is very tired or irritable

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

– Your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs

– There are pauses when your child breathes

– Your child’s tongue or lips are blue, or their skin is mottled/pale

– Your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake

– Your child has a weak, continuous, or high-pitched cry