National and Regional Campaigns

Hayfever - Top Tips for Hayfever Symptoms

When the sun comes out, trees grow new leaves and flowers start to bloom. However, many of us start to experience hay fever.

Hay fever is a common condition also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis. It affects around 1 in 5 of us in the UK and can affect people between March and September. Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen; the fine powder produced by trees, flowers and weeds, with symptoms which include sneezing, itchy eyes, a runny nose and headaches.

Although hay fever is often harmless, unfortunately there is no cure, so healthcare professionals suggest avoiding pollen as well as managing symptoms. Effective over-the-counter treatments are readily available from pharmacies and supermarkets and include antihistamine tablets, nasal sprays and eye drops.

Gareth Harris, a Shropshire-based pharmacist, said: “A lot of people book a GP appointment for advice on hay fever, which isn’t needed. It’s far better to ask your local pharmacist if you’re not sure what treatment is suitable for the symptoms you have.

“Pharmacists are highly trained clinicians, and you can visit at a time that suits you. We have a range of over-the-counter treatments in stock, including nasal sprays, eye drops and tablets which are often far cheaper than prescriptions.

“A simple nasal spray costs £8 in a pharmacy, tablets cost from £3 and eyedrops from £5 but on prescription all these items would be £9.65 each. It’s far cheaper, easier and quicker for patients to come to their pharmacist for support with hay fever.”

For those looking to manage their symptoms as effectively as possible, the following handy tips are well worth trying:

• If possible, stay indoors when the pollen count is high. To check the pollen count in your area, the Met Office provides up-to-date information on the pollen forecast for five days ahead.
• Plan outdoor activities for afternoons. Pollen levels are at their highest in the morning, rising with the warming air, and again in the evening when it’s cooling down. Keep windows and doors closed during these times.
• Don’t hang clothes out to dry as they may pick up pollen.
• Protect your eyes and mouth. Consider wearing wraparound sunglasses and use petroleum jelly around your nostrils to trap pollen.
• Shower and change when you come indoors to wash pollen off.
• Avoid large grassy areas, woodland, cutting the grass, pollutants and car fumes.
• Pick up over-the-counter treatments during your weekly supermarket shop, so you always have some available in your medicine cabinet at home

Hospital Transformation Programme (HTP) 

Following public consultation in 2018 (Future Fit), we are now developing plans to improve our hospital services through the Hospitals Transformation Programme (HTP). We want you, our local communities and patients, to have the opportunity to get involved and give your views and feedback to help inform and shape our plans to improve care for everyone across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales. We are organising focus groups which will meet regularly over the next three years as plans develop. The focus groups are aligned to the four clinical workstreams within the HTP programme and will cover: 

• Urgent and Emergency Care and Medicine 
• Clinical Support Services
• Women’s and Children’s services
• Surgery, Anaesthetics and Cancer (“Planned Care”)

If you would like to find out more, please email sath.engagement@nhs.net with your name, contact email and the services you’re interested in.

Update - Charlton's End Cervical Cancer Campaign

At Charlton Medical Centre, we take our Cervical Smear Programme very seriously. We understand the importance of working with our patients to ensure they have timely access to their Cervical Smear appointments.

We are proud that our dedicated Nursing Team have performed 1142 cervical smears since January 2022.

Paulina, Kam and Viv have worked extremely hard and offer support and encouragement to patients when they attend for their smear appointment. They know that patients are often nervous, especially when attending for the first time. We are always ready to offer that extra support that you may need and you are always welcome to bring a friend or family member along for support.

But there is still a long way to go! Have you received an invitation from us to book your cervical smear appointment and not yet done so? Please do contact us to arrange this so that you can be a part of this successful programme. We can talk you through any questions you may have and we can do this together! We appreciate that our phones are very busy - please consider emailing us with a selection of days that are suitable for you to attend an appointment, and we will do our best to accommodate that. We will then email you back with your appointment details to save you having to call the surgery.

This Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, get involved with us and help make it a reality!

NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Campaign

NATIONAL DIABETES CAMPAIGN

Charlton participated in the National Diabetes Week to further encourage and support our Diabetic patients. Please see details below on the programmes being offered to Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients.

• MyType1Diabetes is a free online platform with tailored support to help adults live well with their type 1 diabetes. This programme puts participants in control of their diabetes by providing free, online information, advice and resources. Sign up to the programme today HERE

• Healthy Living is a free online programme clinically proven to help participants live well with their type 2 diabetes. This programme provides information about type 2 diabetes, mental wellbeing and supports participants to adopt healthy lifestyle choices. Sign up to the programme today HERE