Patient Newsletter - Winter 2025

amkit

Welcoming Dr Sachdeva

Dr Ankit Sachdeva, who is a familiar face to many patients, is now a GP Partner at the Headlands surgery.

Dr Sachdeva became a doctor in 2007 and then did his GP training from 2016, spending 16 months as a GP registrar here. After qualifying he worked at a practice in Corby, before coming back to The Headlands as a GP Partner.

He said: ‘It is nice to be part of a relatively new team of GP Partners here and hopefully the patients will be happy to see me back.

‘I am looking forward to making a positive difference to our patient population and also have a specific interest in medical heart failure.’

 

Pharmacy First

Did you know that you can now get treatment for seven common conditions directly from your local pharmacy, without the need for a GP appointment or prescription.

The Pharmacy First scheme means that pharmacists can now treat and prescribe medication for the following common conditions and ailments:

  • Earache – 1 to 17 years
  • Impetigo – 1 year and older
  • Infected insect bites – 1 year and older
  • Shingles – 18 years and older
  • Sinusitis – 12 years and over
  • Sore throat – 5 years and over
  • Uncomplicated urinary tract infections – Women 16 to 64 years

pharmacy

Pharmacists can also provide advice and over-the-counter medication for various common conditions, such as coughs, colds, flu, as well as everyday issues like aches, pains, and skin rashes. No appointment is necessary to see a pharmacist, and they will let you know if you need to see a doctor.

Many pharmacies are open evenings and weekends, and often provide private consultation rooms.

 

Appointment slots

In order to help as many patients as possible, and keep to our scheduled appointment slots, our team can only deal with one issue per appointment. If you have more than one condition you need help with, please let us know as we can allocate a double slot for those with more complex needs. Thank you.

 

Follow us on Facebook

Did you know that we have a practice Facebook page where we share all our latest updates, news, and information?

To connect with us please like and follow our Facebook page.

 

nhs-vaccine

Here are the respiratory vaccinations we offer

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by an infection. Most people get better in 2 to 4 weeks, but babies, older people, and people with heart or lung conditions are at risk of getting seriously ill and may need treatment in hospital.

There are several vaccines available to help protect you or your child from infections that can cause pneumonia:

  • Pneumococcal vaccine – recommended for babies, adults over 65 and people at higher risk of pneumococcal infections
  • flu vaccine – recommended during pregnancy, for adults over 65, people with certain long-term health conditions and those at high risk of catching or passing on flu
  • RSV vaccine – recommended for adults aged 75 to 79, (see below) and during pregnancy (from 28 weeks onwards) to help protect your baby after they're born
  • COVID-19 vaccine – a seasonal vaccine that's recommended for people at increased risk from COVID-19.
 

Flu vaccinations

We are still offering flu vaccines to eligible patients and also have a monthly pneumonia vaccination clinic.

Why you should get the flu vaccine

The flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others from getting the flu. It helps reduce your chances of catching the flu and spreading it to those around you, especially people who are more vulnerable, like the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and those with health issues.

How to book your vaccine

We have been notifying eligible patients but if you either haven’t booked yet, or else think you may be eligible and want a vaccination, then please contact us after 10am and we will book a vaccination slot for you with one of our nurses.

 

Over 75? Have you had your RSV vaccination?

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that tends to circulate during the winter. While the symptoms are mild for many, RSV can be more severe in children under 5 and older adults.

RSV vaccine eligibility

  • Everyone turning 75 years old on or after 1 September 2024 will be offered a single dose of the RSV vaccine.
  • Individuals aged 75 to 79 are also eligible in the first year as part of a catch-up programme.
  • Pregnant women can have a free RSV vaccine in each pregnancy, to protect their babies.

respiratory2

Booking your appointment

We are now notifying eligible patients. Eligible patients can book their RSV vaccine appointment at our surgery as soon as they receive an invitation which will be sent via an SMS message. If you think you are eligible but haven’t received an invitation yet then please contact us using Anima or alternatively call on 01536 518886 after 10am and we’ll be able to book you in.

Published: Feb 4, 2025