Practice News
Respiratory syncytial virus - RSV
CLINICS 14TH AND 21ST SEPTEMBER - PLEASE CALL TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of coughs and colds. RSV infections usually get better by themselves, but can sometimes be serious for babies and older adults.
Who's at risk from RSV
RSV infections are very common. Almost all children get them at least once before they're 2 years old.
They're not usually serious, but some babies and adults have a higher risk of getting seriously ill, particularly:
- babies under 6 months old
- young children who were born prematurely
- adults over 75 years
- babies, children and adults with a weakened immune system, or long-term lung or heart conditions
- people who smoke tobacco and babies exposed to tobacco smoke
In babies, RSV is a common cause of a type of chest infection called bronchiolitis. This can cause breathing problems and may need to be treated in hospital.
RSV can also cause a serious lung infection (pneumonia) in babies and older adults.
How to avoid catching and spreading RSV
RSV is spread in the coughs and sneezes of someone who has the virus.
There are some things you can do to reduce your chances of getting it or spreading it to anyone else, such as:
- wash or wipe down toys and clean surfaces regularly
- try to avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
- use disposable tissues and throw them away as soon as you've used them
- try to keep newborn babies away from anyone with a cold or the flu – especially if they were born prematurely or have serious health conditions
RSV vaccination
The RSV vaccine is recommended if:
- you're pregnant (from 28 weeks of pregnancy) – this will help protect your baby for the first few months after they're born
- you're aged 75 to 79
The vaccine helps reduce the risk of RSV causing serious problems such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis.
If you're aged 75 to 79, your GP surgery will contact you about getting vaccinated.
If you're 28 weeks pregnant or more, you can speak to your maternity service or GP surgery about getting vaccinated.
Seasonal Flu vaccinations
FLU CLINICS DATES ARE 5TH and 12TH OCTOBER 2024 - PLEASE CALL TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
Mullion and Constantine group practice will be offering seasonal flu vaccinations to eligible groups. These include:
- Those aged 65 years and over
- Those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups
- Pregnant women
- All children aged 2 or 3 years
- Those in long-stay residential care homes
- Carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
- Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- Frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or personal health budgets, such as personal assistants
Please contact the practice to discuss this or make an appointment.
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Proud of our Pharmacy team's awards.
We are pleased to announce that our pharmacy team has been highly commended in the General Practice Awards and named HSJ winners for their outstanding work in improving safety in medicines management. Congratulations to our dedicated team for this well-deserved recognition!
Cornwall Health & Social Care Awards winners announced. GP Practice of the Year: Mullion Health Centre
We would like to thank the kind person who nominated our Group Practice, and we are all very proud as a team to have won this award and will continue to endeavour to provide this high standard of care.
"I would like to nominate my local health care practice, Mullion Health Centre, for their dedication, commitment and continued efficiency throughout the pandemic. Some of their staff including receptionists, have travelled to Helston for which to assist in the Covid vaccine rollout, whilst still administering vaccines at Mullion Health Centre itself. They have adapted wonderfully to the challenge of seeing patients whilst putting in place efficient safety measures against virus transmission. They have continued with medical procedures in the practice, and spent extra time on phone call appointments, and they always send out reminders for appointments. I feel they have been challenged enormously as they only have a small building in which to work. They all remain so helpful and cheerful for which I and my elderly mother are very grateful."
The awards ceremony can be watched at: https://fb.watch/6WcxUxbD71/