Trinity Medical Centre is unable to prescribe benzodiazepines (such as diazepam) to patients for fear of flying. Many other GP practices have a similar policy.

It may be in the past this has been issued for our patients. Current guidance highlights significant risks Prescribing these drugs is not recommended any more for these reasons

1) Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and more relaxed. If there is an emergency during the flight it may impair your ability to concentrate, follow instructions and react to the situation. This could have serious safety consequences for you and those around you.

2) Sedative drugs can make you fall asleep, however when you do sleep it is an unnatural non-REM sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep. This can cause you to be at increased risk of developing a blood clot (DVT) in the leg or even the lung. Blood clots are very dangerous and can even prove fatal. This risk is even greater if your flight is greater than four hours.

3) Whilst most people find benzodiazepines like diazepam sedating, a small number have paradoxical agitation and in aggression. They can also cause disinhibition and lead you to behave in a way that you would not normally. This could impact on your safety as well as that of other passengers and could also get you into trouble with the law.

4) According to the prescribing guidelines doctors follow (BNF) Benzodiazepines are contraindicated (not allowed)  in phobia. Your doctor is taking a significant legal risk by prescribing against these guidelines. They are only licensed short term for a crisis in generalised anxiety. If this is the case, you should be getting proper care and support for your mental health and not going on a flight.

5) Diazepam and similar drugs are illegal in a number of countries. They may be confiscated or you may find yourself in trouble with the police.

6) Diazepam stays in your system for quite a while. If your job requires you to submit to random drug testing you may fail this having taken diazepam.

We appreciate that fear of flying is very real and very frightening. A much better approach is to tackle this properly with a Fear of Flying course run by the airlines and we have listed a number of these below.

Easy Jet www.fearlessflyer.easyjet.com Tel 0203 8131644

British Airways www.flyingwithconfidence.com  Tel 01252 793250

Virgin www.flyingwithoutfear.co.uk  Tel 01423 714900

Fly And Be Calm™ is an instant download and comes with a money back guarantee (Guarantee does not apply to app versions).6 MP3 tracks which include instructions, the fear removal tool and two hypnotic tracks. The least expensive option, takes very little time, works on the root cause of your problem. If you are not 100% happy you can get a full refund. https://flyandbecalm.co.uk/

Our practice is proud to support the NHS Breast Screening Programme. If you’ve been invited for breast screening, we hope you’ll choose to have it.

If you have questions about breast screening or need information about breast screening in another language, the link below should help you:

You can also contact us here at the practice and chat with one of our practice nurses. They’ll be happy to help.

Live Well Wakefield provide social and practical support for the health and well-being of patients.  Some of the things they can help with are:

• Housing options – Navigating the housing system, how to apply for a property and aids and adaptations to make the current home fit the client
• Advice around maximising income – Discussing benefit options, exploring employment options and referrals to the Department for Work and Pensions
• Support around the Health and Social care system – How to access support, criteria for care and what your rights to care are
• What to do if you’re struggling with a caring role – Support you are entitled to and where you can get extra support and guidance from
• Supporting people who need to access specialised services – particularly around mental health and substance/alcohol misuse.
• Providing opportunities to those who may feel isolated by society or feel ready to embrace a new challenge and those who need knowledge and support on what is available and how to access that support.
• Support for people to maintain their independence- Helping to access services and support such as aids and adaptations, safety equipment and meal delivery services.

Click here for referral.

Patients with long term conditions such as Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension and other chronic illnesses should have regular reviews at the surgery to ensure the condition is being managed well and to maintain good health.

These checks will primarily be carried out by a Healthcare Assistant who will further consult with a specialist Nurse or GP if there are any causes for concern.

These checks are also part of any medication reviews needed and a pharmacist or GP will review the results and determine if your medication can continue safely and for how long.

It is important that patients continue with this monitoring as often as needed to try and prevent any conditions from getting worse.

If you think you are due an annual review please contact us using our Online Consultations.

Have you had a blood test that has shown low levels of Vitamin D?

Here are a few tips of how to up your daily intake…

• Eating foods that are naturally high in vitamin D, for example:
  • Tuna, mackerel, and salmon (not tinned) – as they are high in good fats and oils
  • Orange juice & soy milk
  • Cereals
  • Mushrooms
  • Cheese
  • Egg yolks
• Having enough exposure to sun light, around 20-25 minutes in summer around 10 am – 3pm
• Purchasing a vitamin supplement; the recommended daily intake is 1000 units. Please consult your pharmacist or local health food store.

References:

For more information about Vitamin D intake, take a look at the link below;

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-D.aspx

https://patient.info/bones-joints-muscles/osteoporosis-leaflet/vitamin-d-deficiency

If you have a recent problem with your eyes such as;

• Sore eyes
• Red eyes
• Visual disturbances

You can be assessed and treated by the Minor Eye Conditions Service.

FREE NHS appointments available at participating opticians.

Please visit the website below for more information about the service including how to book an appointment and who is eligible for this service.

https://www.wakefieldccg.nhs.uk/home/patient-in-wakefield/local-services/minor-eye-conditions-service/

Whether you want to lose weight or be active, the Aspire Health Programme brought to you by Wakefield Council, can help you in becoming healthier and will support you to make changes that will lead to improvements in your overall health. 

There are a range of options available to suit your needs taking into consideration any existing health and medical conditions you may have.  

All members of the Aspire Health team will provide you with a professional and confidential service and help you on your journey to improved overall health.

Click here for referral.

Whether you want to lose weight or be active, the Aspire Health Referral Programme can help you in becoming healthier and will support you to make changes that will lead to improvements in your overall health.

Most patients can self refer to this service without needing to see a GP first.

Visit the website below to find out more about the services that may be right for you.

http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/sport-health-and-leisure/healthy-living/aspire-health-referral

There are currently 200,000 new Type 2 diabetes diagnoses every year. If trends persist, one in three people will be obese by 2034 and one in 10 will develop Type 2 diabetes.

There is strong international evidence which demonstrates how behavioural interventions, which support people to maintain a healthy weight and be more active, can significantly
reduce the risk of developing the condition.

The Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme identifies those at high risk and refers them onto a behaviour change programme.

The NHS DPP is a behaviour change programme that helps those at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes significantly reduce their chances of getting the disease.

Participants receive support to change their lifestyle in a friendly and supportive group environment, facilitated by specialist staff trained in behaviour change and diabetes prevention and recruited from the local community.

Participant journey

On referral, we conduct an individual assessment, including a BMI check and, where appropriate, very brief advice on smoking cessation.

Participants then attend 13 one hour group sessions over 40 weeks. They receive extensive supporting resources, including handouts, trackers and a pedometer. Designed by experts, our multi-component intervention is underpinned by a decade of research into community-based diabetes prevention and includes:

• Be Aware – Understanding health risks
• Eat Well – Nutrition guidance
• Take Control – Behaviour change
• Move More – Physical activity support

For those who are not able to attend our group sessions, they can access the service through a digital app provided by our partner Our Path.

You can access this programme by calling 0800 092 1191

Our practice is proud to support the NHS Cervical Screening (smear test) Programme. If you’ve been invited for cervical screening, we hope you’ll choose to have it.

Cervical screening saves lives because it allows us to find changes in the cervix before they develop into something more serious and before you may have symptoms. It tests for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which is the most common cause of cervical cancer. The test is free, takes around five minutes and is available to anyone aged 25 to 64 with a cervix.

If you have questions about cervical screening or need information about cervical screening in another language, the links below should help you:

• Cervical Screening Easy Read Leaflet
• Jo’s Trust Easy Guide to Cervical Screening
• Jo’s Trust Guide to Cervical Screening Video (available in Bengali, Dari, Farsi, Gujurati, Hindi, Kurdish, Mandarin, Pashto, Roma, Somali, Tamil, Ukrainian and Urdu)

You can also contact us here at the practice and chat with one of our practice nurses. They’ll be happy to help.