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Get Your Smear Done Right Here!

Download the flyer for this service here.
Southport and Formby town centres are welcoming a trial of an important new initiative throughout July, aimed at enhancing women’s health: Cervical Screening on the Living Well bus. This innovative service offers a convenient and accessible way for women to receive their cervical screening, also known as a smear test, without the need for an appointment.

Dates and Locations

The Living Well bus will be stationed at various locations throughout July. Here’s where and when you can find it:
Southport:
Outside 12 Church Street (next to St Marks Medical Centre):
Tuesday, 2nd July (1pm-6:30pm)
Friday, 5th July (10:30am-4pm)
Chapel Street (outside Caffé Nero):
Tuesdays, 9th, 16th, and 23rd July (1pm-6:30pm)
Fridays, 12th, 19th, and 26th July (10:30am-4pm)
Formby:
Waitrose Carpark:
Saturdays, 13th and 27th July (10:30am-4pm)

Why Cervical Screening is Important

Cervical screening is an important procedure that helps prevent cervical cancer. It’s not a test to diagnose cancer but rather a preventive measure. During the screening, a sample of cells is taken from the cervix using a soft plastic brush. This sample is then tested for high-risk HPV, the virus responsible for most cervical cancers. If HPV is found, the cells are further checked for any changes that could potentially develop into cancer.

What to Expect

The service is straightforward and respectful. Upon arrival, each participant will have a consultation where the procedure is explained. The screening itself is quick and conducted by female NHS staff. The Living Well bus aims to make cervical screening as accessible as possible, allowing women who are due or overdue for their test to drop in without prior booking.

A Collaborative Effort

This initiative is a pilot program run by Southport and Formby Primary Care Network (PCN) in partnership with the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership. The goal is to increase the number of women getting screened by providing a flexible and convenient option outside of traditional healthcare settings.

Encouraging Participation

By making cervical screening more accessible, it helps protect women from the risk of cervical cancer. If you’re due or overdue for your cervical screening, take advantage of this opportunity. Drop by the Living Well bus at any of the listed times and locations to get screened. No appointment is necessary, and you can benefit from a professional and supportive environment.
For more information on cervical screening, visit the Eve Appeal website here.
Remember, cervical screening can save lives. It’s a simple step to protect your health, and the Living Well bus is here to make it easier than ever.
Join us in celebrating this initiative and help spread the word to ensure every woman in Southport and Formby can benefit from this essential service.



Content provided by Southport and Formby Health.
NHS Pharmacies in Cheshire and Merseyside to begin treating people for common conditions
Patients in Cheshire and Merseyside will be able to get treatment for seven common conditions through their high street pharmacy from today, as part of a major transformation in the way the NHS delivers care.

95% of community pharmacies in the region will be offering the ground-breaking new initiative known as Pharmacy First, making it easier and more convenient for people to access care.
Highly trained pharmacists will be able to assess and treat patients for each of the following conditions, without the need for a GP appointment or prescription first:
sinusitis
sore throat
earache
infected insect bite
impetigo
shingles
uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women
The Pharmacy First service will be available to patients on referral by their GP practice, NHS 111, and NHS Walk-in Centres/Urgent Treatment Centres – as well as by contacting their pharmacy directly.
Susanne Lynch, Chief Pharmacist for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said:
Information:”I’m really pleased that the vast majority of pharmacies in Cheshire and Merseyside have chosen to take part in the Pharmacy First scheme, in order to help deliver improvements in care for patients.
“Community pharmacies are already delivering more than 10,000 patient interventions in a high street pharmacy setting each month in Cheshire and Merseyside, and this service will significantly expand that offer.
“Our pharmacy teams are working hard to build these new services into their daily workload, and we hope that members of the public will take full advantage of the offer as a fast and convenient way to access treatment for these conditions.”
The Pharmacy First service will build on existing patient services for treating minor conditions available in a pharmacy setting, as well as blood pressure testing and oral contraception services which were made available in more community pharmacies from the end of last year.

The scheme is a key part of the government’s primary care access recovery plan, which committed to making accessing healthcare treatment and advice easier for millions of people.

Karen O’Brien, Chief Pharmacist for NHS England, North West added:
Information:”Community pharmacy colleagues already play a vital role in keeping local communities healthy and well, and now under this new service they can do even more. Each pharmacy has a private consultation room, highly trained pharmacists and support staff who can see and treat patients, and if appropriate offer medication.
“Although the service launches from today, it will take some time for pharmacies and the public to get used to this new way of working, so I ask that people be patient and support our teams as much as possible.”
This service is designed to ease pressure on clinician appointments by serving patients with minor illnesses and concerns during winter pressure between 22nd Jan 2024 till 31st March 2024. Appointments are all face to face and only suitable for one problem and will last 10 minutes. PCN will be running this service from Lincoln House Surgery, 33 Lincoln Road, Southport PR8 4AR
There are lots of viruses that cause sore throats, coughs and colds to circulate, especially over winter. These usually get better without needing any special medical treatment or medicine.  However, children can occasionally develop a bacterial infection on top of a virus and that can make them more unwell.One of these bacteria is called Group A Strep (GAS), it’s very common, is not new and can be treated, responding well to antibiotics.  It has been in the news over the last few days as it has been found in some children who have become very sick, very quickly. Fortunately, this is still very rare.Most children recover well after a mild illness.  Your child may be poorly for a few days but will usually recover well. Antibiotics may help them recover quicker, but they are not always needed.  There is more GAS around this winter than in recent years, causing a lot of children to be unwell. We think this is because there is much more mixing now and these bugs are new to many young children, so they are more likely to catch and spread them.Signs that suggest your child might have Strep throat are:• Fever within the last 24 hours• White spots at the back of their throat (pus on their tonsils)• Very large or red tonsils• Sore (tender) lumps under their chin• If they have become poorly quickly over the past couple of days• No cough or runny noseIf you are concerned that your child might have these, contact 111 or the surgery.Antibiotics are not routinely recommended as a preventative treatment and should only be taken when recommended by your doctor.If there are cases identified in a child’s class, any child showing symptoms should be assessed by their GP and will be prescribed antibiotics if needed. Children are not infectious after 24 hours on treatment and can return to school once they’re feeling well enough after this period.Good hand and respiratory hygiene are also important for stopping the spread of many bugs. By teaching your child how to wash their hands properly with soap for 20 seconds, using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes, and keeping away from others when feeling unwell, they will be able to reduce the risk of picking up, or spreading, infections.Keep unwell children off school or nursery and away from vulnerable adults and children.We know that when there are lots of viruses circulating, like flu. Reducing these viruses through vaccination can help protect against GAS outbreaks and is the best way to make sure they are protected from serious illnesses.
Patients are now able to book appointments with the doctor via Patient Access. Appointments will be unlocked throughout the week so there’s no urgency to call the practice at 08:00 for routine appointments (this also applies to online appointments). More appointments will be available over the coming weeks as the old appointment system is gradually replaced.
We are pleased to announce that our appointments system is undergoing changes to make appointments more accessible to patients. This work will be implemented over the coming weeks and will involve an increase in the number of face-to-face appointments we offer to patients, online appointment booking with doctors and appointments that are opened throughout the week so that you don’t have to call us at 08:00 to book routine appointments. Further announcements will be forthcoming.
We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website. We hope that our patients find it easier to navigate and we will be adding new features and pages based on patient feedback in the comings months.
“We advise users of Patient Access to check the name and email address of the sender, all emails from Patient Access will come via an email address that ends in @patientaccess.com. We advise users never to click on any log in links that you receive via email but to visit the site via the address bar of your browser instead so that you know you are on the genuine Patient Access log in page. You can find more information and guidance on our information security page here: https://www.patientaccess.com/security  We strongly advise users to set up their Memorable Word security feature, as well as using biometrics (fingerprint ID) if they use the app.  Email addresses used to register for Patient Access account are secure. We do not share any data and no data is ever saved or stored on any device you use to access Patient Access.”