Supporting people with dementia to maintain independence this World Alzheimer's Month

There are lots of support services in Warwickshire to provide help for those diagnosed with dementia and their loved ones.

Did you know, there are over 8000 estimated to be living with dementia in Warwickshire? And that number does not include those caring for people with the condition.

Early diagnosis of dementia can help people to make sense of the symptoms and access support and guidance as soon possible, it allows for:

  • The person living with dementia and their family to seek out informed advice and get a better understanding

  • Identifying the type of support that will work best for them

  • Allowing everyone to make informed decisions and plan for the future

For those in the early stages of dementia who are able to live independently, there is assistive technology available to support them. There are many different types of assistive technology, from memo-minders that can announce a pre-recorded message to remind people to do something, to items that can help around the home or whilst out and about.

AskSARA is a self-help guide that can support people in identifying equipment, gadgets and technology that could be useful to maintain their independence. Find out more here:

AskSARA

There are a number of dementia support groups and activities from Dementia Cafes to art workshops that can help Warwickshire residents adjust to their dementia diagnosis and relate to others. Learn more about these here:

Help and support in your local area – Living Well With Dementia

Dementia Connect in Warwickshire is a service provided by Alzheimer’s Society and is funded by the Warwickshire County Council. It is a personalised service for anyone with dementia, their carers, family, and friends. The service can connect you with free support and advice available by phone and online. It can offer emotional and practical support, a listening ear, suggestions on coping through these difficult times, and advice about other services that may also be able to help. To get support you can:

Warwickshire County Council’s Living Well with Dementia website also provides support and practical advice to everyone and can help those living with dementia as well as those who support someone with dementia to understand more about the condition, prepare for the future and access other services.

Living well with dementia

Vaccination season is upon us!

Image by Scot Harris

Vaccination season is quickly approaching, and we are beginning to invite people for their flu jabs in preparation for this coming winter!

This Saturday, 21st September, we will begin vaccinating pregnant women against flu, whilst also continuing administering the RSV vaccine for all eligible patients (pregnant women and those aged 75-79 years).

Next Saturday, we will continue with Flu jabs for pregnant patients, RSV vaccines for eligible patients, and we will also be running a Fluenz Clinic for children aged 2-3 years and at risk children.

SMS invitations with booking links are being sent this week!

Starting on 5th October and running every Saturday into November, we will be running our flu clinics for those aged 65 years + and the at risk under 65s!

We have initially invited the over 65s, we have sent out SMS messages for this and our first clinic is almost full!

The at risk under 65s will be invited for their flu jab via SMS in the 1-2 weeks.

We have not received any information regarding delivery dates for the Covid jabs this year, we hope to know more soon and we will update you as soon as we do!

A big thank you goes to Scot Harris and Tarc the Robot, for designing and providing the artwork for this years vaccination campaign!

St Wulfstan Surgery proud to sponsor Southam in Bloom 2024

Southam in bloom photo, taken July 2024

As we wake up on this very chilly September morning, we thought we would share something to remind us of the summer that is quickly leaving us

This year, we were proud to have sponsored a flower box for Southam in Bloom 2024!

You can find it on Market Hill, on the footpath by Southam Library!

It has grown a lot since the first photograph was taken in July, the image below was taken just last week!

Southam in bloom photo, taken September 2024

Goodbye & Welcome: New GP Trainees

St Wulfstan Surgery is proud to be a GP Training Practice, meaning we support training GP’s become fully fledged GP’s. As part of this process we are sad to have to say goodbye to our excellent GP Trainees, Dr Nathan Mulligan and Dr Sachet Nangia, who have moved on to their next placement.

But we are happy to introduce our newest GP Trainees, Dr Isabel Rodriguez and Dr Chris Harper who have started seeing patients at the surgery and will be with us until December.

Welcome Isabel & Chris!

Free Community Health Programmes from Sky Blues in the Community

Sky Blues in the Community deliver free community health & wellbeing programmes across Coventry, Nuneaton, Warwick & Leamington targeting those living with a dementia diagnosis or mental health concerns.

All sessions provide free access to sport, opportunities to meet new people, specialist support & occasional social activities (e.g. attending CCFC game, stadium tours, Mental Health football league etc.)

Two services are on offer, these are:

All sessions are completely free of charge, all they require is a completed referral form beforehand. You can self-refer to the session, and referrals can also be completed by a health professional, family member or friend. Each person referred will be contacted by a member of Sky Blues in The Community once the referral has been received.

MENtalk referral form

To refer yourself or a friend/family member to MENtalk:


Dementia active referral form

To refer yourself or a friend/family member to DEMENTIA active:

New RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Vaccine available for pregnant patients & patients aged 75-79

we are offering a free vaccine for eligible patients, with clinics running on saturday’s in september

What is RSV?

Respiratory Syncytial virus is a common cause of  lower respiratory tract infections resulting in illness including pneumonia

Who can have the vaccine?

Pregnant patients can have the vaccine from week 28 of their pregnancy

Every adult turning 75 years on or after 1st September 2024 will be offered a single dose, and this year it will be offered to those already aged 75-79 years on 1st September 2024 as part of a catch up programme. You can get the vaccine up to the day before you turn 80

What is the vaccination process?

The RSV vaccine is called the Abrysvo vaccine - it is a single dose of an inactive vaccine, given as an Intramuscular injection

What are the side effects?

The same as most vaccinations, the main side effects are mild like redness, swelling around the injection site, headache, etc.

Can I have it with my other jabs?

The RSV vaccine can be given with the shingles and pneumonia vaccines
There needs to be a 1 week gap between the RSV vaccine and the flu and Covid vaccines
During pregnancy, there needs to be a 2 week gap between the RSV vaccine and the Whooping Cough (Pertussis) vaccine

When can I have it?

Clinics for RSV vaccines are running on Saturday’s in September - 7th and 14th are now available for booking, from 8am-4pm

How can I book it?

Self-booking links will be sent via SMS to eligible patients with a mobile phone number. You can also book appointments by calling our reception team

For more information regarding the RSV vaccine in pregnancy, please visit:

For more information regarding the RSV vaccine in older adults, please visit:

RSV leaflet - ADULT
RSV pregnancy leaflet

Need Help Using NHS Online Services? Pop In - Lighthorne Heath Village Hall

Online services, such as the NHS App, have made it easier than ever to contact the surgery, book and cancel appointments, order repeat medications, get advice and view your medical record.

But we realise not everyone can access these services, or know how to access these services. So we want to help.

The next stop on our travels is Lighthorne Heath Village Hall. We have arranged a drop in session where our Operations Team will be on hand to help you access and learn how to use online services such as the NHS App.

Even ff you don’t have a computer or smart device then please feel free to attend and we can show you how to access these services.

If you’re struggling to access services on your laptop or smartphone then please bring it along and we will be on hand to help you.

And there is no need to book, just drop in.

We look forward to seeing you!

Welcome Jo Hamilton - Our Quality and Patient Experience Lead

Welcome Jo

As a sign of our commitment to providing the highest quality of care and best patient experience we are pleased to announce the appointment of Jo Hamilton as our new Quality and Patient Experience Lead.

This role has been created to ensure high quality care is delivered at the practice, and the experience of patients remains at the heart of everything we do.

Jo brings with her a wealth of experience, most recently as the Warwickshire East PCN Digital & Transformation Lead.

A few words from Jo:

“My name is Jo Hamilton and I am thrilled to be joining St Wulfstan Surgery as the new Quality and Patient Experience Lead starting on the 19th August.
With 10 years’ experience in the NHS, I am passionate about patient care and wanting to make a difference. I am really keen to share the surgery’s values of care, quality and compassion for our patients and their families.”
— Jo Hamilton
“My name is Jo Hamilton and I am thrilled to be joining St Wulfstan Surgery as the new Quality and Patient Experience Lead starting on the 19th August.
With 10 years’ experience in the NHS, I am passionate about patient care and wanting to make a difference. I am really keen to share the surgery’s values of care, quality and compassion for our patients and their families.”
— Jo Hamilton

St Wulfstan Surgery - National Primary Care Provider Of The Year Finalists 2024!

We are really proud to have been named as a Finalist in the National and prestigious HSJ Awards 2024 for the award of Primary and Community Care Provider of the Year. In fact, we are the only GP surgery in the country to be named as a finalist in this category, this year.

This is a really significant achievement for the surgery and has only been made possible by the incredible relationship we have with you, our amazing patients, and the incredible dedication of our staff. We remain committed and dedicated to offering the highest quality of care to everyone, and to have this recognition is fantastic.

We thank you all again for your support, and remain proud and privileged to be at your service!

The winner of the award will be named on 21st November 2024 in London.

Need Help Using NHS Online Services? Pop In...

Online services, such as the NHS App, have made it easier than ever to contact the surgery, book and cancel appointments, order repeat medications, get advice and view your medical record.

But we realise not everyone can access these services, or know how to access these services. So we want to help.

We have arranged 4 drop in sessions where our Operations Team will be on hand to help you access and learn how to use online services such as the NHS App.

If you don’t have a computer or smart device then please feel free to attend our Southam Library sessions where, as long as you are a Warwickshire resident and bring ID with your address, then we can show you how to access these services. And you can always attend the Library to use these computers and online services in the future.

If you’re struggling to access services on your laptop or smartphone then please bring it along and we will be on hand to help you.

And there is no need to book, just drop in.

We look forward to seeing you!

Beat the heat! Tips for getting better sleep during a heatwave

Is it possible to get a good night’s sleep when it’s hot? We are all familiar with the feeling of tiredness and lethargy following a poor night’s sleep in the summer, so how can we sleep better when the temperature soars?

The heat affects our sleep; and there are a few reasons for this. Being too hot is uncomfortable for us, and being hot and sweaty at bedtime can make it hard to relax, and to fall asleep. We can also find out that our usual bedtime set up - our thick duvet sets and pyjamas are unsuitable for such weather.

Did you know that our body temperature is linked to sleep regulation? Our core body temperature goes up and down throughout the day in a predictable way, and how sleepy we feel during the day is linked to this. Our body temperature tends to cool down and make us feel tired before we go to sleep, so when we’re too hot at night, this is all thrown out of balance.

An ideal bedroom temperature is around 16-18℃, according to the Sleep Charity, but UK homes are not routinely equipped with air conditioning, so when the outside temperature is hitting the 30℃ mark, it’s likely that our homes are sweltering too. So what can we do to stay cool and sleep better?

  1. Stick to your usual routine
    The heat can make us feel tired during the day because we are using more energy to regulate our temperature and keep cool. However, sticking to your usual bedtime routine can help you sleep at night. If you nap during the day, you may be less likely to sleep at night because you are less tired.

  2. Keep your bedroom as cool as possible
    Professor Kevin Lomas, a professor of building simulation at the University of Loughborough who has studied overheating properties, explains that when it comes to keeping your room cool, timing is important:

“There are lots of things you can do to bring the temperature down by a few degrees. But the trick is doing them at the right times, for example, opening curtains and windows allows air to circulate.
However, the benefits would be neutralised or even reversed if you also allow sunlight to beam in all day - the heat from which becomes trapped in furniture and raises the temperature””
— Professor Kevin Lomas, University of Loughborough

Therefore, it can help to keep curtains and blinds shut during the day.

3. Use an electric fan
Air conditioning is not available to many of us, but an electric fan can do a decent job to help air circulate in your bedroom. A fan helps to encourage sweat evaporating, which makes it easier for our bodies to regulate our internal temperature. Putting a tray of a ice and some water in front of the fan can help to cool the air even more.

4. Use a cold water botte
Filling a hot water bottle with ice cold water and putting it by your feet can help to keep you cool.

5. Change your bedding
Try swapping your usual duvet for a thinner cover. Natural fibres such as cotton and linen are more breathable at night. You may feel too hot to put a cover over you when you go to bed, but once your body temperature drops you may feel cold, so it can be handy to have a thin cover to hand.

6. Drink enough water during the day
Drinking lots of water during the day when it is hot replaces what is lost through peeing and sweating, this avoids dehydration. The guidelines say to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day, but you will need to drink more than this when it’s hot as you will likely sweat more than usual.