Vere Foster Medical Group

news

Happy Christmas & Best Wishes for 2012 From All at the Practice.

Please see below for closing dates and times over the christmas and the New Year period.

The Practice will close half day on Friday 23rd December 2011, for urgent medical advice between 12.00pm and 6.00pm please contact 07743498292

After 6pm 23/12/2011 and on 26th & 27th December please contact North & West Urgent Care on 028 90744447.

The practice will be open on Wednesday 28th, 29th & 30th.

We will close half day on Friday 30th and for Urgent medical advice between 12.00pm - 6pm please call 07743498292 after 6pm & on 2nd January 2012 please call North & West Urgent Care on 028 90744447

The practice will resume normal opening hours on Tuesday 3rd January 2012.

Merry Christmas

Health Charities

01 Dec - 28 Feb
Marie Curie

Marie Curie Cancer Care is a UK charity dedicated to the care of people with terminal cancer and other illnesses. Over the financial year 2010/11, we reached a total of 31,799 patients

01 Dec - 28 Feb
YouthHealthTalk

Youthhealthtalk enables young people, their family and friends, and professionals such as doctors and teachers to understand young people's experiences of health, illness and life in general. The website feature real-life accounts of issues such as effect on work and education, social life and relationships, consulting health professionals and treatment.

03 Sep - 28 Feb
Macmillan Cancer Support

One in three of us will get cancer and it’s the toughest thing most of us will ever face. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, or a loved one has, you’ll want a team of people in your corner supporting you every step of the way. Macmillan provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care.

BBC Health

Government defeat over NHS bill

The government loses the first of a series of votes in the House of Lords on its controversial plans to overhaul the NHS in England.

Gene therapy 'gave me sight back'

Three US citizens who lost their sight in childhood have reported a dramatic improvement in vision after having gene therapy in both eyes.

Bug found in more hospital taps

Pseudomonas is detected in water outlets in the neonatal units at three more hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Man seeks assisted suicide ruling

A severely disabled man with "locked-in syndrome" has urged a judge not to decide to halt his High Court action to let a doctor end his life.

Care provider in new debt talks

The UK's largest care provider, Four Seasons, is in talks to find money to refinance its debts, but it denies union claims it is in financial difficulty.

Parkinson's cells 'made in lab'

Scientists in the US have successfully made human brain cells in the lab that are an exact replica of genetically caused Parkinson's disease.

Suicidal woman 'failed' by trust

A Stockport couple whose depressed daughter hanged herself after being allowed home from hospital win a six-year court battle.

Call for 'joined-up' elderly care

Older people needing social care are being let down and "passed like parcels" between fragmented services, a group of MPs says.

Hundreds seek NHS implant advice

Almost 1,000 private patients with PIP breast implants have contacted the NHS, according to MPs.

Lansley 'has PM's full support'

Andrew Lansley has David Cameron's "full support", despite a Downing Street source reportedly saying the health secretary "should be taken out and shot".

Health Protection Agency

Development made in breakdown of a Meningitis B vaccine component

Scientists from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) are a step closer to ensuring the stability of a component of a vaccine that may one day be used to protect against Meningitis B. The research is published today (Tuesday) in Vaccine.

Current alert level: Level 3 - Cold Weather Action in one or more regions of England

There is a 100% probability of severe cold weather/icy conditions between 1000 on Wednesday and 1100 on Saturday in parts of England. This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services.

Update on Legionnaires’ Cluster Associated with a Hotel in Spain

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is aware of nine cases of Legionnaires’ disease in English holiday makers associated with the Diamante Beach Hotel in Calpe, Costa Blanca since January 2012, in addition to four Spanish cases so far reported. Subsequently two of the English patients are reported to have died from their illness.

Outbreak of Salmonella Newport

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is investigating an outbreak of a strain of Salmonella Newport infection among 30 people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the beginning of December 2011. Cases of illness caused by the same strain have been confirmed in Scotland, Ireland and Germany.

Health Protection Agency confirms new incinerator study

A new study to further extend the evidence base as to whether emissions from modern well run Municipal Waste Incinerators affect human health has been approved by the Health Protection Agency.

HPA helps solve radon problems in West Oxfordshire homes

Hundreds of homes across West Oxfordshire have been found to have high levels of radioactive gas radon. Last summer, the Health Protection Agency invited about 9,000 householders across West Oxfordshire to apply for a free test for radon, a naturally occurring gas present in all homes.

HPA helps solve radon problems in Orkney homes

Hundreds of householders across Orkney are being advised to act to protect their health, after HPA tests detected high levels of radioactive gas radon.

Cornish radon hotspot targeted

Thousands of households in a part of Cornwall with historic radon problems are being offered a free test for levels of the radioactive gas radon.

New Guidelines to Control Group A Streptococcal (GAS) Infections in UK Hospitals Launched

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) together with the group A streptococcal (GAS) Working Group* has today launched new guidelines for the investigation, control and prevention of GAS infection in acute healthcare settings, including maternity units, in the UK.

Whooping cough cases increase

Cases of whooping cough (pertussis) reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in England and Wales have more than doubled from 421 cases in 2010 to 1040 in 2011. Increases in levels of whooping cough are seen every three to four years and figures in 2011 are in line with cases reported in the last peak year of 2008.

Doctors

Nursing Staff

Practice Team

Healthcare Team

Doctors

Dr B Toal (m)
MB BCH BAO MRCP MRCGP DRCOG (QUB 1982)

Dr C Kelly (f)
MB BCH BAO MRCGP DGM DMH DCH (QUB 1999)

Dr Nichola Brown (f)

Nurses

Mrs Bernie Dowds (f)
Practice Nurse

Mrs Geraldine Wright (f)
Treatment Room Nurse

Mrs Hazel Deering (f)

Ms Amanda Betts (f)

Phlebotomists

Mrs Lisa Whiteside (f)

Practice Management

Mr Damian Denver (m)
Practice Manager (Partner)

Mrs Shiela McNally (m)
Office Manager

Reception

Mrs Jennifer McClure (f)

Mrs Mary Austin (f)

Mrs Martine McKenna (f)

Mrs Louise Adams (f)

Miss Laura Dowds (f)

Ms Victoria Stafford (f)

Mrs Geraldine Kelly (f)

Community Midwives

Your Community Midwife can provide advice on all aspects of your preganancy. They provide antenatal care in your GP surgery , visit you and your baby at home following transfer from hospital and are involved in running support groups in the area.

Community Nurses

The role of the District Nurse is to provide nursing care, advice and health promotion to those patients who are house bound. Referral to the service usually comes via GP or hospital. The nurse in partnership with the patient/relatives will identify nursing problems and plan appropriate nursing care.

Health Visitors

Your Health Visitor is a registered nurse with further specialist training in Community Nursing and Child Development. The Health Visitor can visit you at home and can help you with all aspects of caring for and managing a new baby. The Health Visitor will also help you to understand the emotional and physical development of your growning child (0-18 years) and support you through the stressful times. The Health Visitor can give sensible, practical and professional advice to all members of the family on what you can do to stay healthy.

Further Information

For quick medical advice online contact NHS Direct