Swindon LINk

If people to not stand and fight for the drugs which have been approved for use in the NHS then patients are going to be denied appropriate treatment for their health condition. We either have a NHS or we do not and people need to take stock of exactly how their health needs are going to be addressed in the future as healthcare rationing is already with us.
People did not vote for this but that is the reality of the situation and it can only get worse.
David Cameron insisted that they would not have any top down of the NHS and exactly the opposite has happened.
The NHS will not be here for much longer and I have been informed from a reliable source that it will get worse once the doctors are responsible for the healthcare budget.

Try 1 a few months ago: After setting an appointment (not walk in), comming on time, signing in using the self service (computer) checkin, waiting (shiverring in v high fever) for about 1 hour...

Me: I was waiting for about an hour, just want to check if there is a rough estimate on how much longer before i get seen?

Front desk: Who are you? I've never seen you before?

Me: Errr. What do you mean?

Front desk: What is your birthdate?

Me: DD-MM-YYYY

Front desk: (giggling) you waited for an hour (more giggle)? Your appointment has been cancelled. I tried to call you but cant reach you. (still giggling)

Me: My phone did not ring. I signed in using the self service and it didn't tell me that. You can see from your monitor that I am here waiting and you didn't tell me.

... after a bit more talking and giggling she managed to book me in another appointment.

Front desk: Ok. we'll call you if it gets cancelled.

Me: Can I give you my contact details?

Front desk: Huh? What details?

Me: My home and mobile numbers.

Front desk: Ah that contact detail. (She hands me a paper) - write your address here.

Me: I did not move. I just want to make sure you've got my correct home and mobile numbers.

... In the end I learned Carfax don't have any of my numbers and I didn't bother asking what number they dialed to try notify me of the cancellation. And what number they'll dial if they want to call me in the future.

And why the giggle? Is it too funny to see somebody wait for an hour in total missery because you havent done your job?


Try 2 just now: Me calling Carfax - all the while whoever answered the call sounding annoyed, irritated, and disrespectful even from the very first hi...

Me: Hi. Can I book an appointment?

Carfax: About what?

Me: It's about my toncil.

Carfax: Call again tomorrow 8AM.

Me: Errr... Is it not possible to book an appointment now?

Carfax: What about your toncil?

My thoughts: Why did you want me to call tomorrow and then ask me this?

Me: I've had toncillitis a few times already this year and..

Carfax(interrupting): Come tomorrow 8AM as a walk in.

Me: I just want to talk to a Doctor about my toncil... after a bit of 'struggle', Carfax gave me a date, a time.

Me: I work from 9 to half five. Is there an appointment really early like 7 or half seven even if its 2 weeks from now or so?

Carfax: Did you say 7 or half 7? If you can find a surgery that books you in at 7 or half 7, I will set an appointment for you!

My thoughts: What kind of answer is that? Can you just not say appointments start at X in the morning? Are these the kind of people Carfax employ to provide healthcare?

I am happy to give my real name if needed to file a proper complain. If not, I'd rather stay anonymous. Thank you.

I cannot understand why it is so hard to access out-of-hours care in Swindon now, compared with ten years ago. I have small children and often need to see a GP out of hours, usually for a high temperature or ear infection which will need medication. I used to be able to go to Shrivenham Road, having called and got an appointment. Now, I've got to call, wait for someone to call me back who then decides whether or not I'm worthy to be seen. There then follows a long wait at Cloverleaf (where the last time I was told they were very, very busy so could I wait an hour before turning up). My child had a severe throat infection so adding on another hour of waiting makes a big difference. When I got there I waited about three hours and counted eight people in and out during that time. It was not busy, there were too few staff. Also Cloverleaf can now refuse to see you if the issue is deemed too trivial, sending you to Carfax Street which closes at 8pm. Added to this, you cannot even buy simple medicines over the counter (like Tixylix) for a cold without a GP's prescription now. Why is this happening?

Dear Mrs Trethewey,
Before I write to you regarding my desire to speak with an Occupational Therapist I would like to make it quite clear, on this page, that I did not - as you stated in Link's comment section- make a request for a bed. If you had read my letter to Mr. Osorio properly you would have seen that I asked for help/advice in buying one.
I am sure that you will agree that there is rather a large diffrence in asking the NHS to provide me with an expensive electric adjustable bed and requesting professional advice in the purchase of one. I wanted help in order to avoid buying something totally unsuitable.
Would you please make this quite clear on this site with a retraction of your statement.
I know - from experience - that this type of misinterpretation can rebound - even years later.
Yours sincerely,
Ida Harries

I have been in touch with Social Services and they tell me that SEQOL (they did not know what this stood for! but I looked it up - and guess what - it appears to be a private organization!) Anway the result was that if I need to see an Occupational Therapist - even for simple advice - there is a waiting time of EIGHTEEN WEEKS!
I am horrified - not only for myself but for anyone who needs help. It is disgraceful that we should have to wait all that time for assistance. It is about time that the health service staff pulled themselves together and admit that they cannot look after the health and welfare of the elderly people of their country properly.
It is not shameful to admit that, because we do not have sufficent members of staff, we cannot manage.
When I was a ward sister -many many moons ago - I did not hesitate to ring up 'the office' to say that I could not run my ward efficiently with the number of staff I had. It was my duty to put my patients FIRST no matter what was thought of me. These people in social services need to wake up to THEIR responsibilities and let their superiors know that they are making old - infirm people wait all this long time for help. I dread to think how some of the old people of Swindon are coping with their infirmaties when we have a specialised department that accepts waiting times of 18 weeks as if it was perfectly alright.
I have no alternative but to go for private advice because I cannot wait this long time. I have saved to be able to afford this - many others have not this option.
It is to the shame of the NHS that we have decided to have an extension built to our home in order that we may sleep downstairs and care for ourselves instead of being admitted to a NHS hospital or any Care Home. The nursing of today bears very little resemblance to that of my nursing days and there is no way I would allow any elderly person I love to be 'cared' for in a NHS environment.
As for SEQOL - what on earth do they actually DO ?
Sorry about the rant but at eighty one I feel entitled to express how I feel about a service which was once the envy of the world. I still believe there is time to save it from absolute destruction but someone somewhere has got to get a move on before it is too late.

I fully support the views of Professor Edzard Ernst expressed in his recent review article in "The Biologist"magazine "........the notion that homeopathy is more than a placebo effect can only be upheld by ignoring or misrepresenting the best evidence available...... the assumption that homeopathy cannot harm patients is wrong". As such homeopathy is, at best, pseudoscience and should not attract public funding or resources under any circumstances even within a scenario of plentiful funding!!!!!!!!

I am happy for people to use complementary therapies as in some cases they can be beneficial, even if this is mostly due to the extra care and attention a patient receives and the placebo effect, which can be very powerful and has been demonstrated to be so in clinical trials. However, NHS funds should, in my opinion, be spent on treatments that have been proved to work and are cost effective.

My father and myself were both involved in an accident and he was admitted to hospital.

From day one I told the nurses that I wanted to talk to a social worker as my injuries meant I could not look after my Father when he got out.

They told me that he was coming out and I showed them my walking stick and said I could not physically look after him - they still delivered him to my doorstep and I could not get hold of social services until his doctor has accessed him.

Each time I visit the hospital (which fortunately I have to do rarely) I am never seen at the time on the appointment card. This is unlike the doctor and the dentist where to wait 5-10 minute is unusual. The last time I went to the hospital for a 8.50am appointment I was seen at 11.30 am. No explanation was given. When I asked at 10.15 am if I had been forgotten they were most surprised. No wonder the car park is over full.

In November 2011 I fell and broke my humurus bone so had to make a lot of visits to the hospital. I have no complaint about the care I received, the only thing was my appointment time was most times running late from 30 minutes to an hour.
The after-care I find to be very good as I now go to the shoulder rehabilitation clinic very week for an eight week course which I think is really helping me.
Overall I think we are very lucky to have our National Health Service.

Both of these are excellent services.

i am seen very regular indeed my nurse gives me all the tests needed i can not speak highly enough of her if i have a problem or question then help is only a phone call away im always given a thorough examination on every visit

If only we could book our appointments before we leave the opthalmology outpatient clinic, we would not need to ask for large appointment letters (believed to being sent to MD patients only) and please may we be sent for when our consultant wants to see us - too often this is delayed and this creats such anxiety

My doctors surgery (Priory Road) is 100% and I obtain appointments readily and my hospital experiences and attention are also 100%.

At my doctor if you ring for an appointment you are asked if it is routine or an emergency. Routine appointments are anything up to 10-14 days hence. Emergency within 24 hours. Unsatisfactory in that I'm not a medical professional and in no position to make that sort of judegment. The end result for me was an emergency admission 1 week later with total urinary retention when in Spain. The lack of help or seeing a doctor when called despite the fact that I had a known prostate problem. There was never any follow-up following my original diagnosis and prescription medicine. The slight problem to me clearly was a warning. I paid privately for hospital treatment!

I have suffered from depression for two years and have found the mental health service in Swindon is less than adequate, in fact poor.

“My GP referred me for a bunion correction operation. I had one foot done in May 2011 and the other in December 2011, both at the Devizes NHS treatment centre. Both ops went well and have healed well and my feet feel more robust. I have a high opinion of the staffs' hard work, friendly attitude and competence. The only criticism is that they weren't realistic about the wound-dressing in the first week or so - it bled a lot in each case and had to be changed after 3 or 4 days. Maybe I am unusual, but they should be aware of the possibility.”

For a removal of a gall bladder in 2008, an eye test in 2011 and in 2012 a removal of an impacted tooth. On each occasion the treatment and care was excellent.

Alternative medicine becomes 'mainstream' medicine when this happens so the debate should really be... should the NHS fund medicine which isn't proven to work yet. Lessons should be learnt from the rise in popularity of alternative treatments. Research suggests that much of their success is down to placebo effects gained from having more time with a doctor and more pleasant surroundings, which although expensive in the short term, tends to pay off (which is why we're starting to see more NHS funding of Alt medicine!)

There will always be commercial pressure from the companies producing these alternative treatments. They're producing drugs much cheaper so have much more money to spend on marketing and lobbying! I'd urge NHS Swindon to stick to it's guns and not give in.

There are around 10,000 1st Gulf War Veterans suffering due to taking pyrostigmine bromide,having multiple vaccinations and low grade exposure to Sarin Gas,just some examples of exposure to a variety of agents.
There are a number of 1st Gulf War Vets: in Swindon

Thank you for taking the time post your comments about the Trust and the local NHS in general.

With regards to the issue you mention about the Walk in Centre at Carfax, this service is not managed by our Trust and you would therefore need to speak to SEQOL the organisation that provides the service there. Their web address is: http://www.seqol.org and I am sure they would be happy to hear your suggestions as to how it could be improved.

At the Great Western Hospital we encourage patients to only attend the Emergency Department if it is a genuine emergency, often people attend the department with illnesses that could have been treated more quickly and more appropriately in other health settings i.e. local Pharmacy, NHS Direct or Walk in Centre.

We've got some useful tips on our website providing information on what you should do in an emergency: http://www.gwh.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/in-an-emergency

I am pleased you have had a positive experience in other aspects of your treatment at the GWH and I will share your comment with the staff mentioned.

Many thanks
Kevin

On the plus side people with slight phobias of surgery or hospital are more likely to approach a doctor in store. More convenient times and possibly less queues than at surgery. Possibly a "safety net". For example if a patient hadn't had the importance of some symptons picked up by their own GP, a different doctor might make a diagnosis catching things before they get worse.

On the minus side would they be just for drop-ins so could you still see your own GP? How would they incorporate the medical notes if this was the case? Would they be qualified doctors? Would they be from a GP practice therefore being "shared" and maybe overworked?

I am very happy with my own GP but I am old enough to remember having the family doctor when I was a child. He was responsible for us day or night! Impossible for one person now, so many patients.

Written by a doctor who suffers from cancer and he uses alternative rather than conventional medicine that involves chemo etc.

Good article to share with family and friends.

Subject: Cancer treatment is about making money...provoking thoughts

I posted this article, which may have some provoking thoughts:

The below is absolutely 100% true and as a doctor I have been telling people this for 15 years now. No one wants to listen. Folks need to wake up. Cancer treatment is about making money. It is a 120 billion dollar a year industry in the United States alone and estimated to be a 600 billion dollar a year industry worldwide.

A successful cancer case according to the American Cancer Society and the American College of Oncology and Hematology means that the person survives for 5 years. Both the American Cancer Society and the American College of Oncology and Hematology admit that a person is likely to survive cancer for 7 to 10 years even if they do absolutely NOTHING. Of course, only the doctors get those magazines - not you, the cancer patient.

Alternative medicine's track record of curing cancer is 10 times higher than that of conventional medicine. Note that I say CURE.

Remember another thing. A TUMOR is just a symptom. It is not the cause of cancer.

Science is cause and effect. Remove the cause and the effect disappears.

I am in my third battle with cancer right now. I have not done any chemotherapy or radiation or surgery for any of my bouts with cancer. I survived leukemia, I survived Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma and now I have Glioblastoma which is supposedly an incurable form of brain cancer. I was given two months to live 5 months ago.

I have been using Chinese herbs, high doses of vitamin C, acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy and nutritional changes. Yes, at first it got worse. It had metastasized to my lymph nodes, my lungs and my bones. As of this week, I am happy to say that there is no evidence now of any cancer in my lymph system or my bones. I had 6 tumors in my lungs, now there are only two. The tumors in my brain have shrunken tremendously. I never did any of their chemo, radiation or surgery.

Here is a very interesting statistic that you can only have access to by being a doctor. Every year more than 1,000 doctors oncologists (cancer doctors) are diagnosed with cancer. Less than 10% of them choose to do the treatment that they have been giving to their patients. Sort of like the fact that less than 25% of all pediatricians vaccinate their own children because of the fact that the risk of sudden death or serious side effects from the vaccination is higher than the risk of catching the disease one is being vaccinated for. This is not bullshit people - it is truth.

Medicine is about money, not about your health and the system traps people, especially the elderly, disabled and poor into a deadly treatment regime that puts them in an early grave. Meanwhile, all the jet set billionaires are flying off to Europe and paying big bucks for alternative treatments and getting cured.

Does alternative medicine work all the time? No. Of course not. Nothing works all the time. But there is a reason for that. You don't die until it's your time to die. Nothing can make you live longer than that time.

However quality of life comes into play. Those cancer patients who use alternative therapies for their cancer, yet still die from the illness, suffer a much higher quality of life. They die able to spend time with their families and even recognize their family members. They don't become emaciated like those who do chemotherapy or radiation do and rarely is a person who goes under the treatment of chemotherapy able to recognize anyone for the last few days of their lives. Their bodies become ravaged to the point that you can't even recognize them either. They suffer at a much much higher rate and they have one let down after another as doctors tell them, ahhh - it's looking good, only to tell them on the next visit it's looking worse, you need more chemo and radiation.

What is criminal about this is that YOUR DOCTORS KNOW THIS SHIT.

I took an oath as a physician. I have always followed it. That has certainly not made me successful financially as a doctor because I have consistently refused to go along with conventional medicine's bullshit.

Read the below carefully. It may indeed make a difference in your life.

Rick Cantrell, PhD, MD, PsyD

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY', BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins :

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7.Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

*CANCER CELLS FEED ON:-
a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat, like chicken. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C)..

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

1. No plastic containers in micro.
2. No water bottles in freezer.
3. No plastic wrap in microwave..
Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well.

Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

Recently, Dr Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin.
So, such things as TV dinners, instant Top Ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead. Tricia Neville

The Demonstrator Site project and Carer Liaison Team did great work spreading good practice through training professionals in health and social care and developing processes to identify and assess carers. But with both these projects now at an end, there is a risk that the good work achived so far will be unravelled. In research into carers' views undertaken at Carers Rights Day, we found most carers still felt that they were not being identified and were not being included in planning or valued as an expert care partner by professionals.

Meanwhile, as K Henson says, Caring with Confidence was found to be very helpful by most carers attending, and funding for more training for carers should also be a priority.

Carers in the UK deliver £119 billion worth of care, and it is in society's interest to enable carers to continue to provide that care - and even to increase their caring role as statutory services get squeezed. But carers themselves need to be able to get training and support if they are to meet the challenges that being a carer brings. Moreover, the full value that carers can bring will only be realised when professionals work alongside carers as part of the care team.

One item I feel strongly about is a waste prescription medication. There is not a tight enough grip on how its dispensed to patients. When medication changes, sometimes doctors do not delete the old prescription from the records meaning more waste and the need for chemists to destroy the old.

Dear Sir/madam,

I was unsure that swindon had a treatment centre, what does it do? I have MS I am particularly interested in what the treatment centre may be able to provide.

Yours Faithfully Mr G Grant.

If most of our everyday health problems can be treated so much more quickly and effectively by nutritional therapy, why is it not currently available on the NHS. It would save the medical profession a huge amount of work.

Why are drugs are being given as a temporary fix when so many everyday problems could be eradicated completely and permanently by simply by drinking more water, screening for food allergies, and changing to a more natural diet. It would reduce our drugs bill astronomically, and prevent untold unnecessary suffering.

Example: eczema, asthma & wheezing - dehydration and dairy products are about the most common causes of all this misery, but modern medicine has a different mind set, it does not seriously consider diet in such cases, and never would. Why is it still being allowed to suppress the symptoms with drugs when there is a safe, speedy, cost free natural cure. The market for asthma drugs is bottomless.

BE CAREFFUL: Cutting out dairy products could provoke a severe asthmA attack when you try it again. Simple instructions on cutting out dairy products safely in are in 'The Hay Diet Made Easy' by Jackie Habgood Also read 'Your Body's Many Cries for water' by Dr. F. Batmanghelidj - about dhydration and asthma and much, much more.You will be very surprised at what you read..
.

Fabulous service! I would always choose to travel 10 miles to have treatment or consultations here as opposed to GWH. Parking is free, you are never kept waiting, staff are only too pleased to help if required. A1 service everytime. Currently waiting for a minor op on my ear and the whole process has been very efficient from start to finish - well done Cirencester!

Why are taxis taking just ONE patient at a time to treatment centres. If patients from swindon were give appointment about the same time surely it would save all this money wasted on individual taxis.

Full details are in 'Get Well with the Hay Diet' by Jackie Habgood, it is a step by step guide to a natural recovery. It works fast.
We therefore need to first consult a nutritional therapist (not a dietitian!) to identify vitamin and mineral deficiencies, food intolerances, and devise the right diet for each individual making us responsible for his own health, in co-operation with the therapist. This would save much valuable medical time and avoid expensive drugs and operations, making very many unnecessary.
Diet before drugs!
Any system of medicine which puts drugs before diet is dangerous and appallingly expensive. Drugs are the commercial approach to illness, palliative not curative, the market for drugs is therefore bottomless.
Complementary medicine is the ancient art of medicine, incomprehensible to scientific minds, it is plain common sense. It was all we had before scientific medicine came in. It is surprisingly powerful, it has been proved over centuries of human experience. It aims to restore every organ to normal function, including the brain.
All this is further explained in my book. I also wrote 'The Hay Diet Made Easy'. Both books are the result of many years of unnecessary suffering.

The older we get, the more likely we are to get diabetes, specifically type 2. Around 1 in 7 older people have diabetes and these numbers are likely to rise.
Although no-one completely understands the causes of diabetes, if you control the risk factors, you can reduce your chances of getting it.
The facts about diabetes
Since 1996, the number of people with diabetes has increased from 1.4 million to 2.6 million. By 2025, it’s estimated that more than 4 million will have diabetes in the UK.
9 out of 10 of these cases are type 2 diabetes, the preventable form of the condition.
Although we don’t know the causes, there are a number of factors that can increase your chance of developing type 2 diabetes, so by taking simple steps, you can lower your chances of getting it.
1. Lose weight
Quite simply, shedding pounds will drastically reduce your chances of getting type 2 diabetes.
80% of people who have diabetes are overweight, so if you are overweight or obese, it’s time to think about cutting back.
A good measure is your waist size. More than 31.5 inches (80cm) for a woman and 37 inches (94cm) for a man and you need to start thinking about cutting back.
2. Increase your exercise levels
It goes without saying that increasing the amount of time you spend exercising will make you feel better and help towards losing weight.
Research has found that regular exercise can reduce your risk of developing by up to 64%, so it is backed up by science.
Talk to your GP for an idea of some suitable exercises for you.
3. Stop smoking
Most people are aware of smoking’s link to cancer, but not as many understand how it’s connected to diabetes.
Smoking has been proven to increase blood pressure levels, which are known to be a major cause of diabetes.
If you need help giving up, the NHS runs a free stop smoking service.
4. Eat healthily
A diet that is low in fat, sugar and salt and contains a lot of fruit and veg will reduce your cholesterol levels – a simple way to reduce your risk of diabetes.
Studies published in 2009 revealed that eating processed meat ups your risk of diabetes by 40% and more recent research has shown that vegetarians are a third less likely to suffer from heart problems, a stroke or diabetes.
5. Cut down on alcohol
Drinking alcohol can contribute towards the conditions that cause diabetes.
Booze can increase your chances of putting on weight, as it is essentially empty calories. A pint of beer, for example, can be equivalent to a bar of chocolate.
Heavy drinking can also lead to conditions such as chronic pancreatitis, which has a side effect of diabetes.
There’s nothing wrong with a little alcohol in moderation, but excessive drinking can definitely lead to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
What next?
Get checked out: Type 2 diabetes is, by and large, a condition that affects people over the age of 40, so it’s important to get a check up from your doctor.
They can advise if what sort of risk you have and what action, if any, you should take.
Find out more about the condition from Diabetes UK

What started out as a unco-ordinated service (possibly due to changeover) has since proved to be a reliable and professional service. 3 different carers to date, but a regular one on weekdays. No complaints so far.

My Husband's experiences have not improved, and with him having an accident recently, we had call to use the A&E department at the Great Western, and due to the amount of pain he was in, this caused him to have several fits, whilst we were waiting to be seen, not one member of staff offered to assist, or even acknowledged his condition.

It is Important that you are cared for with Respect also supported in the way you would like to be.This applies to all of you that are being cared for.
If you are not happy with your carer or your service,please pick up the phone and tell your provider. Or get friends or family to talk on your behalf.
If anyone feels that the service they are getting is not being covered in the correct way ,please keep a diary of Events and Inform the Appropriate Service,please notify your Agencies Doctors or Hospital,If you are not happy with the Response you are well within your Rights To take it to The Quality Care Commission,who will look into the complaint ,and deal with it on your behalf,Never be afraid to speak out on Genuine concerns,you are well within your rights to do so.

I have had a look at the questionnaire and obviously appreciate that it is difficult to put together something like this that does the whole job comprehensively.

So my thoughts are more around the level of support that will be available to people who may well struggle with this document. It seems fairly complex and I suspect that there are many who will skim over some of the answers because they don’t feel they apply to them even tho they do.

Does the decision making take into account the needs of the “non-professional” carers and the need for respite for them. It seems that the aims are to build up an even bigger “marching army” of free labour to me, as with the whole Big Society thing.

What perspective were you putting this out from, are you one of the authors or looking at it from the side of the customers.

Who exactly is this document going out to, is it every person receiving some kind of support in Swindon or have they already been triaged.

It struck me in the HOSC (the first one I went to) when Peter Malinson was being grilled that no one as I recall focused on asking for visibility of the measures that would be employed to ensure care standards were maintained or improved and the methods that would be put in place to ensure they were. More important I would have thought than delving into the cost base of the contract in this instance.

The latest problem I have had is that they changed the times on my rota at the weekend and didn't bother to tell me. Yesterday evening the carer turned up at 8 pm to get me ready for bed and said she had had another client allocated to her and had asked the office to let me know. They didn't, of course - they never do. This morning the carer who turned up - 3/4 of an hour early - was not the one I was expecting, and also said she had asked the office to let me know. In addition, according to my rota, there are three new carers on the list this week - that will make 11 altogether that I have had.

most people will therefore not bother to go and get this work done because of the extra expense this incurrs.

This comment is made with the hope that not only registration is offered but a full rehab is on offer too.

The clinics and GPs are very happy for you to work within parameters and it is a bit like negotiation and it makes you feel included. Medical professionals talk to you not above you or about you.

Do not be afraid of the test if it is offered as your Kidneys are taking the strain of it whilst you are in denial I know.

Most of my friends aged over 60 have benefitted from physiotherapy for backs, knees and hips. As the issue is mobility (and pain relief) could services be made available at GP surgeries - easier access and take the pressure off GWH - it can postpone operations and /or speed recovery -and take pressure off the acute parking problems

I have spent four years taking Warfarin. At the start a simple finger-prick at the hospital every couple of days established my optimum INR. After a few weeks this process stopped and instead I had to make an appointment at my local surgery and have blood drawn from my arm by syringe every week or two. I can only use one arm for this, and my veins are getting very scarred. Also, the sense of always being tied to the surgery made me feel like an invalid. Last spring a medical professional of my acquaintance mentioned that some people monitored themselves, but didn't have any further information for me. Delving around, I found I could buy a Coaguchek machine myself and do my own testing through a simple finger-prick: no doctor's appointment needed, no more blood tests through the arm. Freedom at last!

I phone or email the anticoagulant unit my results and they advise any changes accordingly. Now at last I can travel abroad without being tied to a surgery every few weeks.

I know this is not an option for everybody, for starters buying the machine is very expensive. But at least I feel that a patient's attention should be drawn to the possibility of monitoring their INR themselves. Another significant consideration is the amount of time and money this could save the NHS by patients having more control over their condition and releasing clinical resources for people who really need them.

NHS foundation trusts were created after there had been a call from some NHS trusts for more freedom to innovate; and for less central control from Whitehall in the case of the NHS in England.

If the plans of the present United Kingdom Government go ahead (and we should hear more of these when a Health and Social Care Bill is published, possibly on January 17) eventually the only sort of secondary care trust in England will be of the foundation trust variety.

The Government's current plans assume that there is a call for more freedom to innovate in NHS funded health and social care.

An excellent example of innovation at a local level is the launch last year of a common entrance point (or Single Point of Access, to use NHS jargon) for people coming to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon. The idea is that people who feel that they are in need of urgent attention do not have to consciously decide if they need to go to the emergency department (ED) or instead to the Clover Centre, the NHS Walk In Centre that is on the Hospital site.

Having trained NHS staff help direct people to the more appropriate place (ED or Clover) is a good use of professional expertise to make efficient use of NHS resources, at the same time - hopefully - as ensuring that people get the most appropriate attention.

More examples of innovation are needed in the NHS generally. This single example of First Great Western Hospitals NHS innovation shows the sort of thing that may be achieved by some novel thinking coupled with practical action.

Swindon Advocacy Movement works for the rights of people with learning disabilities. We have seen the growth of more opportunities for people and more awareness of what people want and need. Personalisation agenda could bring many positive changes but also challenges.

Exercise is said to increased wellbeing, lengthen life and decrease chances of diabetes and problematic heart conditions. But if it's too late to prevent health problems, is it too late to reap the benefits?

I currently run a number of cycling programmes to help people get back on bikes. If you're looking at increasing your activity levels, cycling is a fantastic low-impact means of exercise that can be enjoyed recreationally and even become a useful transport option.

I offer free recreational Sunday rides around Swindon, 8-week cycling lessons for beginners (free to the over 50 years), and Monday morning health cycling classes that use specially adapted bikes to accommodate physical disabilities or fatigue or balance issues.

Visit my website (www.ctc.org.uk/swindonrides) for more info or email me on acipullo@swindon.gov.uk

Anna Cipullo
Swindon Cycling Development Officer

Each of us has very personal likes and dislikes; when you are under the weather, food needs to tempt. A choice of what goes on the plate can tip the balance towards choosing what the body may actually be asking for. I know that many people really desire a plateful of vegetables and gravy - even omnivores! - but can't get more than a peas and potato option on some menus. It might even help everyone to get their '5 a day'.

This also helps to cater for a wider range of dietary preferences; vegetarian or vegan or even gluten free diets can be better catered for when foods are separately provided - hopefully producing less waste after meals.

I wonder if perhaps the Toby Carvery idea has a place...

A little while ago I wrote to my MP and the Swindon PCT to try and find out what is happening with child only NHS places like the services you offer.

I very much would like my children to go to Ebenezer practice as I feel they are a very good dentist practice. However, like most parents although your charges are not very much, there are lots like these bringing up children that all add up.

Please see the responses I obtained from the Swindon above. From the comments by Annie Naji, it appears that Ebenezer practice should be able to provide NHS dentist treatment.

Even though this might seem costly, it would probaly reduce waste overall.

At GWH they concentrate on the problem being treated but other issues that may affect the patient are overlooked. Perhaps if the patient was asked then deeper health problems could be avoided before they become serious.

The team have worked very hard to bring down waiting list times - I hope they get some praise and recognition.

I was interested in Derek Benfield's comments on the GWH conference, on providing care for those with learning disabilities whilst in acute care hospitals. I also attended the conference, and like Derek, I was both impressed by the presentations, and with the message that much progress has been made at GWH in improving the standard of care of LD patients. My experience of just a couple or so years ago at GWH when my daughter, who has medium LD, had a week-long stay in hospital as an emergency medical admission, was little short of catastrophic. All the issues she faced were addressed by the conference, which was very heartening. It was also clear that our complaints at the time had been carefully listened to, and had helped influence positive steps towards duty to care appropriately.

...and request to collect them from either the surgery or a length list of pharmacies in Swindon - this system works extremely well for me and sounds like a very similar idea is being proposed on a larger scale which is great for those who's surgeries do not currently offer the service.
There is still a paper prescription though so would be marvellous to think that numerous trees could be saved! To reduce the pollution/ number of trees felled in order to produce the paper prescriptions.

I attended the Cirencester treatment Centre as a day patient, it is a modern unit pleasantly situated within the General Hospital.

I was well received on arrival in reception, and seen in a short time, I was as greeted by the Nurse then taken through to the ward , the lay out of the unit was then explained to me.

The Unit consists of separate beds for Male and Female patients, the ward was very clean and welcoming.

I was given a dressing gown, slippers, treatment was explained ,clinical observations were done, then it was double checked by the Theatre Nurse.

After the Op there was a choice of sandwiches, coffee, tea; I then saw the surgeon, the nurse made an appointment for my next visit and was given advice for my after care.

Staff phoned within 24 hours to check if I was alright, and a phone number was available if I wanted advice or had any concerns.

The Surgical and Nursing staff were very professional, caring, friendly, work as a team.

The booking staff were helpful.

Transport is available in some cases.

There is now a broad coalition of organisations and individuals affected by neurological conditions in Swindon. The aims of the group have been decided and action is already taking place, with two events planned and a website that will signpost people nearly ready. For more information get in touch with the LINk office.

I am 92 years of age, have poor eyesight but can walk short distances. I must say that I have found some very nice people at Carfax, and the staff are very helpful. I know the property is old but perhaps a few more guide signs need to be placed here and there.

see above

I am one of a number of carers who have been working with the Carer Liaison Team to try and improve and standardise the process and documentation which identifies carers and, more importantly, their needs to those who can support and help them.
The Team have been good at listening to our point of view and experiences and have taken the time to answer our questions (something most other people do not do). This is particularly welcome at the moment with Swindon Carers' problems and the lack of support from them.
My main concerns relate to the 'power'/ability of the CLT to carry their current work forward and make it count as not all relevant organisations seem to know much/anything about it. Where do they go from here?
From a more personal point of view, as an established carer, I have recently found myself in the situation where there are 'too many' different people willing to identify my needs but the difficulty is getting anyone to commit to actually providing the support!! Do the CLT see it as part of their remit to work on a carer's behalf to either obtain this support/funding or chivvy others (such as the Avon & Wilts PCT)?

They are a good way to hydrate, they contain multiple minerals, vitamins, amino acids, trace elements, helpful enzymes (often lacking in sick people and often the cause of illness in the first place).

They are easier to take in, especially when the patient has low appetite, painful mouth/throat, difficulty with fibre (juices are minimally fibrous), refreshing to the tongue and can be made of seasonal, local, inexpensive ingredients (ie, now, carrots, apples, kale).

The drinks help intestinal motility, remove toxins, deodorise the body and breath, purify blood (those with green juices also in them; they can taste only fruity when blended with the correct fruits...); they have been shown in programmes like Gerson Therapy to reduce and clear cancer cells as well as other chronic problems in the process. As hydrochloric acid is so often at inefficient levels during illness, it is a good aid to the rebuilding of it in a natural way.

It helps people to take on board the idea that fresh fruit and vegetables really are associated with health and healing.

I am a carer for my daughter who suffers from epilepsy and as far as my GP practice is concerned, the support has always been poor, and I can’t say there has been any improvement. I can’t say that my GP practice even acknowledges my status as a carer.

From February to May this year due to illness I was unable to drive, so I was only too grateful to be able to avail myself of the service provided by the voluntary drivers for the Great Western Ambulance Service. I found the drivers helpful, they always arrived about an hour before my appointment time so whether I had to attend a clinic or another department at the hospital I never had to rush. When I called the Ambulance Service direct I was treated politely at all times and with kindness. If NHS Swindon is considering providing such a service then they will have a job to better the present one. Perhaps they could liaise with the GWAS.

NHS Swindon have sent me a letter asking me to take part in their bowel cancer screening programme. What a great idea! I take every screening opportunity that is offered to me, as I feel if the opportunity is given then it should be taken. Everybody has a responsibility to look after themselves and this type of initiative gives you even more opportunity. What is good about this particular scheme is that it allows you to take the test yourself in the privacy of your own home.

Our NHS dentist retired some 4 years ago. The new dentist procrastinated for a long time, then announced he was not taking NHS patients. There was an investigation, but this did not help us. We registered fairly easily with a new practice in Old Town. Although the treatment was quite satisfactory, the attitude of the dentist was severe, unsmiling, offhand and off putting. The waiting area was cramped. You felt as though you were a second class patient because you chose the NHS. We never went back.
last week we registered with a town centre dentist. This means my wife can attend easily as she can use public transport. What a difference! The reception was area was pleasant but business like. The receptionist was smiling and helpful. Our first visit was a revelation. The dentist was efficient, professional, helpful and empathic. My wife is going to receive the treatment she needs, but has never been suggested to her, before. She had a tooth removed on that first visit. I am to receive the treatment I need and all on the NHS.
The appointments are convenient and only a week apart. The first appointment after registering was less than a week.
Oh yes, the PCT were very helpful in suggesting practices that had spaces and were convenient to where we live.
All in all a very good news message.

If so how much notice do you require? I would be interested to have one from August 10th until 25th 2010. Many thanks.

Pam, being a diabetic, has to take great care with her feet.
The podiatrists give a first class service in the total care of the feet.
Some while ago they detected the start of a fungal infection and recommended that Pam saw her doctor.
A course of treatment was prescribed and within a matter of weeks the infection was cured.
Without the early diagnosis could this fungus have led to more serious problems that diabetics are prone to?
I am concerned that the treatment on offer at the Hawthorn Centre is a nail cutting service and that all people taking up this service should be subject to a screening prior to treatment to ascertain if they are diabetics.

For example, I live in the rural hinterland, research suggests that there are significant number of elderley ladies living alone, who receive no support. I appreciate that may not require this help, but how do we know? Surely a good starting point would be the local doctor's surgery? Support could then be co-ordinated on a shared voluntary/professional basis. This would strike a chord both with the concept of the 'Big Society' and Swindon's own groundbreaking Connecting People Connecting Places.