SPRING Steal Your Sunshine Into Action! We Chat About Work and Health and Amywellbeing with Garcia Life Changing Events with NHS Leeds West CCG Director
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EngageYour FREE magazine from your local NHS Issue Three: March 2015 Ah-choo! Don’t let hay fever SPRING steal your sunshine into action! We chat about work and health and Amywellbeing with Garcia Life changing events with NHS Leeds West CCG Director PLUS! QUIZ CORNER / TOP TWEETS / RECIPES / GARDENING / NEWS / SPORTS & HEALTH Looking ahead to WARMER DAYS One of the difficulties of putting For many of us summer can also a short interview where we got to together a quarterly magazine bring a sense of nostalgia as we find out more about her career as is trying to guess what the remember the carefree years of our well as life away from the cameras. wonderful British weather will childhood where we took advantage If you ever wanted to know what throw at us. At the time of writing of the warmer weather to enjoy the it’s like working in healthcare we the spring edition of Engage we great outdoors. That is unless you are pleased to provide you with a are all currently shivering in the were having to go into hospital for snapshot thanks to a local GP who snowy weather in what can be treatment then it could have been tells us more about his role and a described as a ‘proper’ winter. a scary thought. The thought of typical day – if there’s such a thing! But we’re an optimistic bunch hospitals being scary places got us We wonder if this might inspire you here at NHS Leeds West CCG so thinking: how can we find out more to consider working for the NHS. we are sure that by the time you about the experiences of children There’s lots of opportunities in a are reading this we will have some who need treatment at hospital number of different areas ranging spring like weather and some and what do they really think? from healthcare, IT, marketing leaves back on the trees. In this edition of Engage you can find through to project management, With that optimism in mind we out more about a new cartoon we accounting and finance and thought we’d give a gentle reminder have produced with local kids called much more. to all those who may be dreading the ‘Kevin Makes Friends in Hospital’ We hope you enjoy the latest edition high levels of pollen that can cause based on the experiences of young of Engage, do get in touch if you havoc with your daily routine. For patients at Leeds Children’s Hospital. want to see something in our next people with hay fever, the higher It helps us to prove that hospitals edition or if you have an idea for a temperatures and darling buds of aren’t that scary after all and you can story: [email protected] May might just bring a sense of dread. make friends too! We were delighted This is why we’ve got some tips to that BBC Look North’s Amy Garcia help you manage your condition and was able to launch the DVD for us. treat symptoms sooner so you too The Editing Team We were lucky that Amy also gave NHS Leeds West can enjoy the spring and summer. up some of her time to take part in Clinical Commissioning Group Contents 03 Don’t let hay fever get 08 Spotlight on Morley 12 Keeping the second biggest the better of you! Potholing, netball and a world cancer killer at bay Information and advice on coping war memorial… Morley has plenty Poo isn’t a subject we often would with hay fever during the warmer going on for people of all ages want to talk about however it days ahead could be a life saver that’s why 09 Hidden gem... we say ‘your poo can save you’ 04 We catch up with Amy Garcia York Gate Garden is one of Amy talks to us about the highlight the city’s hidden gems, with its 13 Gardening guru of her career, health and tells us beautifully stylish series of small You don’t necessarily need a about her guilty pleasure gardens tucked away from the garden to get gardening, Kirkstall hustle and bustle of nearby city life Community Garden provides local 06 From nursing in a refugee people the opportunity to meet, camp to NHS director 10 Kevin makes friends in hospital learn and grow An insight into a fascinating Local youngsters create a career journey from fighting a cartoon to show that hospitals 14 Recipes measles outbreak in a refugee aren’t scary places Check out the ginger spice review camp in Hong Kong through to and try out some ginger recipes holding a senior leadership 11 Helping children and young position within the NHS people stay safe online 15 Quiz corner Staying safe online is one of the Exercise your brain with a 07 Talking health with a local GP major worries for parents and suduko and a wordsearch We go behind the doors at a GP carers, we’ve got some top tips practice to find what a typical day to help you and your family 16 Sports roundup is like for a GP (family doctor) Find out how regular exercise If you'd like to receive a regular brings benefits and why Olympian Mark Foster is encouraging men copy of 'Engage', please let to sign up to Men United us know by emailing... [email protected] 02 Looking ahead or calling 0113 84 35470 The arrival of spring with its longer days and Don’t let hay warmer weather is long overdue after a bitterly cold winter. But, for one fever get the in five of us spring isn’t always something better of you! to look forward to. THERE ARE AROUND 10 MILLION PEOPLE IN ENGLAND WITH HAY FEVER WHICH IS A COMMON ALLERGIC REACTION TO POLLEN. POLLEN IS A FINE POWDER WHICH IS RELEASED BY PLANTS, TREES AND GRASS DURING THEIR REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE AND IT’S THIS THAT CAUSES THE RED ITCHY EYES, SNEEZING AND RUNNY NOSE. Don’t let hay fever stop you Pollen count Pharmacy first from enjoying spring. Below are some tips to help you explained for medical advice keep pollen at bay: Hay fever symptoms are likely Pharmacies are a great way to get to be worse if the pollen count advice and help to treat hay fever • avoid cutting grass, playing is high. If the count is high you symptoms with over-the-counter or walking in grassy areas and can take preventative steps medications such as antihistamines. camping – particularly in the such as taking an antihistamine However, you may need to see early morning, evening and before leaving the house. your GP if: at night when pollen counts are highest; The formula for measuring pollen • you can’t control your symptoms with can be difficult to understand however over-the-counter medications or you • wear wraparound sunglasses there’s an easier way to find out what are having troublesome side effects to stop pollen getting in your current pollen levels are. Pollen forecasts caused by the medication eyes when you are outdoors; are available on the Met Office’s • you are experiencing persistent • change your clothes and take weather map and provides people complications of hay fever, such a shower after being outdoors with vital information to help reduce as worsening asthma or repeated to remove the pollen on your the impact of pollen on their health. episodes of sinusitis body; and Visit www.metoffice.gov.uk • the pattern of your symptoms is • try to stay indoors when the unusual; such as occurring during pollen count is high (over 50). the winter or only at your workplace – it is likely that another substance other than pollen is responsible and further testing will be required to confirm this Did you know that it’s only We hope you enjoy the warmer days hay fever if you’re allergic to ahead and keep the pollen at bay! grass pollen. If you’re allergic to all plant pollens (tree, weed and grass) it’s known as pollinosis. ? Hay fever 03 We caught up with Amy as she helped launch our new cartoon ‘Kevin Makes Friends in Hospital’ See page 10 for more details... Amy Garcia 04 Engage interviews... You’ve had an interesting career, I’m either at work or running around and almost gone full circle after with my daughter. We live close to Some starting your TV journalism career the Yorkshire Sculpture Park which is at BBC Look North, but can you stunning so we do go on lots of long questions tell us what has been your walks. I’ve just bought a bike with a biggest highlight? little seat on the back, so I’ll be out you weren’t I’d say the tandem ride that I did on that more often. I think it’s good expecting... with Harry Gration [BBC Look North to show your children early on that co-presenter with Amy] was really exercise is important. If you could go back in time hard work but was such a brilliant What are your top tips for what one piece of advice would experience and the amount of people any children wanting to follow you give your younger self? who came out to support us was in your footsteps? Travel a bit more and have fun. really overwhelming. The scenery I’d say carry on with your education was absolutely breathtaking and it Favourite film? as that’s very important and look for I watched a classic film the other was a brilliant way to see Yorkshire ways to get experience by maybe week, Shawshank Redemption, – I’d recommend it to anyone that starting a school magazine, newspaper have you seen that? Brilliant film.