News

  • From the Chairman

    Another three months gone. I’m sitting in the lounge looking through the window at a bright blue sky and sunshine. It could be the Summer come late, really lovely for November.

    I have been kept up to date with everything that has been going on and I am improving after my operation, thank you all for your good wishes.

    My thoughts are going back over the year, which I have to say, has been one of the best for the Group.

    What has been achieved is wonderful and to hear that on 25th October the Scanning Service started with a fracture nurse as well made it even better.

    Rebecca, the Osteoporosis Nurse, has been liaising with the Group and has attended exercise classes and spoken to various people. I wish her well in her new position.

    I have been in touch with the Ipswich Group, as the Chairman was standing down due to health problems and other commitments and nobody could be found to replace her. Ipswich has a very good service based in the hospital and it would have been a tragedy if the Group had folded after their years of hard work. I was pleased then to hear that Anne Barnes will be taking on the job for a year, with some new Committee. I wish her well.

    It’s always good to keep in touch with other groups. I think people don’t always understand that to run well you need a very committed Committee. Yes, we are lucky to have this at the moment but we all keep getting older and need younger people to move the Group forward.

    I would like to take this opportunity to thank my committee for their support throughout the year, and everyone else working for the Group. Without all these people there wouldn’t be a Group.

    I wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas and a healthy new year and look forward to seeing you on January 26th for the AGM and the speaker, John Buss, Editor of the Lynn News.

  • New DEXA scanning service begins in West Norfolk

    There has been a great deal of coverage in the local radio and press. This is part of the article on the Care UK website.

    Care UK has been selected to run a new service to assess patients in West Norfolk for the risk of osteoporosis.

    The first clinic offering a mobile DEXA (Dual Emission x-ray Absorptiometry) scanning service will be held in Swaffham. Appointments will be pre-booked and patients will have to be referred by their GP.

    A three year contract has been awarded to Care UK to provide a mobile DEXA scanning service following a considerable amount of work carried out by local GPs to propose and develop the service.

    Janet Ritchie, national radiology lead from Care UK’s specialist medical imaging team, said:

    A DEXA scan is a really simple way of diagnosing osteoporosis, a disease that affects approximately three million people in the UK. Detecting it early gives sufferers a chance to work out a treatment plan to help strengthen their bones.

    The mobile scanning unit will be located in Docking, Swaffham and King’s Lynn. If you feel you may have or be at risk of osteoporosis, speak to your GP first and he or she will advise if you should be referred for a scan.

    More information on the Care UK website.

  • Group Meeting, September 2011

    National Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
    Relies purely on voluntary donations of the public.

    Gill Southgate came to talk to us about Guide Dogs for the Blind, bringing her black Labrador, Brian, with her.

    The National Guide Dogs for the Blind Association was established nearly 80 years ago and the local branch 30 years ago, providing training for the dogs and for their blind and partially–sighted owners.

    Usually guide dogs work for around six and a half years before they retire and each guide dog owner only pays 50p for their dog so that everybody who needs a dog can afford to have one, although the dog’s lifetime costs can be as much as £40,000 to the Association.

    Gill has been blind for 18 years, following a car accident. She had been working as a dental assistant. It was obviously impossible to continue with this career, so she trained to be an audio typist. However, at that time employers wouldn’t accept disabled people in the workplace.

    Gill went to Torquay to train with the RNIB learning keyboard and switchboard skills but also working on a production line, doing woodwork and pottery. She learnt to read Braille and to use a Braille machine and to use a long cane. She came home to Sutton Bridge and found the cane was enough to help her get around her local area.

    Then she was off to London for an 8 week course at the RNIB College to complete her training and that allowed her to get a job at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She has been employed as a medical secretary at the Hospital ever since. She is married and has two children.

    It was when she came to King’s Lynn that she was given her first Guide Dog after a 6 month wait and more training this time at the training area, Leamington Spa. Gill went on to tell members more about her dogs and how they and she were trained.

    Her first dog, Ruby worked for 11 years, her second one Lady for 12 years, much longer than usual. The guide dog service receives no government funding and so depends on public donation. Another wonderful service relying on people’s generosity. More information on the National Guide Dogs for the Blind Association website.

  • Group Meeting, October 2011

    Osteoporosis Update

    Dr Williams was in good form as usual. It is always such a pleasure to see him and he stays to answer questions long after giving his main talk.

    He explained that as long as we are alive our bone is growing and there is always something you can do to improve bone strength. He commended the Group on our exercise classes, again saying how important it is to put stress through your bones to stimulate growth.

    Dr Williams told members that by age 8 a child’s skull has finished growing but the length of all the other bones continues to grow until about 18 or 19. Then there is continual bone turnover throughout life.

    The amount and strength of bone is affected, roughly ⅔ by genetics, which you can’t do anything about but ⅓ by the things you can affect through exercise and diet.

    By the age of 70 bone turnover is happening more slowly than in early adulthood but still happening.

    Regarding diet, Dr Williams emphasized the fact, as well as Calcium and Vitamin D protein is very important, particularly as a person gets older. Many older people are less bothered or able to cook a full meal, very often because they are on their own, so the protein intake becomes diminished. This is not good for the bones.

    Dr Williams spoke about the different treatments particularly the very different way the newest treatment, Denosumab works. Rather than only encouraging cells to build more bone this is the only drug to stop those cells that break down bone from working.

    He went on to talk about the services provided for people with osteoporosis. He felt that there was always a better service where a fracture liaison nurse was employed. He was delighted to hear that West Norfolk has its own Osteoporosis Nurse and mobile scanning unit now after such a long wait.

    As always, a very interesting and helpful talk.

  • Quiz

    Our Annual Quiz took place in South Wootton Village Hall on Friday 30th September. Jeff Hoyle, as the Quiz Master, was on top form, the room was packed and we took more money than ever before.

    There was no bar but people brought their own drinks and snacks if they wanted to and tea and coffee and cakes were served at half time.

    It was very hot again. How do we always manage to choose a very warm evening even in late September?

    We took over £900 and having taken out expenses for the hall, prizes and printing we made a profit of £725. Many thanks to everybody who worked so hard, Jeff and Ros and her team of markers and runners, raffle prize givers and those who bought tickets and everyone that made cakes and attended.

  • Concert: Roger Lines’ and the Centre Stage Swing Band Evening

    Roger Lines’ and the Centre Stage Swing Band
    In full swing!

    On Saturday 12th November we felt we had turned back the clock to the 1940s and 1950s. Roger Lines and his Swing Band definitely knew the right notes to play and for those of us who danced to the big bands in our teens, they really brought back some memories.

    Thank you Roger. A really good evening and we took just over £500, giving the band half the profits – a very small amount to pay for Roger and his very professional 17 musicians.

  • Forthcoming Supper Evening

    We have booked The King Swingers, a trio, to play at a supper evening at the Green Quay on 19th April.

    There will only be 50 places available so get your names noted as soon as possible. Jill will be taking definite names and the money, £10, at the January and February meetings. The menu will be, sausage and cheese & potato pie and vegetables, or lasagne and vegetables, or nut roast, with apple pie or fruit salad, tea or coffee.

  • Education Links

    I am delighted that we are going to be working with students from the College of West Anglia again. In previous years we have worked with people from slightly younger age groups, going into schools and visiting Brownie packs.

    Why do I think this work is important?

    Firstly because we know that it is vital to develop strong bones in childhood. What happens up to the age of about 20 lays the foundation for bone health in later life. Poor diet, as well as eating disorders, can have disastrous consequences later on. Children absorb messages, and many are keen to learn and understand more about their own bodies. If we can encourage young people into a healthier lifestyle and get them to think about their bones we may help at least some of them avoid problems in later life.

    Secondly, young people are imaginative and creative. You will have seen the fine art work and promotional material that students from Churchill Park School and from the college have produced. Some years ago, pupils from Terrington created a great Powerpoint presentation. As well as getting the pupils who worked on the projects to think about their own health, these materials have been shown to others and have helped to get our message across.

    Thirdly, we all know how persuasive a young child with new information can be. If just one or two of the pupils we have worked with go back home and tell (nag?) their families about the importance of diet and exercise, I, for one, will be very happy.

    So, for these reasons, I shall continue to push for work on bone health to be done in schools and colleges.

    If you know of anyone who would like us to provide materials, to do a presentation, or to set up a project with a group of young people, please let me know.

  • Building Bones Exercise Group

    The exercise classes will be having a Christmas holiday with the Monday classes finishing on 19th December and going back on 9th January and the Friday classes finishing on 16th December and returning on 6th January.

    We will be having mince pies and crackers on the last days of term to celebrate the fun we’ve had while building stronger bones.

    Many thanks to Jessica for making it such fun and to Barbara Blacklock for organizing everything so well. There are still some places available in the Friday class if you would like to join.

  • Welcome to Becky

    Hello Everybody!!

    I would like to say a warm hello and thank you to everyone in the Group and in particular to members of the weekly exercise classes in King’s Lynn. I have been welcomed with open arms and you have all supported me in my new post as Osteoporosis and Falls Specialist Nurse Practitioner with Care UK for West Norfolk.

    I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with a little information on what my role entails.

    Working alongside the new DEXA Scanning Service, I provide a specialist nurse led service overseeing the patient’s journey and co-ordinating their care. Once the patient has had their scan, it is my role to co-ordinate the results back to the referrer/patients GP, and if treatment or monitoring is required, provide suggestions and advice.

    I will offer support and lifestyle advice to patients who do not require treatment, and for patients who do, I will present them with a clear and personalised treatment plan, whilst supporting, reassuring and educating them on Osteoporosis, including lifestyle advice. In addition to this, if the patient has had any falls or concerns around falling, I will carry out a falls assessment and, if required, a referral to the West Norfolk Falls Team.

    As an Osteoporosis Nurse, I will contact and follow-up patients on a regular basis, reassuring, supporting and answering questions, assisting them with lifestyle adjustments if required, and encouraging compliance with Osteoporosis treatment. I will also arrange follow-up DEXA scans for patients as indicated by their treatment plan.

    Last of all, I will endeavor to visit the Group and be in contact on a regular basis, available to answer any questions and I look forward to seeing you all again very soon.

  • News from Camerton

    QOF Decision Announced

    The National Osteoporosis Society is delighted to announce that the content of QOF (Quality Outcomes Framework) has been announced and osteoporosis indicators have been included. This means that GP practices will receive funding for:

    • Producing a register of patients:
      • aged 50-74 years with a record of a fragility fracture after 1 April 2012 and a diagnosis of osteoporosis confirmed on DEXA scan; or
      • aged 75 years and over with a record of a fragility fracture after 1 April 2012
    • Ensuring that patients on the register who are aged between 50 and 74 years, with a fragility fracture, in whom osteoporosis is confirmed on DEXA scan, are treated with an appropriate bone-sparing agent
    • Ensuring that patients aged 75 years and over with a fragility fracture are treated with an appropriate bone-sparing agent.

    Three QOF points have been awarded for each of these areas.  The amount of funding per QOF point for 2012/13 has not yet been disclosed.

    What this means: From April 2012, GP practices will receive funding for identifying people who have had a fragility fracture and making sure they have a DEXA scan.  They will receive additional funding for making sure that people with osteoporosis are prescribed a bone protecting treatment.

    Audits have found that the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care of osteoporosis and fractures is relatively poor in UK primary care. The inclusion of osteoporosis in QOF has the potential to transform the care that GPs provide for older patients who are at risk of broken bones.

    Our next steps: Our new website, ‘Osteoporosis resources for primary care’ will provide clear, concise information for GPs and practice teams, helping them to provide excellent care for their patients and meet the QOF indicators.  The website will be launched early in 2012.  Health professionals who would like to receive updates when the website goes live should send their name, role and email address to: qof@nos.org.uk

    Why is QOF so important? QOF rewards good practice in GP surgeries. GPs are given a proportion of their funding for meeting the criteria outlined in the QOF. One section of the QOF outlines a set of criteria called ‘clinical indicators’ which relates to specific conditions such as asthma, heart disease and stroke. The QOF has been found to be a successful way of making national improvements to the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions, as the majority of practices will work to meet the criteria.

    For more information: Please contact Anne Thurston, the National Osteoporosis Society’s Health Sector Liaison Officer, by telephone (01761 473 254) or email a.thurston@nos.org.uk.

    Letter from Claire Severgnini, Chief Executive, National Osteoporosis Society

    This is something the National Osteoporosis Society has been campaigning for over many years, more recently through our 25 words for a breakfree future campaign this summer when we hand delivered over 1,000 responses to 10 Downing Street.’ Many thanks to all those who contributed to this.

    Reaching this milestone proves that your support is helping us to campaign for better services which will ultimately ensure that everybody with, or at risk of, fragile bones has access to the dedicated care, support and treatment they deserve to stay break free. Together, we create a strong voice which is being heard at the highest levels of Government, driving up standards and improving services. Thank you for your continued support.

    If anybody would like information about joining the National Osteoporosis Society ask any of the committee, or look at their excellent website.

  • Clothing, Body Image and Osteoporosis Booklet

    This is a very practical new booklet, which will be available for the next few meetings, giving helpful advice on what clothes are best suited to a changing shape and how to alter clothes that do not fit.

    This was developed after the Helpline received many calls about body shape, e.g.:

    • I caught sight of myself in a shop window and was shocked to see how old and bent over I look now
    • I don’t have the trim figure I used to have and none of my clothes in my wardrobe fit any more
    • I look 8 months pregnant these days

    If you have sustained spinal fractures you may begin to notice that your clothes do not fit in the same way as they used to. Your dresses or shirts can poke open at the back of the neck and may also feel tighter across your back. A shortened chest cavity can mean all bought clothes are too long and trousers can end up under the bust line. The loss of the waistline and a protruding tummy can make skirts pull across the abdomen and hemlines become uneven… If any of this sounds familiar – pick up a leaflet.

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We meet on the fourth Thursday of every month (except August and December) at the London Road Methodist Hall, County Court Road, King’s Lynn, at 7:30 PM, unless otherwise stated.

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