Smoking

Stopping smoking is the greatest thing you can do to promote good health. The doctors and nurses would be pleased to help you.

Exercise

The Department of Health recommends for adults at least 30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days of the week. This physical activity should be of moderate intensity –– such as brisk walking. Activity can be taken in bouts of 10 to 15 minutes, allowing for accumulation of activity throughout the day. The recommendation for young people is physical activity of at least moderate intensity for one hour per day. This hour can include a variety of activities across the day, such as organised sport, play, walking or cycling to school, physical education or planned exercise. Please ask if you have a specific health need.

Diet

Cancer and coronary heart disease account for 60% of all early deaths. A key feature of the Government’s prevention strategy to reduce early deaths from these diseases is action to improve diet and nutrition. Current recommendations are that everyone should eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day, to reduce the risks of cancer and coronary heart disease and many other chronic diseases: fresh, frozen, chilled, canned, 100% juice and dried fruit and vegetables all count.

Alcohol

Alcohol is something to be enjoyed and most of the time, drinking doesn’t cause any problems. But drinking too much, or at the wrong time, can be harmful. The Department of Health advises that men should not drink more than 3 - 4 units of alcohol per day, and women should drink no more than 2 - 3 units of alcohol per day. Women who are pregnant or who are trying to get pregnant should not drink any alcohol. These daily benchmarks apply whether you drink every day, once or twice a week, or occasionally. If you are concerned about your own or someone else’s drinking, you can seek help from your GP; by calling Drinkline, a free and confidential telephone helpline on 0800 917 8282; by contacting Bromley Alcohol Advisory Service on 0208 663 6883; or online at www.bromleyalcoholservice.co.uk

Health Screening

If you are aged between 16 and 75 and have not been seen by a doctor in the last 3 years, you are entitled to an appointment with our Nurse; our receptionists will be pleased to arrange this for you. If you are aged over 75, you are entitled to an annual health check.

Drugs

FRANK is an innovative new campaign for young people and their parents allowing them to access information and advice on substance misuse. It focuses primarily on heroin, cocaine and ecstasy. FRANK also has a website called Talk to FRANK to provide information on drugs: www.talktofrank.com as well as a local service finder and answers to frequently asked questions. Helpline: 0800 77 66 00. Caution: Cannabis smokers are much more likely to develop schizophrenia.

Contraception

Please ask for confidential advice about all forms of contraception.