Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Diabetes and eye screening

Are you due for your diabetic eye screening appointment? Have you missed your appointment in the past?

If you have diabetes, high blood sugar levels can damage the retina at the back of your eye. If it’s not treated, it can cause blindness. Across the world diabetes is the leading cause of blindness.

To guard against this, people with diabetes are urged to get their eyes checked regularly.

Diabetic people aged over 12 who are registered with a GP in the Dudley borough are sent a letter every year inviting them to their next eye screening appointment. If an eye condition is diagnosed, they will be invited to attend more frequently.

Attending regular screening can help to find diabetes-related eye problems in people before their eyesight is affected. It can also help to prevent sight problems from getting worse.

Those attending a routine diabetic eye screening appointment are asked to read letters from a chart like an eye test at an opticians.  For this, glasses or contact lenses should be brought to the appointment. Then eye drops are given so that the back of the eye can be more easily seen and photographed. The eye drops can make vision blurry or increase glare for up to six hours afterwards so don’t drive home and wear sunglasses if needed. The appointment usually lasts around 30 minutes. Results letters are sent in the post within 6 weeks.

If you have missed your appointment, or have any questions about the eye test, call 0121 661 2220.  

Look out for others during hot weather

Do you have an older friend or family member, or care for someone with a long-term health condition? Hot weather can be risky for them, especially if they live alone.

• Check in on them during hot spells
• Encourage them to drink water and stay out of the sun
• Find out if any medicines need to be in the fridge
• If they feel unwell encourage them to call 111
• If they are lonely, over 60 and need help getting out and about go to www.dudley.gov.uk/ptmy

Get more tips on staying safe and well this summer at www.dudley.gov.uk/summerwellbeing

Stay well if travelling abroad

Lots of people will be travelling abroad this year. In a new blog, Dr Shreya Singhal, a junior doctor who has worked in infectious diseases and general practice, shares her top tips for people looking to travel this summer. 

This handy guide includes tips on how to travel safely and minimise risks to your health. It covers vaccinations, general health measures, diseases to be aware of, and sexual health.

New physical health checks for people with severe mental illness

Anyone aged 18 or over who has schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or psychosis can have a free health check once a year. If you are eligible, you should get a letter from your GP surgery inviting you for an annual health check.

The appointments are important. Living with a severe mental illness means that you can be more likely to develop physical health issues than the general population. Good mental and physical health go hand in hand.

Survey underway as family centres become hubs

As family centres across Dudley borough become local family hubs, we want to know what peoples’ experience of the existing family centres has been like.

We’re asking people who have used or currently use Dudley borough’s family centres to complete a short survey to help improve and develop services for children and families

Complete the survey at https://eu.surveymonkey.com/r/Dudleyfamilycentres by Friday 21 July.

Vaccinations – be ready for school, college and university

Nursery and school

Help get your child ready for nursery and school by making sure they have had all of their routine vaccinations, which include protection against polio, measles, mumps and bacterial infections that can cause meningitis.

If you can’t remember if your child is up-to-date with their vaccinations, check their Red Book (personal child health record).

To see the schedule of what vaccine your child should have and when, visit the NHS vaccinations web page at https://tinyurl.com/5exvy82t

Don’t worry if your child has missed any vaccines, contact your GP to catch up.

University and college

"Fresher" students going to university for the first time should make sure they've had the MenACWY vaccine to prevent meningitis and septicaemia, which can be deadly.

The MenACWY vaccine is also routinely offered to teenagers in school Years 9 and 10.

It is also advised that students have had their MMR vaccine, to guard against measles, mumps and rubella, and the HPV vaccine to protect against certain cancers.

For more information on immunisations, go to the Dudley public health Let’s Get website.

COVID-19 vaccine: children aged 6 months to 4 years in clinical risk groups

Clinically vulnerable children aged 6 months to 4 years are now able to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Although young children are generally at low risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19, infants and young children who have underlying medical conditions are over seven times more likely to be admitted to children’s Intensive Care Units.

To support the rollout of the vaccination, the UK Health Security Agency has published information for parents.