Berwick Medical Centre

A 2017  UK  study showed that  with high levels of continuity of care  resulted in 12.49% fewer  hospital admissions and in Holland  low levels of continuity of care was associated with increased  mortality. Traditionally high levels of continuity of care have  usually been with  a particular GP but similar  benefits at  lesser level  seem to be associated with the same group of practitioners in the same practice possibly due to shared long term  records.

More  common in  patients  older then  60 yo presenting with nausea  malaise , headache  confusion   gait  disturbance progressing to seizure and  eterioration of  conscious  state. May  be associated  with  vomiting  , diarrhea kidney  disease  ,   diuretic   use/ abuse pituitary disease , medication  side effect   Inappropriate  fluid intake.   Treatment  initially is by  fluid restriction and  salt  supplementation after  review  of  medication.  

Cytomegalovirus is the  most  common  congenital  infection and a significant  cause of  disability in  Australia. It  causes hearing , vision problems, cerebral palsy , epilepsy and developmental delay affecting  400 infants a year. Infection is spread by saliva or urine. Washing  hands or  utensils and  toys for 15 seconds (soap and water) and  drying them is sufficient  to prevent spread.

Dietary fibre   helps   regular bowel actions and reduces constipation and also helps with sugar control for diabetic and pre-diabetics.  Dietary fibre requirements vary between 25 -  40 grams per day for most adults and about half that for primary school children. Around 30 gms per day would be a good starting point. Effectiveness should be judged by outcome generally a daily formed   bowel action of toothpaste like consistency and homogenous texture.  Dietary Fibre is not very effective without adequate water based fluid intake at nuts appropriate 5 serves vegetables (serve = ½ cup) 4 serves grains - preferably whole grains...read more

  Recently in the  Lancet Public Health a retrospective study of 31 million adults revealed 1.1 million diagnosed with dementia and  57,000 had early onset dementia ( under  65 yo ) and  around  half  of these were  alcohol related. Consider that  reduction of alcohol consumption may be  the strongest  modifiable risk factor and for men and women the recommendation is  for no more than  2 standard drinks a day,  and  2 alcohol free days are desirable   Furthermore drinking  4 alcoholic drinks on one occasion  more than doubles the risk of  illness or  injury in the  subsequent  6 hours.