This week is #CarersWeek “A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, addiction, or who needs extra help as they grow older. It isn’t someone who volunteers or is employed to provide support.” This year the theme is 'Caring About Equality' highlighting the inequalities faced by unpaid carers, including a greater risk of poverty, social isolation, poor mental and physical health. Far too often, carers of all-ages miss out on opportunities in their education, careers, or personal lives, just because of their caring role. Get involved in Carers Week 2025, and together let’s work towards an equal society, where carers are truly valued, recognised and supported. If you are a carer, you can access more information and support: ➡️ Carers UK: https://www.carersuk.org ➡️ York Carers Centre: https://www.yorkcares.co.uk If you would like to let us you are a carer, find out how to do this on our website here: https://www.priorymedical.com/referrals-resources/carers/
Weight loss and Exercise
Weight loss and Exercise
City of York Council (CYC) Health Trainers
The CYC health trainers offer free and confidential health and wellbeing support
They off one-to-one support and guidance, face-to-face or remotely, on the following:
- healthy eating advice and weight management
- finding new ways to be more active
- quitting smoking
- reducing your alcohol intake
- helping you find groups and activities to get back out in the community
Self refer via their website.
parkrun
We are a #parkrunpractice - this is an initiative which enables GP practices to socially prescribe physical activity by referring patients to take part in a parkrun. You can read more about parkrun here.
There are three parkrun events in York based at: The Knavesmire (York parkrun), York Sport (Heslington parkrun) and at New Earswick sports club (New Earswick parkrun). Our staff are often found running a local parkrun at 9am every Saturday morning and we run volunteer takeover events.
5K Your Way: Move Against Cancer run a monthly support event at Heslington parkrun on the last Saturday of every month.
There is also a junior parkrun on Sunday mornings at 9am on The Knavesmire.
Better Health
The Healthwise program is for York residents or patients from a York GP surgery. It is designed to assist people who are currently inactive with medical conditions or other specialist requirements that prevent them from entering mainstream exercise.
For more information about how it works and what activities are available, visit their website.
We are getting a lot of requests to prescribe Semaglutide (Wegovy), Liraglutide (Saxenda) or Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for weight loss purposes. While NICE have approved the use of Wegovy on the NHS recently, this is not available to us in general practice to prescribe. It is important that the medication is only used by specialist clinics as part of a variety of support options available to patients with obesity.
We are aware that some of our patients are seeking these drugs privately, if you are unsure if your private provider has informed us that you are taking the medication - please let us know. It is important we have an up to date record of medication so we can ensure safe prescribing of your other medicines.
If you have a raised BMI and would like to discuss options to support you with weight loss do get in touch to arrange a routine appointment. Referral to the specialist tier 3 obesity clinic has specific criteria but locally you can also seek help with obesity and weight loss via the council Health Trainers or Healthwise - details above.
Recently, we have had a number of patients seeking bariatric weight loss surgery (e.g. gastric sleeve) abroad. Please note that the NHS are not funded to provide routine aftercare for non-NHS private surgery. Patients will need to seek follow up care, including monitoring of bloods, through a private service either in this country or abroad. We cannot provide this service.
If you have this surgery privately in the UK, you are asked to have private, specialist follow up by your clinic for at least 2 years before being discharged to the GP for ongoing follow up.
