New Victoria Hospital has expanded its Private GP Service by welcoming two new General Practitioners and increasing the number of same-day GP appointments available from Monday to Saturday. We sought advice from our doctors on navigating the season changes, drawing upon their insights into the most prevalent health concerns among their patients.

Meet the New Victoria Hospital’s GPs

Fuelled by a passion for their profession, our GPs are dedicated to cultivating robust and trustworthy connections with patients, recognising the vital role such relationships play in achieving optimal care outcomes. Dr Lucy Dormer and Dr Mohammad Rashidy have joined our established GP team who have been operating at New Victoria Hospital with Dr Lowri Bailey and Dr Kirsty Schmidt since the Private GP Service was launched in 2021.

We asked our new GPs Dr Lucy and Dr Mo about the health concerns their patients most often complain about, particularly as the weather starts changing from winter to spring, and how these could be addressed or prevented.

Seasonal changes and immune system

As we are about to approach spring time, it is important to look after your immune system to prepare the body for the change of seasons. As the temperatures start climbing, the weather changes give rise to another wave of common colds and the flu virus.

Dr Lucy's springtime wellness tips

Dr Lucy Dormer, a General Practitioner experienced both in acute and chronic conditions, shares her valuable insights on weathering the seasonal changes and staying in optimal health. Here are her top tips:

1. Balanced nutrition: Eat a varied and balanced diet to give your body a better chance of fighting off infections. Do not forget to drink enough fluids: staying well-hydrated is important not only during a hot summer.
2. Boost immunity with vitamin C: Incorporate vitamin C-rich foods into your diet to enhance immunity.
3. Vitamin D supplements: 1 in 6 adults in the UK have low levels of vitamin D, so consider taking supplements to combat tiredness and support overall well-being.
4. Regular exercise: Engage in regular exercise to promote both physical and mental health and reduce the likelihood of spring fatigue.
5. Stay up to date with vaccinations: The flu vaccine is available from your GP until the end of March, as the flu season often continues into early spring and people are still becoming severely ill with the virus.
6. Pay attention to hygiene: To prevent the spread of infections, such as spring flu, avoid touching your face, regularly wash hands with soap and water, wipe surfaces, do not share personal care items, and ventilate rooms.
7. Prioritise sleep and stress management: Ensure you get enough and good-quality sleep, manage your stress, and make time for rest. Increasing evidence suggests that lack of sleep may interfere with the immune system, making you more susceptible to illness.
8. Plan travel vaccinations: Already dreaming of summer? Book your travel jabs at least 2 months before you're due to travel to allow your body time to develop immunity. Some vaccines also involve a number of doses spread over several weeks or months.

Put the spring back in your… back!

Among the health concerns that become more prevalent in the colder weather are chronic pain conditions such as lower back pain. Chronic lower back pain is a very common condition affecting nearly a quarter of adults in the UK. To add to the problem, this pain can lead to patients reducing their physical activity, often avoiding exercise all together, particularly during the cold winter months.

As the spring will start to blossom, you will be tempted to spend more time outdoors and become more physically active. So this is a good time to address your aching back and put the spring back in your step. Where to start?

Dr Mohammad on chronic lower back pain

Inspired by the many park runners or motivated by your friend’s fitness challenge, you may want to dust off your trainers and start hitting your own fitness goals this spring. Research shows, exercise not only strengthens muscles, but can also increase the blood flow in the lower back area, reduce stiffness and speed up your healing. But do not rush to sign up to the London Marathon just yet! It is important to start slow and consult a specialist to find the appropriate type and level of activities to avoid doing more damage to your sore back.

Dr Mohammad Rashidy, a General Practitioner experienced in chronic pain, shares his advice, key insights, and steps for managing chronic lower back pain:

1. Medication awareness: Most people try managing this condition with pain killers only. However, pain killer medications are not enough, do not address the root cause, and can lead to both short and long term side effects. To avoid developing dependency and causing more damage to your health, it is advisable to seek guidance from your General Practitioner on choosing the appropriate remedies for you.
2. Holistic approach: Managing chronic lower back pain requires a multidimensional support network, including collaboration with a general practitioner, physiotherapist, pain management specialist, peer-support, and healthier employment practices.
3. Professional assessment: Initiate the management process with a thorough review of history, examination, and, if necessary, further investigations conducted by our experienced GPs.
4. Specialist referrals: Depending on the case, patients may be referred to senior Physiotherapists, Pain Management Specialists, Orthopaedic, Rheumatology or other appropriate Consultants at New Victoria Hospital.

For additional resources on managing back pain, you can explore this back pain information booklet and, if advised by your doctor, get started with exercise following these guidelines.

If you have concerns about ongoing illness, experience new symptoms, or would like to book any vaccinations, please do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced Private GPs for a thorough review and expert advice. Often same-day appointments are available from Monday to Saturday.

To book, please call 020 8949 9640 or use our online booking system.