Welcome to our January Newsletter
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2022. We hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas and we are looking forward to speaking to you all this year.
Meet the team
A big hello to Louise this Month. Louise is our Connect Prescription Services Assistant Practitioner and has been with us since May 2021. She is the newest member of our Nursing Team and already a firm favourite with our patients. In just 9 months Louise has received 79 five star reviews Before coming to work for Connect Louise worked in Community Services specialising in Gynaecology. Louise has a busy household, her family share their home with 2 dogs, Arry and Nancy, a cat called Tilly and a parrot called Buddy. When Louise is not spending time with her family there is nothing she likes more than going out, kicking off her heels and dancing.
Your diet and your stoma, Frequently asked questions.
Q: How soon after ostomy surgery can I return to a normal diet?
When reintroducing a more varied diet following ostomy surgery, it is a good idea to begin slowly, depending upon your recovery and/or other medical complications, adding back one new food at a time.
Q: Are there any foods I should avoid eating?
Most ostomists can eat a very varied diet, leaving out only the things which cause problems for them as individuals. However, as a rule, ileostomists should avoid foods that could cause blockage, such as sweetcorn, mushrooms, celery and nuts.
Q: Will spicy foods cause any damage to my stoma?
If you can tolerate spicy foods through your digestive system, the stoma is tough enough to tolerate spicy foods too. However, you should be aware that following a spicy meal your stoma output may increase.
Q: How will different foods affect me after ostomy surgery?
Even if there is no food passing through your digestive tract, gas and digestive juices will continue to be produced. It is recommended that you eat small meals to keep something in the gut.
Local Support groups
Would you like to get together with other individuals who may have shared the same experiences as you? The following support groups are based at St Marks hospital and the details are below;
Inside Out Stoma Support Group – supports anyone with a stoma and is based at St Mark’s Hospital.
Website: www.iossg.org.uk
Tel: 0208 428 4242
Email: info@iossg.org.uk
The Red Lion Group (RLG) – is a support group based at St. Mark’s Hospital for people who have had or are considering pouch surgery – provides support potential pouch patients and people with a pouch
Website: https://pouchsupport.org
Tel: 077 6468 2332
Email info@pouchsupport.org
There are also national organisations that offer support and all welcome new members;
Colostomy UK; Support – Colostomy UK – Supporting and empowering you
Ileostomy association We are strong – Ileostomy & Internal Pouch Association (iasupport.org)
Urostomy association. The Urostomy Association – Support & Information for patients and carers
Connect Prescription Services Website
We will be posting live information on the service phone-lines on the website. There’s information on how to order your prescriptions, frequently asked questions and some useful contacts. The link to access this is below;
https://connectprescriptions.com/
Ways to Order
In addition to telephoning in your order you can also email your prescription when it is due. Simply confirm your details (Name, DOB, address) and the items required. We will process the request and respond to your email with confirmation of receipt. Please forward your request to
connectservices.hccg.haps@nhs.net
Please be aware, if you are planning a holiday to order your supplies within plenty of time.
Our busy periods on the phone lines tend to be Monday all day and the first and third Wednesday afternoon of each month. Tuesdays after a bank holiday are also very busy and wait times on the phone may be longer. We apologise for any delay during these times.
Our quietest times on the phones tend to be our extended hours between 17.00-20.00 Monday and Wednesday and Saturday mornings between 09.00-13.00
Bank holiday closed dates 2021/2022
Friday 15th April 2022
Monday 18th April 2022
Monday 2nd May 2022
Thurs 2nd June 2022
Friday 3rd June 2022
Monday 29th August 2022
Monday 26th December 2022
Tuesday 27th December 2022
Monday 2nd January 2023