Ex Service Personnel

If you are one of our patients who has previously served in the UK Armed Forces it would be to your advantage to ensure that we are aware of the fact. Not all ex-service patients included this information on initial registration but it can be useful and pertinant background information during any medical consultation. So, if you are content to have this information contained within your confidential patient record please either contact one of our reception staff on 01367 242407 or inform us via e-mail:

fernhill.out@nhs.uk

Health Charities

01 Dec - 31 Jan
Marie Curie

Marie Curie Cancer Care is a UK charity dedicated to the care of people with terminal cancer and other illnesses. Over the financial year 2010/11, we reached a total of 31,799 patients

01 Dec - 31 Jan
YouthHealthTalk

Youthhealthtalk enables young people, their family and friends, and professionals such as doctors and teachers to understand young people's experiences of health, illness and life in general. The website feature real-life accounts of issues such as effect on work and education, social life and relationships, consulting health professionals and treatment.

BBC Health

Right-to-die case wins first step

A man who is almost completely paralysed has won the first step in his legal bid to pursue his right-to-die.

Babies' brains 'show autism risk'

It may be possible to detect autism at a much earlier age than previously thought, say researchers.

Government escapes NHS rebellion

The government appears to have escaped a rebellion by the medical establishment over its controversial NHS reforms in England.

Breast implant boss faces charges

The owner of a French breast implant maker at the centre of an international safety scare faces charges of "involuntary injury", his lawyer says.

Carers 'missing out on support'

Carers are missing out on "vital" support, a survey for cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support suggests.

More men 'have oral cancer virus'

Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is more common among men than women, leading to an increased risk for men of head and neck cancers, a US study suggests.

Heart attack deaths have halved

The death rate from heart attacks in England has halved in the last decade, says an Oxford University study.

Abbott quits MPs' abortion group

Shadow health minister Diane Abbott has resigned from a cross-party group on counselling given to pregnant women by abortion providers.

Alcohol deaths increase slightly

Alcohol related deaths in the UK have increased slight between 2009 and 2010, according to official figures.

Bid to stop doctor gagging orders

Doctors are being told they can no longer sign contracts that contain gagging orders, in new guidance issued by the medical regulator.

Health Protection Agency

Health Protection Agency confirms new incinerator study

A new study to further extend the evidence base as to whether emissions from modern well run Municipal Waste Incinerators affect human health has been approved by the Health Protection Agency.

HPA helps solve radon problems in West Oxfordshire homes

Hundreds of homes across West Oxfordshire have been found to have high levels of radioactive gas radon. Last summer, the Health Protection Agency invited about 9,000 householders across West Oxfordshire to apply for a free test for radon, a naturally occurring gas present in all homes.

HPA helps solve radon problems in Orkney homes

Hundreds of householders across Orkney are being advised to act to protect their health, after HPA tests detected high levels of radioactive gas radon.

Cornish radon hotspot targeted

Thousands of households in a part of Cornwall with historic radon problems are being offered a free test for levels of the radioactive gas radon.

New Guidelines to Control Group A Streptococcal (GAS) Infections in UK Hospitals Launched

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) together with the group A streptococcal (GAS) Working Group* has today launched new guidelines for the investigation, control and prevention of GAS infection in acute healthcare settings, including maternity units, in the UK.

Whooping cough cases increase

Cases of whooping cough (pertussis) reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in England and Wales have more than doubled from 421 cases in 2010 to 1040 in 2011. Increases in levels of whooping cough are seen every three to four years and figures in 2011 are in line with cases reported in the last peak year of 2008.

HPA publishes second migrant health report

The Health Protection Agency’s (HPA) second report on Migrant Health, and the first UK-wide report is published today.

Levels of norovirus within seasonal norms

Norovirus is highly contagious and can be transmitted by contact with an infected person; by consuming contaminated food or water or by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects. The virus spreads rapidly in closed environments such as hospitals, schools, nursing and residential homes.

HPA warns winter sun seekers to seek protection from malaria

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is reminding UK travellers visiting friends and family or taking winter sun holidays to ensure they take anti-malaria tablets when visiting countries where malaria is prevalent.

New study finds post natal women have an 'increased risk' of TB

The risk of TB diagnosis is significantly increased in women during the first six months after pregnancy, according to a new UK-wide study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine today (Friday).

Welcome to The Fern Hill Practice Online..

Why Fern Hill? Well Fern Hill is a derivation from the Saxon word for Faringdon. Faringdon means “fern covered hill”, - hence The Fern Hill Practice!

We aim to provide a personal, caring efficient health service to our patients. We believe this includes meeting physical, mental, social and spiritual needs. We work as a team and are committed to a high quality of care.

We hope to use our GP surgery website as a way of presenting all our patients with an up to date resource for all information relating to our practice. We will keep it current with any news, developments & details that are relevant to the practice & our patients.

As well as a source of information about our Medical Practice, the staff & the services we provide, we hope you use the website as a useful resource with links to other reliable websites for health related information. If there is topical health information we will also add this to the website.

Have a look around our website and please do send us some feedback. We can use your thoughts to improve our online services & further develop the website to make it a more useful, practical application for our patients.

Further Information

Patient Group

For quick medical advice online or on the telephone contact NHS Direct

NHS 111 is a new service being introduced to make it easier for you to access local NHS healthcare services