Loch Lomond Surgery

04/09/2025

01/08/2025

We would like to welcome Laura, our new Community Link Worker. Laura can assist patients with the issues listed in the attached photo.

To book with Laura, please call our reception team on 01389 752626 and request your preference of a face to face appointment or telephone consultation. Many thanks.

17/07/2025

Many thanks to Sophie for demonstrating how to use our new electronic check in machine! It will ask for your day (number) and month of birth and the first letter of your surname. If there are any issues the admin team will be very happy to help you. Kind regards, Loch Lomond Surgery

17/07/2025

We are very pleased to announce that our new electronic check in desk is installed and working.

This is located at the middle of the reception desk.

We kindly ask that you use the check in desk going forward. This will free up our admin team to answer calls and deal with other administrative tasks.

We will be adding a demonstration video on how to use the check in machine.

Many thanks,

Loch Lomond Surgery Team

12/07/2025

Stay safe in the heat!

28/06/2025

Really helpful post about horse fly bites!

11/06/2025

Really useful video on Lyme disease prevention 👍

10/06/2025

Prescribing Diazepam for Flight Anxiety

**The Doctors at Loch Lomond Surgery will no longer be prescribing Diazepam for fear of flying**

Diazepam in the UK is a Class C/Schedule IV controlled drug. We have outlined below the reasons why we will no longer be prescribing it for fear of flying. Patients are welcome to seek the opinion of a private GP if they still wish to request a prescription for this purpose. We would also advise speaking to your pharmacist about alternatives that can be bought over-the-counter.

You can find further information and useful courses in the links below.
How to manage a fear of flying and flying anxiety | Patient
https://www.fearlessflyer.easyjet.com/
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/travel-assistance/flying-with-confidence
https://www.flyingwithoutfear.com/
Air Travel - Fit for Travel
There are a number of very good reasons why prescribing this drug is not recommended.
Diazepam is a sedative. This means, the medication makes you sleepy and more relaxed. If there would be an emergency during the flight, this could impair your ability to concentrate, follow instructions, or react to the situation. This could seriously affect the safety of you and the people around you.
Sedative drugs can make you fall asleep, however, when you sleep it is an unnatural non-REM sleep. This means, your movements during sleep are reduced and this can place you at an increased risk of developing blood clots (DVT). These blood clots are very dangerous and can even prove fatal. This risk further increases if your flight is over 4 hours long.
Although most people respond to benzodiazepines like Diazepam with sedation, a small proportion experiences the opposite effect and can become aggressive. They can also lead to disinhibition and make you behave in ways you normally wouldn’t. This could also impact on your safety and the safety of your fellow passengers or could lead you to get in trouble with the law.
According to the prescribing guidelines doctors follow (British National Formulary) diazepam is contraindicated (not allowed) in treating phobic states. It also states that “the use of benzodiazepines to treat short-term ‘mild’ anxiety is inappropriate”. Your doctor would be taking a significant legal risk by prescribing against these national guidelines. Benzodiazepines are only licensed short term for a crisis in generalised anxiety. If this is the case, you should be getting proper care and support for your mental health and not going on a flight; benzodiazepine doses used for flying previously are not likely control an acute crisis in generalised anxiety disorder.

Many thanks,
Loch Lomond Surgery

Fear of Flying – are you a nervous flyer? Do you have panic attacks on planes, you’re not alone – 1 in 6 people have a fear of flying. The easyJet Fearless Flyer course is perfect for you

08/06/2025

Feeling a bit "bleurgh" 🤢 ? Stomach bugs can be very unpleasant but usually clear up by themselves within a couple of days.

If you are unwell with diarrhoea or vomiting you should:

✔️ stay off work or school until at least 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.
✔️ avoid visiting anyone in hospital during this time.
✔️ wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water particularly after using the toilet and before preparing or handling food.
✔️ drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
✔️ take paracetamol for any fever or aches and pains.
✔️ get plenty of rest.
✔️ use special rehydration drinks, available from community pharmacies if you have signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth or dark urine.
✔️ if you feel like eating try plain foods such as soup, rice, pasta and bread

has more information on what you should do if you have an upset tummy. Click the link in the comments to find out more.

07/06/2025

Got an urgent health concern that can't wait? NHS 24 are on hand to help guide you to the care you need. 💙

Our services are delivered by phone and a range of digital channels. Find out more about us and our services by visiting: https://www.nhs24.scot/how-we-can-help/

01/06/2025

We are putting a message up to inform you the we have an unexpected shortage of GP tomorrow and likely Tuesday due to sudden unforseen circumstances.

We will only have a limited amount of appointments available. Please only call if the matter cannot wait.

Many thanks for your patience and understanding in this matter.