Category: Uncategorised

Thursday 31st October – 6-8pm at The College Road Practice

NHS services are very busy at the moment. It’s important to come forward with any health concerns but you can help ease the pressure by choosing the right service.  Emergency departments are currently extremely busy treating high numbers of patients. This service is for those who need it most – like people with severe chest

In 2023, NHS Kent and Medway spent over £3.7 million on medications for Hay fever. Antihistamines and hay fever relief products are available to purchase at supermarkets, convenience stores and local pharmacies and do not require a prescription.

The 40th anniversary of No Smoking Day, a time for us to unite and offer encouragement and support to those on their quitting journey, is swiftly approaching on 13 March. There are over 5.3 million adults in England who still smoke, and smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of death in England. In fact,

Measles cases on the rise in England and across Europe. Make sure you and your family are protected against becoming seriously unwell with measles by checking you are up to date with the MMR vaccine. One of our lead nurses, Florence, has recorded a video on why it’s important to get vaccinated: Across England, on average

A Yellow Cold Health Alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in conjunction with the Met Office. During a Cold Health Alert, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Met Office guidance signals vulnerable people including the elderly, very young, pregnant mums, and anyone with long-term health conditions, are at increased

Launching 4th December 2023 The College Practice will shortly launch a new, additional service for patients of our GP Practice Group across Maidstone. The service – Same Day Access – this service will run Monday to Friday, 8am to 6:30pm and provides the gateway to offer greater access to clinical assessment for patients who have

We will be having the Health Bus at The College Practice on Saturday 2nd December from 9.30 to 2.30pm. No appointment needed. There will be free health checks and Covid vaccination will be available in a bus. 

CHILDREN Information!!! Children aged 2 or 3 years can get a free flu vaccine at your GP practice. Book your Child Flu appointment now. Children aged 4 – 12 should receive a flu vaccine at school and will not normally attend the surgery.  5 Reasons to get your child a vaccine Click Link For More Information www.gov.uk/government/publications/flu-vaccination-leaflets-and-posters 

As World Sepsis Day approaches (on 13 September), we have set up this post to raise awareness by giving people a basic understanding of Sepsis and knowledge of signs and symptoms. “Sepsis is a rare but serious overreaction of the body’s immune system to an infection, which can cause damage to the body’s cells and

Recommendations for breast feeding are currently to breast feed exclusively for the first 6 months of baby’s life. However, any amount of breast milk has a positive effect. The longer you breastfeed, the longer the protection lasts and the greater the benefits. The World Health Organisation recommends breast feeding should continue for up to 2

Measles is an infection that spreads very easily and can cause serious problems in some people. It usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later along with tiredness and irritability. It’s now fairly uncommon in the UK because of the effectiveness of vaccination. However, the UK has now lost its

This years theme for Alcohol Awareness week is Alcohol and Cost. This gives everyone the chance to think about how much they drink and how much it costs them, whether that’s financially or personally. Alcohol duty currently contributes around £12 billion a year in revenue, while alcohol harm is estimated to cost between £27 billion and

In England there are approximately 1.3 million people with a learning disability. People with a learning disability (LD) may take longer or need more support to develop new skills, understand information or communicate with people. The level of support needed will be individual to the person and depend on whether someone has a mild to

We want to tackle the myths surrounding cervical screening Anyone with a cervix (aged 25 to 64) is eligible to attend cervical screening. This includes cisgender women, trans men and non binary people registered female at birth. It is estimated that having smears prevents 70% of cervical cancer deaths. 83% of deaths could be prevented if everyone

This year the NHS wants to raise awareness about anxiety. Everyone can experience anxious feelings, especially with pressures such as the cost-of-living crisis (more than 1/3 of adults feel anxious about their financial situation) (Mental Health Foundation, 2023). Anxiety can have both physical and mental affects, affect sleep quality, ability to concentrate, make people avoid

Around 13.6 million people in the UK are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It’s a serious condition that can lead to other health problems sometimes called diabetes complications. Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes can sometimes be prevented. Research has shown that for some people, a combination of lifestyle changes can reduce their risk

The NHS want to raise awareness of the home test faecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit, which collects a small sample of poo and then is sent to a lab. If the test finds anything unusual, you might be asked to have further tests to confirm or rule out cancer. Bowel cancer is the 4th most

Walking is a free and easy way to improve your overall health. Walking not only increases your physical activity, but can also improve your mood.   Here are some free local walks you could try Ramblers Wellbeing Walks Maidstone which are open to all ages and abilities. They are easy, short, safe, friendly and free.

On 23rd April the Government is launching a national emergency alert which will send a notification and emit a loud noise even if mobile phones are on silent. For victims of DA this could expose “hidden” phones. There is a way to opt out, please watch the YouTube video below and share with any friends/family:

Connect Well West Kent is a Social Prescribing project managed and delivered by Involve Kent, in partnership with NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Social prescribing is a way to help people make positive changes in their lives and within their communities by linking them to voluntary and community groups and other non-clinical services.

Cancer Care Map is a simple, online resource that aims to help you find cancer support services in your local area wherever you are in the UK. Cancer Care Map is run by The Richard Dimbleby Cancer Fund charity. Click here to access the Cancer Care Map

Patients in Kent and Medway can now use an app to view waiting times at our urgent treatment centres (UTCs) and minor injury units (MIUs). The WaitLess app will help patients who have decided to go to a UTC or MIU make an informed choice about which site to visit. It displays the number of

The College Practice and Albion Merger – Your Top Questions As many of you know the NHS, and in particular Primary Care (the services provided by your Practice) is facing increasing demands for its services both locally and nationally, as well as challenges of GP recruitment and retention. We are planning how best we can continue

for patients of The College Road Practice, Albion Medical Practice, Barming Surgery & Allington Surgery. This letter provides important information for patients relating to changes that may cause short term disruption to normal services from 12 noon on Friday 16th September to Wednesday 21st September. Practice Merger We are able to confirm that the long