Blackburn Road Medical Centre

19/03/2026

📢 Missed Appointments – February 📢
In February, a significant number of appointments were not attended:

❌ 35 GP appointments – resulting in 6 hours of wasted clinical time
❌ 178 Nursing & HCA appointments – resulting in 34 hours of wasted clinical time

That’s 40 hours of clinical time that could have been used to care for other patients.

If you can’t attend your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer it to someone else. Even a short notice cancellation makes a big difference.

Thank you for helping us help you 💙

11/03/2026

Mobile Cervical Screening Unit in Kirklees

Kirklees Council’s Public Health Team is launching a mobile cervical screening unit to help make screening more accessible across Kirklees. The service is funded by the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance and will visit several community locations, offering free drop-in cervical screening. The aim is to make it easier for residents to attend screening, particularly for those who may find it difficult to visit their GP practice.

Who cervical screening is for

Cervical screening is for women and people with a cervix aged 25–64.
The mobile screening unit is available for people who:
• Have received a cervical screening invitation
• Have missed a previous screening appointment
• Are overdue for screening

No appointment is needed – residents can drop in during the listed times.

What to expect

• The screening test usually takes less than 5 minutes
• The full appointment takes around 10 minutes
• The mobile unit provides a safe, private and comfortable environment

Residents can bring a friend, family member or chaperone if they wish.

Why cervical screening is important

Cervical screening helps prevent cervical cancer.
The test checks for changes in the cells of the cervix so they can be monitored or treated early before cancer develops.
Cervical screening saves thousands of lives every year.

Clinical support available at the mobile unit

Screening will be provided by Dr Nabanita Ghosh, a Community Gynaecologist and Women’s Health Specialist. Dr Ghosh can offer support and answer questions in:
• English
• Urdu
• Hindi
• Bengali

Residents are welcome to attend to ask questions or discuss any concerns about cervical screening.

Mobile screening locations, times and dates

Monday 16 March, 9.30am-12.30pm at Dewsbury Minister, Vicarage Road, Dewsbury WF12 8DD.

Monday 16 March, 1.30pm – 4.30pm at Eddercliffe Health Centre,
Eddercliffe Crescent, Liversedge WF15 6LP.

Monday 23 March, 9.30am – 12.30pm at Clare Hill Community Centre,
Clare Hill, Huddersfield, HD1 5BS.

Monday 23 March, 1.30pm – 4.30pm at Al-Hikmah Centre, Batley WF17 7AA.

Monday 30 March, 9.30 – 12.30pm at Ravensthorpe Community Centre,
24 Garden Street, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury WF13 3AR.

Monday 30 March, 1.30pm - 4.30pm at Accu Football Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield HD1 6PG.

Monday 13 April, 9.30am – 12.30pm at Jubilee Centre, Market Street,
Paddock, Huddersfield HD1 4SH.

Monday 13 April, 1.30pm – 4pm at Chestnut Centre, 2A Chestnut Street,
Huddersfield HD2 1HJ.

For more information about cervical screening: Search for NHS cervical screening

Find out about the NHS cervical screening programme (previously called a smear test), including when it's offered, how to book, what happens and getting your results.

06/03/2026

Important health update: measles and vaccination

You may have seen that measles has been in the news again, following outbreaks in parts of the country. Measles is one of the most highly infectious diseases and spreads rapidly among people who are unvaccinated. It is an unpleasant illness and can sometimes cause very serious complications.

We are urging parents and carers to check their child’s vaccination status and ensure they are fully protected against measles by having the MMR or MMRV vaccine.

Despite the availability of a safe and highly effective vaccine, measles remains a significant global health risk. In 2023, an estimated 107,500 measles-related deaths occurred worldwide, mostly among unvaccinated or under vaccinated children under the age of five.

Measles spreads very easily, particularly among children who have not had the MMR or MMRV vaccine:
• Nine out of ten unvaccinated children can catch measles from an infected classmate
• One in five children who catch measles will require a hospital visit
• One in fifteen will experience serious complications, such as meningitis or sepsis
• Children who are not fully vaccinated and who come into contact with measles may be excluded from school or nursery for up to 21 days under public health guidance, meaning they could miss school if they are not protected
We strongly advise you to:
• Check you and your child’s vaccination record
• Make sure your child has had two doses of MMR or MMRV
• Contact your GP surgery as soon as possible if you or your child is not fully vaccinated

Did you know? Parents not wishing their child to have the porcine gelatine-containing MMR/MMRV vaccine can ask their GP practice for an alternative option.

Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from measles and to help prevent disruption to your home life, work and to your child’s education. If you need further information or support, your GP practice will be happy to assist.

23/02/2026

05/02/2026

If something in your body doesn’t feel right, and you’re worried it could be cancer, contact your GP practice.
Know what's normal for you. Get to know your body and be aware of any new or concerning changes.
Read more about cancer symptoms ➡️ nhs.uk/cancersymptoms

03/02/2026

📢 Missed Appointments – January 📢

In January, a significant number of appointments were not attended:

❌ 66 GP appointments – resulting in 11 hours of wasted clinical time
❌ 221 Nursing & HCA appointments – resulting in 41 hours of wasted clinical time

That’s 52 hours of clinical time that could have been used to care for other patients.

If you can’t attend your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer it to someone else. Even a short notice cancellation makes a big difference.

Thank you for helping us help you 💙

21/01/2026

06/01/2026

Consumer Recall Notice - SMA infant formula and follow-on formula
Nestlé is voluntarily recalling specific batches of SMA infant formula and follow-on formula as a precautionary measure due to potential presence of Cereulide in the batches concerned. The batch codes can be found on the base of the tin or box for powdered formulas or the base of the outer box and on the side / top of the container for ready-to-feed formulas. Other Nestlé products and other batches of the same product that are not in the scope of this voluntary recall are safe to consume.

For further information please see below

05/01/2026

📉 December DNA Figures – Blackburn Road Medical Centre 📉

In December, we had a total of 229 appointments that were not attended (DNAs).

⏱️ This resulted in:

43 hours of clinical time wasted overall

39 GP appointments missed, accounting for 7 hours of clinical time
190 Nursing & HCA missed, accounting for 36 hours of clinical time

Every missed appointment is a slot that could have been used by another patient who needed care.

👉 If you can’t attend your appointment, please let us know as early as possible so we can offer it to someone else.

Thank you for helping us make the best use of NHS resources and appointment availability 💙