Banks&Bearwood Medical Practice

27/03/2026

Easter Surgery Times

The Surgery will be closed on:-
Good Friday 3rd April 2026
Easter Monday 6th April 2026

If you require medical assistance during the surgery closure, please contact the NHS 111 Service or if a matter of life/death situation call 999.

Happy Easter to all our patients.

24/03/2026

Emails / Triage Requests
Due to a high demand of medical queries being sent into the surgery email box, we would like to explain why we remind patients to use the triage system and not our email system. Any medical issue must be sent through to the surgery on a triage request. Triage requests are seen by the Triage Doctors who are working that day. This is the most efficient way of getting your medical issue to a clinician without delay. Emails are used at the surgery for general enquiries not for any medical issues you may be experiencing.

We apologise if when sending in an email you get a reply stating that your enquiry needs to go via the triage system but the surgery administration is there to direct you to the correct pathway for medical treatment.

Help us to help you. Our team of receptionist can assist you if you are finding the triage system hard to navigate – call the surgery and they will only be too happy to assist.

Thank you

24/03/2026

📝 Have your say on learning disability services

NHS England is asking people with a learning disability (18+) and their families or carers to share their experiences of care over the past year.

The survey is anonymous and helps NHS trusts understand what’s working well and where things could improve. Patients can complete it with help from a family member or carer.

Patient and Carer SurveyWelcome to the NHS England Learning Disability Improvement Standards (LDIS) Patient and Family/Carer Survey. This survey forms part of the LDIS benchmarking project which has been undertaken to evaluate NHS trusts’ compliance with the national learning disability improvemen...

19/03/2026

There is currently no cause for concern or outbreak of meningitis in Dorset. However, the NHS is encouraging everyone to stay aware of the signs and symptoms, and to make sure you and your children are up to date with routine vaccinations.

Meningitis can be serious, so knowing what to look out for and seeking medical help promptly if symptoms develop is important.

04/03/2026

Support for Children and Young People – Please Share

If you’re a parent, grandparent or carer, it can be reassuring to know that free mental wellbeing support is available for young people.

Kooth provides a free, safe and anonymous online service for children and young people aged 11–25, available 7 days a week.

Young people can:
• Speak one-to-one with a qualified counsellor
• Access professional support online
• Connect with a moderated community of peers
• Get help without needing a referral

Support is available whenever they feel ready to reach out.

Please consider sharing this information with family, friends, or any young person who may benefit.

Find out more at:

25/02/2026

If someone close to you has had a stroke and you’ve suddenly found yourself in a caring role, this may be helpful.
PramaLife, a local charity working with NHS colleagues, is offering a free five-week information course for people caring for someone after a stroke.
The sessions are practical and supportive, providing clear information, useful skills, and the chance to ask questions and connect with other carers.

Topics include:
* Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy – 12 March 2026
* Speech & Language Therapy – 19 March 2026
* Continence – 26 March 2026
* Local support for carers (including benefits and practical help) – 9 April 2026
* NHS support for carers – 16 April 2026
🕑 Most sessions: 2pm–3pm (arrive from 1.30pm)
🕐 Continence session (26 March): 1pm–2pm (arrive from 12.30pm)
Refreshments provided. No charge.
📍 Held at Tesco, Riverside Avenue, Bournemouth, BH7 7DY (free parking up to 3 hours)
To book or find out more:
Sue Warr
📧 sue.warr@prama.uk
📞 01202 804914

24/02/2026

Children are heading back to school this week.... but is your child well enough to go in?
From sore throats and earaches to high temperatures and tummy bugs – it's not always easy to know what to do.
But the NHS website is here to help. Click for some help and advice.
➡️

Find out when it's best to keep your sick child at home and when it's OK to send them to school or nursery.

17/02/2026

SkinVision are exploring how people might use a smartphone app to monitor changes in their skin.

The app is designed to help identify early signs of skin cancer and support decisions about when to seek advice from a GP for moles or skin changes. SkinVision are currently gathering feedback from different groups to understand if and when people would use the app.

👉 Find out more here:

13/02/2026

WINTON NEIGHBOURHOOD HEALTH CENTRE

We are delighted to share some exciting news for the Winton Community!

Work to begin on the new Winton Health Centre

Dorset Healthcare, NHS Dorset and the Banks & Bearwood Medical Practice have confirmed that work soon to begin on this site to create a new Health Centre at Alma Road, bringing a range of local healthcare services back into the heart of our neighbourhood.

Construction on Winton Neighbourhood Health Centre is due to start in February, with the project expected to be completed by Summer 2026.

DROP IN FOR A CHAT

An informal drop in session has been arranged for anyone wanting to know more about the project and this is being held on:-

THURSDAY 19th FEBRUARY 2026

3pm to 6pm

Bournemouth (Winton Life Centre)

713 Wimborne Road, Moordown, Bournemouth, BH9 2AU.

This give you the chance to engage with the project, raise any concerns and ask questions to representatives from the Construction Company, Dorset Healthcare and the GP services.

16/01/2026

We want to help everyone move more, because movement isn’t just physical, it’s transformational.
Movement lifts our moods, builds resilience, strengthens communities, and connects us
with others. A Movement for Movement is a new website, helping you find ways to sit a little less and
move a little more. Find inspiring stories and resources, alongside Dorset's Activity Finder - a search engine for physical activity!

Join A Movement for Movement Dorset — a community-wide mission to help everyone sit less, move more, and live healthier, happier lives across the county.

06/01/2026

It’s back to school this week!
But if your child's feeling under the weather, it can sometimes be tricky to decide whether they should stay at home or not.
The NHS website has helpful advice on different conditions to help you ➡️

Find out when it's best to keep your sick child at home and when it's OK to send them to school or nursery.

02/01/2026

Information regarding the surgery during December 2025:-

Appointments given to patients = 2437
Cervical Smears appointments = 45
Prescriptions issued = 3267

Did not attend appointments booked = 155 This is not acceptable as this means 155 more patients could have been seen. All we ask is if you cannot make your appointment please advise the surgery as soon as you know you cannot attend. This way the appointment can be used for another patient in need and not wasted.

155 appointments = 38 and 3/4 hours of clinical time wasted for the clinicians as well as our patients.