Armada Family Practice - Whitchurch Health Centre

19/05/2026

15/05/2026

🚨 Bladder Cancer is More Common Than Many People Realise 🚨

Every year, more than 610,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with bladder cancer, and over 1.9 million people are currently living with the disease. 🌍

Although it is the 9th most common cancer globally, awareness remains low, and symptoms are often overlooked or mistaken for other conditions.

💙 The good news: When bladder cancer is found early, treatment is highly effective, with survival rates of up to 90%.

Knowing the signs and acting quickly can save lives.

🔎 5 Things Everyone Should Know About Bladder Cancer

🩸 1. Blood in the urine is the most important warning sign
Even if it happens only once and causes no pain, blood in the urine should never be ignored.

🚻 2. Symptoms can look like other conditions

Frequent urination
Sudden urgency to urinate
Pain or burning when urinating
Repeated urinary tract infections

If something feels unusual or symptoms keep returning, get checked.

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ 3. Bladder cancer affects both men and women
It is more common in men, but women are often diagnosed later because symptoms may be mistaken for infections or age-related changes.

🚬 4. Smoking is the biggest risk factor
Smoking contributes to about half of all bladder cancer cases. But many people diagnosed have never smoked, so everyone should be aware.

⏰ 5. Early diagnosis makes a real difference
The earlier bladder cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat and the better the chance of a successful outcome.

💛 Listen to your body.
🩺 If you notice blood in your urine or persistent urinary symptoms, speak to a healthcare professional.

Early action can save lives. Please share this information to help raise awareness. 🙏

29/04/2026

🚨 Bank Holiday Closure Notice 🚨

Please note that the practice will be closed on Monday 4th May for the Bank Holiday.

We will reopen as normal on Tuesday 5th May.

If you need urgent medical advice during this time, please call NHS 111 📞 or visit:
👉 https://111.nhs.uk

💊 Need a pharmacy over the bank holiday?
Check opening hours here:
👉 https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.england.nhs.uk%2Fsouth%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F6%2F2026%2F04%2FBNSSG-4th-May-BH-FINAL-2026-V2.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

28/04/2026

With the bank holiday approaching, make sure you order your repeat prescription in good time to avoid any delays in getting your medicines.

GP practices and pharmacies may have different opening hours, so it’s best to plan ahead and not leave it until the last minute.

Find out how to order your repeat prescription here, including via the NHS App: https://nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions/how-to-order-a-repeat-prescription/

20/04/2026

Unfortunately our IT system is experiencing issues again today. It is working but very intermittent. This issue has been escalated. Please bare with us whilst a resolution is worked on. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

16/04/2026

UPDATE 10:20AM- Our IT has returned, however, it is slow and intermittent.

8:20AM- We have issues with our IT this morning. It is a national problem which is being worked on.
Please bare with us as we try to get this resolved.

If your problem is not urgent, please contact us at a later time.

10/04/2026

🚨 Bowel Cancer Awareness Month 🚨

Knowing the symptoms could save your life.

If you notice any of the following, don’t ignore them - speak to your GP and ask about an at-home test:

• Blood in your poo
• Bleeding from your bottom
• A change in bowel habits (diarrhoea or constipation)
• Unexplained weight loss
• Ongoing tiredness
• Pain or a lump in your tummy

These symptoms can be caused by many conditions, but it’s always best to get checked.

Early detection makes a huge difference 💙

👉 Learn more: bowelcanceruk.org.uk/symptoms

01/04/2026

Update @ 4pm - phone lines now back up and running, sorry for any inconvenience caused.

01/04/2026 @ 3:45pm
📢 Notice to our patients.
Our phone lines are currently down. Our telephone provider is investigating the cause and working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

We will keep you posted when the lines are back up and running. Thank you for your understanding.