Knowsley Medical Centre

23/10/2025

💉 Child Immunisations – Myth Busters!

At Knowsley Medical Centre, Bury, we know parents want the best for their children — and that includes keeping them protected from preventable illnesses. 💙

There’s a lot of misinformation out there, so let’s set the record straight! 👇

✅ Myth 1: “My child doesn’t need all the vaccines.”
Truth: Each vaccine protects against a different serious illness — missing one leaves gaps in protection.

✅ Myth 2: “Vaccines overload a child’s immune system.”
Truth: Children’s immune systems handle thousands of germs daily — vaccines actually train the body safely.

✅ Myth 3: “Natural immunity is better.”
Truth: Catching diseases like measles or whooping cough can cause severe illness — vaccines protect without the risk.

✅ Myth 4: “Vaccines cause side effects or autism.”
Truth: Serious side effects are extremely rare, and there’s no link between vaccines and autism — this has been proven in many studies worldwide.

💬 If you have questions, our nurses and GPs are here to listen, support, and give you trusted information.

Let’s keep children safe and healthy together! 🌈

https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them

23/10/2025

Parents listen up! If your kids miss their flu vaccine at school, there are some extra clinics taking place in the half-term for you.

29 clinics in total in different parts of . Some extra clinics in the weeks after too!

Get in touch with Intrahealth on 03333 583 397 or contactimms@intrahealth.co.uk.

Or click here for the list - https://orlo.uk/Uf6Mg

21/10/2025

🚨 Reminder: Flu & COVID Vaccines Available 🚨
Protect yourself, your family, and our community this winter. If you’re eligible, please make sure you book your flu and COVID vaccinations.

✅ Reduces risk of serious illness
✅ Helps keep the NHS running smoothly
✅ Gives peace of mind this winter

📞 Contact the surgery or follow your invite instructions to book your appointment.
💙 Don’t wait — stay protected!

20/10/2025

🕸️ Feeling under the weather this Halloween? 🎃
Don’t let illness give you a fright — the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership can help you Get to Know Where to Go!
👉 gmintegratedcare.org.uk/gtkwtg

🧙‍♀️ For minor illnesses:
Your local pharmacist is your first stop for coughs, colds, sore throats, earache, stomach upsets, rashes, and minor sprains — no appointment needed! 🩹💊

🧠 For mental health:
If things are feeling a bit spooky inside your head, there’s always help. Find out how to get urgent support or access ongoing wellbeing services.

🦷 For routine care:
GPs, opticians, and dentists can help with check-ups, prescriptions, and ongoing conditions — keeping you healthy long after the pumpkins fade. 🩺

🚨 For urgent or emergency care:
If you’re seriously ill, injured, or unsure, use NHS 111 Online or call 111 for 24/7 help. For life-threatening emergencies, always call 999. 🚑

🧛‍♂️ Parents & carers:
Little monsters unwell? There’s special guidance for children’s symptoms — like fevers, coughs, and rashes — so you know when to seek help.

📘 Download the “Get to Know Where to Go” booklet — your handy Halloween helper for health!
👉 gmintegratedcare.org.uk/gtkwtg

🎃 Treat yourself to peace of mind — knowing where to go helps you get care faster and keeps emergency services free for those who need them most.
Share to help others this Halloween! 🕷️💙

17/10/2025

Child Health Tip

🤒 Children and fevers
Fevers are common in children and usually get better on their own.
✅ Keep them comfortable & hydrated
✅ Give paracetamol or ibuprofen if they’re distressed
✅ Keep them off school until they feel well enough

📞 Call us or NHS 111 if your child:

Is under 3 months with a temp of 38°C+
Is 3–6 months with a temp of 39°C+
Has a rash, breathing difficulty, or is unusually sleepy

17/10/2025

🚨 Exciting News! Our New Triage System Is Live! 🚨

We’re thrilled to announce that our new triage system is now officially live! 🎉
This upgrade is designed to make your experience faster, smoother, and more efficient — helping us prioritise care and connect you to the right services more quickly.

💡 What this means for you:
✅ No phone wait times
✅ Improved communication
✅ Streamlined care from the moment you arrive

This triage system is open from 8:00am to 6:30pm weekdays, but shuts for ACUTE ON THE DAY at 9am.

https://accurx.nhs.uk/patient-initiated/P83024
https://www.knowsleymedicalcentre.nhs.uk/services/appointments-2/

We’re committed to continuous improvement and providing the best possible service for our community. Thank you for your patience and support as we roll out this enhancement! 💙

AppointmentsUrgent appointmentsTo request an urgent appointment for today or tomorrow (Monday to Friday)use our appointment request form, Monday to Friday from 8am to 9am (FOR ACUTE ON THE DAY APPOINTMENTS). We will respond on the same day during opening times.visit the surgery and speak with a rece...

15/10/2025

Managing Colds at Home

🤧 Most colds get better on their own within 1–2 weeks. You can help yourself feel better by:
✅ Resting and keeping warm
✅ Drinking plenty of fluids
✅ Using paracetamol or ibuprofen if needed
✅ Honey & lemon in warm water can soothe a sore throat

📞 Contact the surgery if your symptoms get worse, last longer than 3 weeks, or you feel very unwell.

13/10/2025

📅 FAQ: What if I can’t attend my appointment?

If you’re unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer the slot to another patient.
You can cancel by:
✅ Phoning the surgery
✅ Replying to the text reminder (if you received one)
✅ Using the NHS App (for online bookings)

🚫 Missed appointments (DNAs) mean longer waits for everyone — so please cancel if you can’t make it.

09/10/2025

🍁 Stay Healthy This Autumn 🍁

As the weather turns colder, here are some simple steps to protect yourself and your family:
🧣 Wrap up warm when outside
🤧 Carry tissues & wash hands often to stop the spread of bugs
🥦 Eat balanced meals to support your immune system
💧 Keep hydrated, even when it’s chilly
💤 Make time for good sleep and rest

Let’s all take care of ourselves as we move into the winter months. 💙

08/10/2025

📅 September at Knowsley Medical Centre – Here’s What We’ve Been Up To! 🩺

Hey everyone! 👋 September was a busy one here at Knowsley Medical Centre, so we thought we’d share some highlights from behind the scenes…

🌟 Family & Friends Feedback
💬 A HUGE thank you to everyone who took part in our survey!
✅ 93% of you said you’d recommend us to friends and family — your support means the world! 💙

📞 Phone Calls
Our reception team handled an incredible 3,651 calls last month – helping patients with bookings, queries, and advice. Legends! 🙌

🩺 Appointments
We booked 2,099 appointments in total – including phone consultations, results, home visits & care home visits. Busy, busy! 💪

🚫 Missed Appointments (DNAs)
Unfortunately, 138 appointments were missed without notice.
⚠️ The 16-45 age group (30.2%) had the highest DNAs.
If you can’t make it, please give us a quick call – every appointment counts and helps someone else get seen sooner! 💛

🔁 Cancellations & Repeat Visits
📅 366 cancellations
👥 518 patients seen more than once
💭 Sadly, 6 patients missed multiple appointments. Let’s work together to reduce missed slots – it really makes a difference! 🙏

📝 Referrals
We sent around 89 referrals to ensure our patients got the specialist care they needed. 💌

📋 Admin & Non-NHS Requests
Our team also processed 27 non-NHS reports and handled plenty of admin – from emails and letters to online forms and record requests. 💻✉️

💙 A Big Thank You!
We’re proud to care for our Knowsley community and always looking for ways to make your experience better.
If you can’t attend your appointment, just give us a quick ring with enough time – it helps us help others! 🌈

06/10/2025

📢 Zero Tolerance Policy – Reminder

A gentle reminder to all our patients:
We have a Zero Tolerance Policy towards any abuse — verbal, physical, or written — directed at our staff.

Our team is here to help you, and we promise to treat everyone with respect, kindness, and professionalism. In return, we ask the same from you. 💙

🙏 Please remember:
✨ Everyone here is doing their best and working their hardest to support you and your loved ones — often under a lot of pressure.
✨ Whether you're speaking to reception, nurses, doctors, or anyone else in the team — a little kindness goes a long way.
✨ Abuse or inappropriate behaviour will lead to a warning letter and if continued removal from our list.

Let’s keep our practice a safe, respectful, and caring environment for all.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued support. 💐

03/10/2025

📞 Need a Same-Day Appointment for acute issues? Here's How It Works! 👇

Call us at 8:00 AM sharp or contact us via our online triage platform and one of our reception team will answer your call/triage request. They’ll do a quick assessment to help get you the right care, fast.

Depending on your symptoms, you might be:
✅ Booked in with one of our clinical triage practitioners
✅ Referred to a pharmacist for quick advice & treatment
✅ Booked for a routine appointment if it’s not urgent
✅ Referred to our Paediatric Nurse (for little ones) or our First Contact Physio for muscle/joint issues

If you're seen by a triage clinician, they’ll chat with you in more detail, offer treatment if they can, or arrange a follow-up with a GP if needed.
💬 The goal? Get you the right care, with the right person, as soon as possible.
⏰ So set a reminder, call/ submit your request at 8:00 AM, and let us help you get sorted!