Dalston Medical Group

20/11/2025

20/11/2025

18/11/2025

149 missed appointments. One month. One practice.
Here’s why it matters — and how a tiny action can help another patient.

Aspatria Medical Group recently reported 149 missed appointments in just one month — that’s 149 clinical slots where staff were ready, but the patient didn’t attend and didn’t let the practice know.

This isn’t just happening in one area. It’s something practices across the whole county are dealing with, so we wanted to take a moment to highlight the issue and gently remind everyone:
👉 If you can’t make your appointment, please let your practice know as soon as possible.

We all regularly see comments on social media saying “I can never get an appointment!” (usually with a mix of laughing, angry or frustrated emojis). And we understand — accessing care can feel difficult at times...

But local practice teams are working incredibly hard to offer timely, appropriate appointments in the face of rising demand. More of us are living longer with more complex health needs, which means capacity can sometimes be challenging.

Here’s the important bit:
💙 Cancelling an appointment you can’t attend directly helps another patient get seen sooner. It frees up a slot for someone who genuinely needs it.

Later on in the week we’ll also be re-highlighting more about how modern triage helps ensure patients are directed to the right care, first time — from GPs to nurses, physios, mental health teams, pharmacists and more.

But for now, this small action from patients can make a big difference in reducing avoidable pressure on practices.

💚 Thanks to everyone who does cancel when they can no longer attend — it really does help.

Wishing everyone a good week ahead.

13/11/2025

⚠️🌧️ Stay safe out there - After a night of heavy rain across - there are instances of flooding and surface water on many roads out there.

As advised by Cumbria Police if you are traveling today, please do so with caution and listen to travel updates. Do not drive through flood water if coming across flooding – take an alternative route. Stay tuned to your local channels for updates.

🌧️ If it is not safe for you to travel to health or care appointments today, please contact your provider to let them know so they can advise accordingly — your safety comes first.

🌧️ With the adverse weather conditions, some practices may also experience staff travel difficulties today. You may wish to keep an eye on your local practice’s channels for any updates on their services, related to staff and appointments.

For updates on road closures visit 👀:
Cumberland Council / Westmorland and Furness Council

Find out more about the multi-agency response at:
https://www.news.cumbria.police.uk/news/multi-agency-response-continues-to-deal-with-effects-of-surface-water-flooding-in-cumbria

If you are experiencing any weather related issues please see a list of agency contacts at: https://www.cumbria.police.uk/police-forces/cumbria-constabulary/areas/campaigns/campaigns/weather-safety/

& Check for flood warnings and alerts at:
https://www.gov.uk/check-flooding
https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/alerts-and-warnings

💙💚🌧️

12/11/2025

We are shut from 1PM today, back open Thursday 13th November at 8AM.

📢 Practice Closure Notice 📢

It’s that time again — GP practices across the NHS North Cumbria area will be closed tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday 12 November 2025) from 1:00PM for Protected Learning Time (PLT). Practices will reopen as normal on Thursday morning.

This dedicated learning time is vital for all practice teams. It allows staff to take part in essential training and development — helping ensure they continue to provide safe, high-quality care for patients across our communities. (see a short clip in the comments).

If you need medical advice or support while practices are closed:
💬 Contact NHS 111 (available 24/7)
💊 Visit your local pharmacy for help with minor ailments
🚨 Always call 999 in an emergency

Thank you for your understanding and support. 💚💙

31/10/2025

We are hiring!
We are looking for a dedicated receptionist/administrator to join our fantastic team!
Please see link below to apply!

https://uk.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=5c4d43c4be4e932d&from=appshareios&fbclid=IwY2xjawNxfSFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHl8xxGGbesYG_yXKFnT1u8-X7kJOIbcf0PSdwZXYriRiZ_u1sa5X91lHyKiY_aem_rOpcnMQ9Fi_KOciYTkRXFQ

Dalston Medical Group

31/10/2025

We're urging people with cardiovascular disease to get vaccinated against the flu virus.

The flu virus can weaken the respiratory system, which is important for the heart to function properly, and it can directly harm the heart muscle. This means getting the flu can be particularly dangerous for people with cardiovascular disease.

Find out more: https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/news-from-the-bhf/news-archive/2025/october/heart-patients-urged-to-get-free-flu-jab

31/10/2025

If you feel unwell or need medical help but aren’t sure which NHS service is right for you, please visit NHS 111 https://www.nhs.uk first. A&E is for emergencies only. 🚨

29/10/2025

Click on the link to find an NHS dentist: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist/

29/10/2025

We are still having some technical issues with our phone lines. We are aiming to get this sorted as soon as possible.
We apologise for any inconvenience this is causing.

Updated 1:45pm – 29/10/25:
We’re pleased to report that the technical issue with the phones across some of the GP Practices has now been resolved by providers. Thank you very much for your patience during this time. 💚💙

Updated 8am - 29/10/25 - this is still the case this morning for some practices with providers still working to fix the issues as soon as possible. We will keep you updated.

4:00pm - 28/10/25
We're receiving reports from some GP Practices that they are having some issues with their phone lines currently, which is resulting in limited lines/an intermittent service. This is again a wider issue with telephony providers.

💡 In the meantime, if your GP practice offers alternative ways to request appointments (such as online services or apps), we recommend using these options, wherever possible, while the phone lines are experiencing technical difficulties.

📱 you can check your local GP practice's social media or website for updates specific to your area.

Practices apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding. 🙏 We hope this is resolved soon.

Please help spread the word to friends and family—especially those who may not be online or using social media to make them aware.
Thank you 💚💙

28/10/2025

Unfortunately we are having some technical issues with our phone lines this afternoon.
We have reported this and hopefully it gets resolved as soon as possible.
We apologise for any inconvenience
DMG