Library House Surgery

19/03/2026

We’ve had a number of calls about recent reports of invasive meningococcal disease cases in Kent.

We’d like to reassure our patients that these cases are being managed locally, and there is currently no increased risk in our area in the North West.

Meningococcal disease is rare but serious. Please only seek medical advice if you or your child have symptoms such as fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, sensitivity to light, vomiting, or a rash that does not fade when pressed.

Please note, we are not able to offer meningococcal vaccines outside of the routine NHS eligible groups, including on a private basis.

If you are concerned about possible meningitis or sepsis, seek urgent medical help via NHS 111 or 999.

For more information, please see the official update:

Latest updates from the ongoing outbreak.

13/03/2026

After more than 27 wonderful years at the surgery, Dr Yates will be retiring at the end of this month.

When she first joined us in January 1999, the world looked a little different. The internet still screeched into life through dial-up, most of our notes were on paper, and people were nervously talking about whether the approaching Y2K bug might bring everything to a halt. In the charts that month, Steps were at number one with Tragedy, soon replaced by Fatboy Slim’s Praise You and then The Offspring’s Pretty Fly.

Viewers across the country were practically shouting at their TVs: “Rachel? Rachel?! Nooooo… Emily!” And who saw Monica and Chandler coming!

Football fans were still talking about the drama of the 1998 World Cup in France, David Beckham’s red card against Argentina and Michael Owen’s unforgettable wonder goal in the same match.

Since those days of dial-up internet, CD singles and Saturday night trips to Blockbuster, Dr Yates has been a constant for thousands of patients and families in our community. Over nearly three decades she has cared for generations with kindness, dedication and a good sense of humour.

While we will miss her enormously, we are incredibly grateful for everything she has done for the practice and for our patients over the past 27 years.

Please join us in wishing Dr Yates a very happy and well-deserved retirement.

14/02/2026

💙 Raising Awareness of Bowel Cancer 💙

We are deeply saddened by the news of the death of James Van Der Beek, best known for playing Dawson Leery in Dawson's Creek, following a battle with bowel cancer. When well-known names speak about or are affected by cancer, it can help shine a spotlight on the disease. However, it’s important to remember that bowel cancer affects thousands of people and families across the UK every year.

Know the signs. Common symptoms include:
▪️ A persistent change in bowel habits (diarrhoea, constipation, or a change in stool consistency)
▪️ Blood in your poo or bleeding from your bottom
▪️ Ongoing abdominal pain, bloating or discomfort
▪️ Unexplained weight loss
▪️ Feeling unusually tired (which can be linked to iron deficiency anaemia)
▪️ A feeling of not fully emptying your bowels

These symptoms are often caused by conditions other than cancer, but if they persist or feel unusual for you, please seek medical advice.

The NHS bowel cancer screening programme is available to eligible age groups and can detect problems early, often before symptoms develop. If you receive a screening kit, please complete and return it.

If you are worried about any symptoms, please contact the practice. Early detection saves lives. Let’s continue to raise awareness and encourage open conversations. 💙

13/02/2026

After almost 14 years with the practice, Megan will be leaving us in mid-March to take up a new role and focus on opening her own business.

Megan joined the practice in June 2012 as a Healthcare Assistant. Through dedication and hard work, she progressed to Assistant Practitioner and then qualified as a Nurse during her time with us. Her commitment to professional development and patient care has been evident throughout her journey.

Over the years, Megan has become a valued and integral member of our team, supporting countless patients and colleagues with compassion, skill and kindness. She has made a lasting contribution to the practice and will be greatly missed.

We would like to sincerely thank Megan for her many years of service and dedication, and we wish her every success and happiness in this exciting new chapter. We’re sure you will join us in wishing her all the very best for the future.

12/02/2026

As a surgery, we do our best to run to time. Our appointments are 50% longer than the average GP surgery, but sometimes our clinicians can run a little late, this might be because:

There was a medical emergency they needed to tend to.
They were waiting for an ambulance so they could admit a patient to hospital.
A patient needed a second opinion.
A patient needed a little extra help or care.

If you are concerned about your wait time, speak to reception staff. They might be able to advise how long the wait is likely to be or alternatively book you a different appointment.

We thank you for your patience and understanding.

06/02/2026

Urgent On-the-Day Appointments
If you need an urgent appointment, we offer on-the-day appointments each weekday, provided by our highly skilled Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs). These appointments are available for booking online at 7.00am each day via the NHS App.

For those who may not be able to use technology, we reserve a limited number of appointments for booking by phone when we open at 8.00am. These can be booked by calling our main reception.

What Our ANPs Can Do
Our ANPs are experienced healthcare professionals who can:
• Take a detailed history of your symptoms.
• Perform examinations.
• Prescribe medication, if necessary.
• Order tests or refer you to other services, if needed.

If the ANP feels a second opinion or further support is required, they can easily consult with an on-call doctor.

29/01/2026

We are currently experiencing a national long-term supply shortage of Co-codamol, which is affecting GP practices across England. This situation is outside the control of the surgery.

To ensure patient safety and responsible prescribing, we regularly review repeat medications. Where Co-codamol has not been requested for three months or more, it has been removed from repeat prescription lists in line with prescribing guidance.

We understand this may be frustrating. Please be assured:

This is not a decision made by the surgery alone
The shortage is national, and stock availability is unpredictable
Re-adding the medication does not guarantee supply

If you are using Co-codamol on a “when required” (PRN) basis and feel you still need pain relief, please email the surgery so we can discuss suitable alternatives where appropriate.

We kindly ask patients to be respectful to our staff, who are working under significant pressure and are following national guidance.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

21/01/2026

Urgent On-the-Day Appointments
If you need an urgent appointment, we offer on-the-day appointments each weekday, provided by our highly skilled Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs). These appointments are available for booking online at 7.00am each day via the NHS App.

For those who may not be able to use technology, we reserve a limited number of appointments for booking by phone when we open at 8.00am. These can be booked by calling our main reception.

What Our ANPs Can Do
Our ANPs are experienced healthcare professionals who can:
• Take a detailed history of your symptoms.
• Perform examinations.
• Prescribe medication, if necessary.
• Order tests or refer you to other services, if needed.
If the ANP feels a second opinion or further support is required, they can easily consult with an on-call doctor.

13/01/2026

Have Your Say – Join Our Patient Participation Group (PPG)
We’re looking for new members to join our Patient Participation Group (PPG) here at Library House Surgery.

The PPG gives patients the opportunity to:
• Share feedback, comments, and suggestions
• Help shape how the surgery is run
• Work with the practice team to improve patient experience and services

We meet bi-monthly, with meetings lasting around 1–2 hours, held at the surgery. There’s no medical knowledge required, just an interest in helping us make the practice the best it can be for our patients.

If you’re a patient at the surgery and would like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Your voice can help make a real difference.

👉 Interested? Please contact reception or ask a member of staff for more details on how to join.

02/01/2026

☎️ A little New Year gremlin paid us a visit this morning! Our phone system was hit by a very belated Y2K moment and decided not to open automatically at 8am.

We’ve manually opened the lines and reset everything, and all has been working as normal since 8:10am.

Apologies to anyone who tried to ring us during that time, it seems our phone system, like many of us, wasn’t quite sure what day of the week it was after the holidays! 😊

22/12/2025

We would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas from all the Team at Library House Surgery.