The Croft Practice at Eastergate Medical Centre

30/01/2026

📣 The latest edition of Cadet Link is here!

Packed with inspiring cadet stories, achievements and highlights from across the South East.

👉 Read the full magazine here: https://bit.ly/4r51g4P
💬 Let us know your favourite article in the comments!

30/01/2026

💚 Mental Health Support – You’re Not Alone 💚

We know that looking after your mental health is important and support is available if you need it.

We’re sharing these posters to help our patients (including children and young people) find the right support at the right time, whether you’re dealing with anxiety, low mood, panic, stress, or just feeling overwhelmed.

✨ What you’ll find here:
• Local NHS and community mental health services
• Free self-referral options
• Online and digital support you can access in your own time
• 24/7 urgent mental health and crisis support
• Dedicated resources for young people aged 11–18 and their families

You do not need to struggle on your own, and you don’t always need a GP appointment to access help — many of these services are available directly to you.

📞 If you or someone you care about needs urgent support, please use the crisis numbers shown on the posters, or call 999 / attend A&E in an emergency.

Please save, share, or pass this on to someone who might need it.

26/01/2026

🦷 26,546 additional urgent NHS dental appointments are now available for people across Sussex

Find out what conditions are covered, where these appointments are offered and how you can book in, visit our website:

https://orlo.uk/5RJvc

13/01/2026

☕🍰 Carers Meeting – You’re Invited 🍰☕

Following the success of our first carers meeting, we’re delighted to invite carers to our next Carers Meeting on:

📅 10 February 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 12:00pm

We’re pleased to welcome the Carers Health Team, who will be joining us to talk about their service and the support available to carers.

Come along for a relaxed morning with tea, coffee, and cake, meet other carers, and find out what help is available to you.

💙 All carers welcome
📍 Please RSVP to croft.reception@nhs.net or reply to the Accurx invite you have been sent

We look forward to seeing you there!

13/01/2026

💙 Carers Support at The Croft 💙

We were delighted to welcome carers to our recent Carers Meeting in December and spend time talking about the support available locally.

During the session, carers heard from Caroline from Carers Support, who shared valuable information about:

⚡ Help with energy costs through the Energy Grant Programme, delivered in partnership with Citizens Advice
🏠 The Priority Services Register, which offers extra support during power, gas, or water disruptions and helps suppliers understand any additional household needs

We also discussed who may be eligible for extra support, including people with:
✔ Long-term health conditions
✔ Disabilities or sensory impairments
✔ Caring responsibilities
✔ Pensionable age

Carers kindly shared their own experiences and highlighted services they have found helpful, including:
🤝 The Carers Health Team
📞 Echo
🏡 The First Home First Team

We’re really pleased to confirm that the Carers Health Team will be joining us at our next meeting in February

Following the meeting, several carers were successfully registered with Carers Support, and individual queries were followed up — including help with referrals and accessing the right services.

✨ Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed. Your feedback and experiences help us shape better support for carers within our community.

If you are a carer and would like to get involved or find out more, please contact the surgery 💙

12/01/2026

💙 Great video which explains the benefits of the Pharmacy First scheme available to all of our patients 💙

12/01/2026

We’re delighted to invite our patients and community to our Friends of The Croft meeting.

🗓 Friday 16th January 2026
⏰ 5:30pm

☕ Tea, coffee and a warm welcome included.
Everyone is welcome – we’d love to see you there!

📧 RSVP: sxicb-wsx.croftfeedback@nhs.net

08/01/2026

08/01/2026

December Total Triage

In December we handled 4,181 triage requests, with an average of 135 requests every day.
That’s 304 requests per 1,000 patients — showing just how many of you are using Total Triage to access care.

👏 This reflects:
✔️ Strong patient engagement
✔️ Faster access to clinical advice
✔️ Safer prioritisation of urgent needs
✔️ Better use of appointments

Thank you for working with us and using Total Triage.

Your support helps us deliver the right care, at the right time, for everyone 💙

06/01/2026

❄️ Icy Weather, Please Take Care ❄️

With freezing temperatures and icy conditions forecast, we’d like to remind all our patients to take extra care when travelling.

Please allow extra time for your journey, wear suitable footwear, and be cautious on paths, car parks, and steps which may be slippery. If conditions are unsafe and you’re unable to attend your appointment, please contact us as soon as possible so we can help rearrange or offer an alternative where appropriate.

Your safety is our priority. Thank you for your understanding and take care in this cold weather. 💙

05/01/2026

Thank you for your patience while we introduce EMMA, our new AI receptionist. EMMA has helped us answer calls more quickly and respond in a more timely manner.

To offer some reassurance, please know that after you speak with EMMA, your information is passed securely to a GP, who will read it and decide the best next step for you.

If the response isn’t what you expected, or you need to add more information, please call Emma again. This can be added and reviewed again by a GP.

Your care is safe and led by our clinical GP triaging team. We are here to listen and support you 💙

03/01/2026