The White Horse Medical practice

19/03/2026

⚠️ Meningitis Update – Important Information for Patients ⚠️

UKHSA has confirmed a Meningococcal disease outbreak linked to the Canterbury area, involving University of Kent students and people who visited Club Chemistry on 5–7 March.

We know this has caused concern, and many patients have contacted us already.

Good news for Oxfordshire
There are currently no cases or concerns in Oxfordshire.
All confirmed cases remain centred in Kent, with no evidence of spread to other regions.

Who may need a one‑off preventive antibiotic?
You may be eligible if you’ve recently returned from Canterbury and:
• Lived on the University of Kent Canterbury campus
• Lived or worked in affected halls
• Attended Club Chemistry on 5–7 March
• Were identified by UKHSA as a close contact

This is a single‑dose antibiotic used to reduce risk.

📞 Contact us only after speaking with UKHSA

UKHSA must advise you to obtain antibiotics from your GP before we can provide them.
If you haven’t spoken to them yet, please call:

📞 UKHSA Helpline: 0344 225 3861 (Mon–Fri, 9–5)

💉 Vaccinations – What You Need to Know

There are no changes to NHS vaccine eligibility.

However, here’s some helpful information:
MenB vaccine
• Protects against the strain linked to the Kent outbreak
• Routinely offered to babies — most teens/young adults did not receive it unless privately
MenACWY vaccine
• Given in school years 9/10
• Protects against A, C, W & Y — not MenB

Private providers (pharmacies, travel clinics) offer MenB and MenACWY vaccines if you wish to explore vaccination.

📲 Checking your vaccination history
You can view your full immunisation record, including past meningitis vaccines, in the NHS App — no need to phone the practice.

⚠️ Symptoms – seek urgent help if you develop:
• Fever
• Severe headache
• Rash
• Vomiting
• Cold hands/feet
• Limb pain
• Drowsiness or rapid deterioration
Early treatment is lifesaving.

ℹ️ Want to read more?
You can find official information about the outbreak and ongoing updates here:

👉 UKHSA outbreak information:
https://www.kentandmedway.icb.nhs.uk/news/meningitis-outbreak-in-the-canterbury-area-4187/

We’ll continue to keep you updated.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

17/03/2026

🌼 Endometriosis Awareness Month at White Horse Medical Practice 🌼

Today our team came together to support Endometriosis Awareness Month by holding a staff fundraiser right here at the practice.

You may have spotted us wearing bright yellow, the awareness colour for endometriosis, to help shine a light on this important cause.

Endometriosis affects around 1 in 10 women and people assigned female at birth, yet it often goes undiagnosed for years. Raising awareness helps ensure earlier recognition of symptoms, better access to care, and improved support for those living with this chronic, often painful condition.

At White Horse Medical Practice, we are proud to be an Endometriosis Friendly Employer, committed to supporting staff affected by endometriosis and promoting a workplace where their health and wellbeing are understood and respected.

We’re proud to stand with our patients, families, and community members affected by endometriosis.💛

16/03/2026

A reminder about this informative community talk on Wednesday about how to get the most from your appointment. All welcome.

13/03/2026

All welcome. This Monday 6pm, just turn up.
Social Prescribers 01367 242726

11/03/2026

📢 Prescription Request Reminder

We’d like to remind our dispensing patients that we ask for 7 working days to process prescription requests.

While we always aim to have your medication ready sooner, there are times, especially during busy periods, when this may not be possible.

🙏 We kindly ask for your patience and to please avoid coming to collect your prescription before the 7‑day time frame, as it may not yet be ready.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

10/03/2026

Everyone is invited to come and experience Parkrun with us on Saturday 28 March. Details below and any questions to Social Prescribers.

10/03/2026

Reminder today Dispensary will be closed between 10am and 2pm today including the phone lines.

06/03/2026

📢 Important Dispensary Notice – Tuesday 10th March 2026

Dear patients,

Please be aware that our dispensary, including the hatch, will be closed from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Tuesday 10th March to allow for essential maintenance and staff training on new systems.

🛠️ This work is important to ensure we continue providing a safe, efficient and reliable service.

The dispensary will reopen as normal after 2:00pm. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

04/03/2026

⏰ Practice Closure – Today, Wednesday 4th March 2026

A quick reminder that our surgery (including the dispensary) will be closing early today at 12:30 pm for essential staff training.

We’ll reopen as normal tomorrow, Thursday 5th March at 8:00 am.

💡This training is part of a county‑wide Protected Learning Time (PLT) programme, giving our team the opportunity to refresh skills and continue providing the safest, highest‑quality care for our patients.

📅 Upcoming PLT Closure Dates:

Our surgery will also close early on the following dates for future PLT sessions:

Thursday 4th June 2026
Thursday 3rd September 2026
Wednesday 2nd December 2026
Tuesday 2nd February 2027

⚠️ While we’re closed:

For urgent medical advice: visit NHS 111 online or call 111

For emergencies: call 999

🙏 Thank you for your understanding and support.

03/03/2026

💬 We’d Love Your Feedback!

Your feedback helps us improve our services and understand what matters most to you.

In February, we received 399 Friends & Family Test responses, with over 86% rating their experience as Good or Very Good. Thank you!

Patients told us they appreciated:
✨ Quick access and same‑day help
✨ Kind and supportive staff
✨ Fast responses through online messages

Some patients also highlighted things we can improve, such as clearer communication and making online forms easier to navigate and we’re working on these areas.

How to Share Your Feedback

You can tell us about your experience at any time:

✔️ Through the Friends & Family Test on our website https://whmp.co.uk/feedback
✔️ After using Engage you will be sent a message to complete a short form
✔️ Through the NHS App

And soon, we’re expanding this so FFT messages can be sent after all appointment types, giving us feedback from across the whole practice.

Thank you

We read every comment, and your feedback genuinely helps us improve care for our community. 💙

If you’ve visited us recently, we’d love to hear from you!

03/03/2026

You are invited to our next community talk on Wed 18 March at 7pm at WHMP

02/03/2026