Gillingham Medical Practice

05/08/2025

Schools out for summer!

With longer days and warmer weather, it's the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors🌳⛱️

But don’t forget that heat, dehydration, and sunburn can sneak up fast.

Whether you're heading on holiday, relaxing at home, or caring for loved ones, take simple steps to stay healthy safe:

✅ Stay hydrated
🧴 Use sun cream
🧢 Keep cool

More tips on simple steps to stay healthy and safe:

https://staywelldorset.nhs.uk/campaigns/summer/

05/08/2025

August is National Immunisation Awareness Month!
The goal is to raise awareness and highlight the importance of routine vaccinations for people of all ages. Babies, children, young persons, older adults and the elderly, there are vaccines available to prevent yo from becoming unwell.
To learn about the types of vaccines available, and when and who should have them, visit:
https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/

It's essential that vaccines are given on time for the best protection. If you or your child have missed a vaccine, contact the surgery for advice on how to catch up.

💉🦠 Flu vaccinations will start in October - do not miss out, stay well this winter.

04/08/2025

04/08/2025

04/08/2025

04/08/2025

Summer Time

BBQ and Water Safety

KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE THIS SUMMER

Summer fun often involves barbecues and swimming, but accidents can happen.

Keep barbeques on flat ground, never leave them unattended, and keep children away from hot surfaces

Cook meat thoroughly to avoid food poisoning

https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/bbq-food-safety

Supervise children near paddling pools, rivers, or the sea. Never swim alone and always look for lifeguard-patrolled beaches

https://rnli.org/safety

Avoid alcohol before swimming, and be aware of cold water shock

Find the right help this summer: https://staywelldorset.nhs.uk/options/

04/08/2025

Diarrhoea for three weeks or more could be a sign of cancer. It’s probably nothing serious, but finding cancer early makes it more treatable. Contact your GP practice.

https://orlo.uk/wo1Dj

03/08/2025

The NHS in the South West is urging people yet to have the lifesaving human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to get protected against cervical and other cancers as part of a push to eliminate cervical cancer in the region.

The HPV virus can lead to some cancers, including cervical, head and neck.

If you've missed your vaccination you can catch up at your GP practice until your 25th birthday.

Find out more at https://www.england.nhs.uk/south/2025/07/31/gps-in-the-south-west-are-urging-people-to-get-lifesaving-cancer-vaccine

03/08/2025

‘I liken donating blood to a bank account, basically. Unless you put some in, how could you rely on there being some there, when you may need it?’

Meet Robert, who recently made his 100th blood donation! With type B negative blood, one of the least common blood types, he is one of less than 20,000 B negative blood donors in England.

When he was 21, Robert watched his uncle regularly donate blood and found out that his aunt had needed over 20 units of blood to make it through a surgery successfully.

Inspired by the ability to help people, Robert began regularly donating, and also discovered that his blood was suitable to be given to newborns.

‘Occasionally when I donate, they say this one will be going to the neonatal ward. That's quite a nice thought that it's going straight to a little baby perhaps that doesn't know they need it.’

After 73 donations, Robert's uncle had to stop donating due to health reasons. However, he encouraged Robert to keep going, and 7 years ago Robert achieved his goal of beating his uncle's number.

‘Once I passed that, I thought, I'm not going to stop now! Let's see how many I can keep going with, until I no longer can.’

Your donation is a lifeline. Save lives today by registering to become a blood donor at http://blood.co.uk

03/08/2025

Did you know? 🤔

You can book an appointment at a minor injury unit (MIU) or urgent treatment centre. Here, they can help with conditions like sprains and burns.

Call 111 to book an appointment before you go 📞

https://staywelldorset.nhs.uk/campaigns/summer/

02/08/2025

START FOR LIFE - helping you to help your children to get the best start in life.
The Start for Life website supports Early Years health and care service workers with NHS-trusted advice about pregnancy, babies, healthy child development, childcare and early education. It was created to help children get the best start in life.
It includes:
• Updated pregnancy week by week guides
• ‘Baby basics’ content covering key questions of new parents ‘now your baby comes with an instruction manual’
• ‘Labour and Birth’ section
• Interactive ‘ready or not’ weaning quiz
• Updated easier-to-use recipe hub with multiple filters

https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/

01/08/2025

August is Psoriasis Awareness month
About Psoriasis
Psoriasis is more than just a skin condition, and it can affect people physically and psychologically. Although there is no cure for psoriasis, it is important to remember that it can be managed. With the right treatment and advice, many people live well with psoriasis.
What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis is classed as an immune-mediated inflammatory condition (or IMID) which simply means that the immure system is not functioning correctly. In the case of psoriasis, the immue system is overactive, and this causes symptoms on the skin and can sometimes affect the joints.
When a person has psoriasis, their skin replacement process speeds up, taking just a few days to replace skin cells that usually take 21-28 days.
This results in a build-up of immature skin cells seen as raised patches of flaky skin covered with silvery scales (known as ‘plaques’) which can also be itchy.

Information: https://www.psoriasis-association.org.uk/information-and-support/

Leaflets: https://www.psoriasis-association.org.uk/leaflets-and-information-sheets

Confidential Helpline: Ring 01604 251 620
email mail@psoriasis-association.org.uk
or WhatsApp 07387 716 439