Gillingham Medical Practice

13/03/2026

Diabetes Prevention - Living Well - Taking Control - Free Programme
NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP)
The key benefits for patients who complete NDPP:
• Cuts the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than a third (around 37% reduction)
• Average weight loss of about 3.3kg
• Meaningful improvements in blood sugar control (HbA1c reductions of ~2 mmol/mol)
• Better overall wellbeing, energy levels, and cardiovascular risk factors through sustainable changes to diet, activity, and weight

13/03/2026

13/03/2026

Hypertension Event Success – Tuesday 3rd March at RiversMeet
What an incredible turnout at our Hypertension Event at RiversMeet, with 150 patients joining us to learn more about managing and treating high blood pressure.
A special thank you to our wonderful clinicians, Dr Mounde and Louis Purchase, who delivered an engaging and informative talk, empowering patients with practical advice and the latest guidance on blood pressure management.
We also hosted an interactive quiz about hypertension. Congratulations to our winners Rachel and David who won a brand-new blood pressure machine.
Throughout the event, patients had the opportunity to:
• Speak with Salli’s Happy Hearts about cardiac rehab,
• Learn from the team at RiversMeet about the GP referral scheme,
• Connect with our Wellbeing Team,
• Find out more about BP@Home, our remote blood pressure monitoring platform – with 14 patients signing up on the day
The LiveWell Dorset van was also on site, offering blood pressure checks and lifestyle signposting, with many patients benefiting from this fantastic service.
It was inspiring to see so many people taking positive steps towards better heart health. Thank you to all our partners and attendees for making the event such a meaningful and impactful day.

12/03/2026

It’s World Kidney Day! 🧡💚

A day to recognize the importance of kidney health, and to stand with the global kidney community as we raise awareness, support research, and advocate for patients.

Learn more at kidneycancer.org

12/03/2026

Clear, simple safer sleep advice matters more than ever, especially when it comes to baby sleeping products. Safer Sleep Week (9 – 15 March) is focusing on the baby necessities – the essential, simple items that a baby needs for safer sleep.

Throughout the week, we’ll be supporting families with clear, research-based guidance that reinforces a simple message: keep it simple to keep it safe.

We’ll be covering:
- Which products babies need — and which can (and should) be left on the shelf.
- What to look for on a product or label to check it fits within baby safety guidance.
- Our new resource: How to dress a baby for sleep in different room temperatures.

Download the resources 👉 https://bit.ly/4klLeRE

11/03/2026

11/03/2026

It's No Smoking Day. You've got through the first few hours without a cigarette! 💪

If you're experiencing withdrawal symptoms from quitting smoking, there are lots of free tools, medications and therapies that can help.

Access support 24/7 from the free NHS Quit Smoking App https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/

11/03/2026

Happy No Smoking Day! Remember: a smoke free life starts with a smoke free day.

After 8 hours
Your oxygen levels are recovering, and the harmful carbon monoxide level in your blood will have reduced by half.

After 48 hours
Your carbon monoxide levels have dropped to that of a non-smoker. Your lungs are clearing out mucus and your senses of taste and smell are improving.

After 1 year
Great news! Your risk of heart attack will have halved compared with a smoker's.

https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/

https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/ready-to-quit-smoking/personal-quit-plan/

10/03/2026

09/03/2026

09/03/2026

Today is the start of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

It’s important to know the signs and symptoms – especially as risk increases with age. Most cases develop in men aged 50 or older and prostate cancer is more common in Black men.

Prostate cancer often develops slowly, so there may be no symptoms for many years.

Early diagnosis and treatment can save lives. Contact your GP if you notice any changes in your body or something doesn’t feel right.

Find more information on prostate cancer. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/