Priory GP Practice CIC

30/10/2025

💻📢 N E T W O R K I S S U E S 📢🖥
R E D U C E D S E R V I C E

Posted: Thursday 30th October

It seems this week is not a good week for technology. There is a network issue affecting practices across NI.

This is impacting a lot of our systems, including those related to prescriptions, letters, referrals, emails and our patient record system.

📢 Update: Thursday 30th October 16:10

We will be operating a reduced service on Friday 31st October due to the above ongoing issue.

Priory GP Practice CIC 🔵🔷️🔵
www.priorysurgery.co.uk

28/10/2025

☎️📢 T E L E P H O N E I S S U E S 📢☎️

Please be aware we are experiencing some telephone issues - lines keep dropping out.

This has been reported to our telephone provider, who are aware and advise us it is impacting a number of practices in the area.

Priory GP Practice CIC 🔵🔷️🔵
www.priorysurgery.co.uk

26/10/2025

🌟🩻 B R E A S T S C R E E N I N G 🩻🌟

Check out this video showing what happens when you attend for breast screening.

Source: Public Health Agency

Priory GP Practice CIC 🔵🔷🔵
www.priorysurgery.co.uk

13/10/2025

💉🦠 V A C C I N A T I O N S U P D A T E
E N D O F W E E K 1 🦠💉

It was great to see nearly 8️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ of you last week for our first week of our seasonal vaccination clinics.

Those in the 65-74 year old age group will have received their text message 📲to book their appointments for this week and next. See attached video for more information.

Our final cohort will be those in the 'clinical risk' group aged under 65 years. Text messages to book into those clinics, scheduled for November, will be going out in the next 2 weeks.

📲 You can use the link in the text message to book your appointment 📅 for up to 7 days. Otherwise, please contact the surgery to book in as we are unable to take walk-ins.

🦠 Please note the Covid-19 eligibility criteria has changed for this round of seasonal vaccinations to:
-Over 75 years
-Care home residents
-Those who are immunosuppressed
See more here 🌐
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/covid-19-vaccine

If you are unsure if you are eligible for seasonal flu vaccinations, see more information here 🌐
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/flu-vaccine

Local pharmacies are also providing seasonal vaccinations to those eligible 💉

Priory GP Practice CIC 🔵🔷🔵

10/10/2025

🌎💚 W O R L D M E N T A L
H E A L T H D A Y 💚🌎

Today is World Mental Health Day. The wonderful AWARE NI, mental health charity, have this to say:

"Take a moment to check in - with yourself and others, and be aware of the signs and symptoms of depression. 💬

AWARE NI provides free, no-wait mental health support across Northern Ireland.

💛 Your donation helps us stay by their side - every step of the way.
👉 Give today: aware-ni.org/by-your-side "

Source: AWARE NI

Priory GP Practice CIC 🔵 🔷️ 🔵
www.priorysurgery.co.uk

08/10/2025

💉🦠S E A S O N A L V A C C I N E S🦠💉

We are ready for our first day of our seasonal vaccination clinics, starting with our over 75s cohort 💉

Please ensure your clothing allows us to get at your arm(s). Thankfully, it is quite mild today 😊

Priory GP Practice CIC 🔵 🔷️ 🔵
www.priorysurgery.co.uk

06/10/2025

🦠💉F L U C L I N I C S - R E D U C E D S E R V I C E 💉🦠

We begin our flu clinics this week, which means our staff will be covering those clinics on Wednesdays and Thursdays, beginning with our over 75 year olds.

As a result we will be operating a reduced service on Wednesdays and Thursdays - this covers 8th, 9th, 15th & 16th.

Those patients aged 65 years and old will be receiving their text invitations 📲 to book in for their flu vaccinations in the coming week. Let's get winter ready! ❄️

Priory GP Practice CIC
www.priorysurgery.co.uk

02/10/2025

📢 S T A F F S I C K N E S S 📢

Our staff, unfortunately, get sick too 🤒

Staff sickness across both our reception and GP teams is impacting our usual service today, Thursday 2nd October and tomorrow, Friday 3rd October.

We will have a reduced number of available on the day GP appointments due to this. Please make use of community pharmacies and Pharmacy First schemes for minor ailments.

Please make use of our online services to avoid longer wait times on our phone lines. This includes our new online GP appointment requesting and prescription requests - see our website for more info (or pinned post on here).

Many thanks

Priory GP Practice CIC 🔵🔷️🔵

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01/10/2025

🚶‍♂️🧘‍♀️ B E A C T I V E 🧘‍♀️🚶‍♂️

Physical is a powerful tool for managing and preventing long-term health conditions.

Even small increases in activity—like walking, taking the stairs, or stretching—can make a big difference.

✅ Every movement counts.

If you’re living with a health condition, speak to your local community pharmacist on how to get more active.

Even if you have reduced mobility, there are movements you can perform in a chair. Our friends at Versus Arthritis have more information on the link below 🪑
https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2023/september/exercises-you-can-do-sitting-down/

See also more information here 🌐
www.pha.site/living-well

Source: Public Health Agency

Priory GP Practice CIC 🔵🔷️🔵
www.priorysurgery.co.uk

25/09/2025

💻📢 O N L I N E T R I A G E T R I A L 📢💻

As part of our plans to continue improving your access to appointments, we are pleased to announce a new service. The online triage is trial will begin on:
🌟 Monday 29th September.

❓️ What is Online Triage?
💻 Online triage allows you to submit an appointment request through to our team, without the need to phone.

❓️ How does it work?
🌐 You can access online triage on our website by selecting appointments from the main menu and then clicking on the link. You will then be presented with a number of sections to complete.
👉🏻The more information you provide, the better.

🎥 Please see the attached video, which runs through the process.

❓️ Is my information reviewed by a GP, or someone from the admin team?
🩺 As with all patient appointment requests, the information you have shared will be reviewed by a GP. You will then be contacted by a member of the admin team to advise of the outcome.

❓️When will this system be available?
The system will be accessible from:
🕗 8am – 1pm
📆 Monday – Friday (Excluding Bank Holidays).
During the trial, the number of online triage appointments will be capped at 50 per day, however, this will be under continuous review.

❓️ What if I prefer to call?
☎️ Patients can of course continue to call and our team will be happy to speak with you. Please bear with us as we aim to answer your calls as quickly as possible.

❗️For end of life and palliative care needs, please continue to call us on 02890 394545, option 1.

🗣 We will update on here how the trial is going and any changes as they as planned.

Priory GP Practice CIC 🔵🔷️🔵
www.priorysurgery.co.uk

12/09/2025

🦠💉S E A S O N A L V A C C I N A T I O N S 🦠💉

As we edge closer to Autumn and Winter we are now in a position to outline how our vaccine clinics will run this year and which groups of patients are eligible.

This year, instead of sending letters to patients, you will receive an SMS with a link to book your appointment slot to receive your vaccination.

We will be running a number of clinics this year across various sites:
1️⃣ Flu –
all adults aged 65 and over by 31 March 2026 (i.e. those born on or before 31 March 1961)
🔹 anyone with at risk conditions, including pregnant people
🔹 health and social care workers,
🔹children aged 2 up to 18 years
🔹 and children in at risk groups at 6months to 2 years
📩 We will be contacting those aged 75+ first

2️⃣ Shingles –
🔹 those aged 65 or 70 on 1st September 2025
🔹 anyone aged 71-79 on 1st September 2025 who has yet to receive the vaccine
📩We will be reaching out to those aged 71-79 via SMS to book an appointment.
☎️ We will reach out to those aged 65 or 70 in the New Year, however, if you wish to avail of the vaccine sooner, please get in touch.

3️⃣ RSV –
🔹 those aged 75 on 1st September 2025
📩 SMS messages were sent to all those eligible on Monday 8th September with a link inviting you to book an appointment. Those without a verified mobile number will be contacted directly.

4️⃣ Covid –
🔹 all adults aged 75 and over by 31 March 2026 (i.e. those born on or before 31 March 1951)
🔹 anyone who is considered to be immunosuppressed will also be called.
📩 We will send an SMS with a link inviting you to book an appointment. We will be contacting those aged 75+ first.

Clinics will run off site at local churches. We will then run subsequent clinics in the surgery. Please ensure you arrive no more than 10 minutes before your pre-booked appointment time and wear something loose fitting to help our vaccinators.

Priory GP Practice CIC 🔵🔷🔵
www.priorysurgery.co.uk

01/09/2025

🆕️🌟 M O N D A Y M O T I V A T I O N 🌟🆕️

This is great from Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke -

"🌟 New month, new academic year, new start! Here's a motivation for the month ahead to remind you that small steps today make all the difference to looking after your chest, heart and stroke health - it starts with everyday choices."

Source: Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke

Priory GP Practice CIC 🔵 🔷️ 🔵
www.priorysurgery.co.uk