Island City Practice

24/10/2025

Keep any to***co products out of sight, and out of your mind!

This Stoptober use all the tips and tricks you can to quit!

Visit the Portsmouth Wellbeing Service for more top tips and local support:
https://wellbeingportsmouth.co.uk/stop-smoking/


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/

22/10/2025

Want to lose weight or quit smoking?

The Portsmouth Wellbeing Service are hosting a drop-in session at Sunnyside Medical Centre!

Stop by this Friday 17th October, from 12:00 - 14:00 for confidential professional support to:
- Stop smoking
- Lose weight
- Get active
- Eat healthier
- Drink less

Visit the Portsmouth Wellbeing Service's website for more information:
https://wellbeingportsmouth.co.uk/


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/

Portsmouth Wellbeing Service helps local people stop smoking, drink less alcohol and get to a healthy weight.

20/10/2025

It's your time to shine! Start your smoke-free journey today with a custom plan and local support.

For a stop-smoking plan, visit the Better Health website: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/

Visit the Portsmouth Wellbeing Service website for local support: https://wellbeingportsmouth.co.uk/stop-smoking/


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/

18/10/2025

Today is Health Care Assistants Day

Often called HCAs, Health Care Assistants are a key part of our Treatment Room Team. They provide our morning walk-in appointments for BP checks, NHS Health Checks and other long-term condition reviews, and blood tests. Thank you to our HCAs for providing over 15,000 blood tests so far this year alone!


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/

17/10/2025

Worried about pork gelatine in childhood vaccinations? You can ask for an MMR vaccine that does not contain it.

For more info, visit: https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/

16/10/2025

Just 3 days after stopping smoking you will have more energy and breathing will feel easier.

Start your smoke-free journey this Stoptober with help from the Portsmouth Wellbeing Service: https://wellbeingportsmouth.co.uk/stop-smoking/


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/

15/10/2025

The Portsmouth Wellbeing Service is turning 10 🎉 In the last decade, the service has helped thousands of people in Portsmouth to live healthier lifestyles.

To celebrate, the friendly Wellbeing Service team is popping up across the city this Friday, 17 October:
📍9am-11am: Guildhall Square, Guildhall Walk and Commercial Road
📍12pm-2pm: Fratton Way: The Pompey Centre, Tesco Extra and 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗻𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲
📍3pm-5pm: Cosham High Street, Allaway Avenue and Paulsgrove Community Centre

Come and say hello and hear how the Wellbeing Service can help you to reach your goals - whether that's stopping smoking or getting to a healthy weight ✅


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/

14/10/2025

Make October your Stoptober!
You are doing the best thing you can for your health by quitting - and you don't need to do it alone. There are plenty of ways to get support, but the best way to get started is to get your free Personal Quit Plan here: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/ready-to-quit-smoking/personal-quit-plan/


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/

13/10/2025

Please be aware that this winter's COVID-19 vaccination is available for those at the highest risk. You will be eligible is you are:
- 75 year old or over
- Undergoing immunosuppressive treatment
- A resident in a care home

Book your appointment through the NHS App, call the vaccination hotline on 119, or visit nhs.uk/bookcovid


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/

11/10/2025

If you’ve had a testing kit through the post, don’t forget to send it back. Your next poo could save your life. Find out more: https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/bowel-cancer-screening/


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/

07/10/2025

You know you want to quit. We know you can.
Get free support to stop smoking today: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/

05/10/2025

𝗕𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆

Hello, I’m Stephen and I’m a 56-year-old Business Development Director from north Buckinghamshire. I’m married with two daughters aged 11 and 14.
I’ve always had an active, busy lifestyle, working full time and spending a lot of time time exercising. I do 4-5 gym sessions per week and I take our 2 working cocker spaniels for plenty of long walks.

Generally, I’ve always been in good health and take care of my nutrition – in fact I’m as fit now as I was in my mid-30s with a healthy BMI and body fat percentage.

So, imagine my shock when I completed my first bowel cancer screening home test kit in June 2024 and then received a phone call inviting me for a colonoscopy. Unfortunately, it revealed that I had a malignant tumour in my bowel.
At first I was devastated and terrified. The month or so between diagnosis and finding out the results of the scans were really tough. I only told my wife, my boss and 2 friends. I wanted to shield my daughters and wider family and friends from the news until I had more information about the treatment.

The scans revealed that I had stage 2 cancer, but luckily it hadn’t spread. I elected to have bowel resection surgery later that summer, but stayed positive given it had been caught early. Knowing I was in good physical shape gave me confidence that the outcome would be positive.

I spent the time preparing for surgery by exercising even more, so that I was in the best possible physical and mental shape. I had a 10-hour operation and the surgery was a great success. I spent less that 72 hours in hospital, followed by 5 weeks of recuperation. I didn’t even have any side effects. I’m now exercising at my previous levels and I’ve started boxing. I feel as fit and strong as I was before my diagnosis and surgery.

I feel incredibly lucky that my cancer was picked up early through my screening test. The test was so simple to complete and send back. Since then I’ve become an advocate for living a healthy life and used social media and panel discussions to share my story. I always encourage others to make sure they complete and return their bowel screening kits and I know around 20 people who’ve done it.
I understand that some people might be nervous about taking the screening test, but the chances are you’ll have nothing to worry about and can sleep well knowing this.

So, I urge you to take responsibility for your own health and complete your bowel screening kit. It could save your life.


https://www.islandcitypractice.nhs.uk/