Hope House Surgery

29/04/2026

🚨 Important Notice for Our Patients 🚨

Please be aware that national supply issues are currently affecting a range of medications. As a result, you may experience:

• Delays in processing your prescriptions
• Changes to your usual medication (such as alternative brands or strengths)
• Reduced quantities dispensed at one time to help ensure fair access for all patients

Our team is working hard to minimise these disruptions and continue providing the best possible care.

💊 What you can do to help:
• Please allow extra time when requesting repeat prescriptions
• Only order the medication you currently need

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time 💙

21/04/2026

Today we’re celebrating National Practice Managers Day 🎉

A huge thank you to our amazing Practice Manager, Stef, for everything she does for Hope House. From keeping the practice running smoothly to supporting the whole team (often behind the scenes), her hard work, dedication, and sense of humour make such a difference every single day.
Hope House really does run through her veins, and we’re incredibly lucky to have her leading and supporting us all.
Please join us in saying a big thank you to Stef today 💙

20/04/2026

The issue with the online triage forms appears to have been fixed - they are available to use again as normal.
Thank you for your patientce.

20/04/2026

⚠️ Patient Notice – Online Triage System

Our online triage system is currently not working due to a national issue affecting multiple practices. We are aware of the problem and it is being investigated.

📞 If your request is urgent, please telephone reception so a member of our team can help you.

🕒 For non-urgent requests, please try submitting the online form again later today or tomorrow once the system is restored.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while this issue is resolved.

14/04/2026

We have a temporary vacancy on our reception team - please see full details on our web page >>>>>

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08/04/2026

March was a busy month in Primary Care!

07/04/2026

Why does the GP practice triage appointments?

We understand that many people would prefer to simply call the practice and book a GP appointment like in the past.

Unfortunately, the number of appointment requests we now receive is far greater than the number of appointments available. Because of this, we use triage to make sure patients who need medical help most urgently are seen first.

What does triage mean?
When you contact the practice (either through the online form or via reception) with your query, a clinician reviews your request and decides the most appropriate next step. This might be:
• A same-day GP appointment (phone or face to face)
• A routine appointment (these could be 3-4 weeks in the future if the clinician feels acceptable)
• Advice from another member of the healthcare team, such as our physiotherapist, nurses or a pharmacist
• Self-care advice or signposting to another service, such as the local pharmacy, minor injuries unit, Urgent Treatment Centre or A&E.

Urgent vs. convenient
Clinical urgency is not always the same as what feels urgent or most convenient to a patient. Our clinicians prioritise patients based on medical need to ensure the safest care for everyone.

Why can’t we go back to the old system?
Demand for GP care has increased significantly, while the number of appointments available has not increased at the same rate. If we returned to a simple “first come-first served” booking system, patients with the most serious medical problems might wait too long to be seen.

Triage helps us make sure the people who need care most urgently receive it first.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we work to provide safe care for our community.

02/04/2026

02/04/2026

The amazing staff had a visit from the Easter Bunny this week! 🐰 🥚 🍫 🐣

01/04/2026

📢 Missed Appointments in March

In March, 150 appointments with our GPs, Nurses, Physiotherapist and Pharmacist were missed at Hope House Surgery.

That’s almost 40 hours of clinical time that could have been used to care for other patients in our community.

🙏 Please help us reduce missed appointments.

If you no longer need your appointment, please cancel it as soon as possible so it can be offered to someone who needs care.

Even a quick cancellation can make a big difference.

Thank you for helping us support our community. 💙

23/03/2026

Important Patient Information: Current Meningitis (MenB) Outbreak Linked to Kent

Last updated: 19 March 2026

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported an ongoing outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease (MenB) affecting young people associated with the University of Kent and the Canterbury area.

We would like to reassure you that there is no baseline increased risk outside of the specific outbreak in Kent at this time.

What to do if you have returned home from Kent

1. Check if you were exposed

You should act now if any of the following apply:

· You visited Club Chemistry (Canterbury) on 5, 6 or 7 March.

· You have had close contact with someone with confirmed or suspected meningococcal disease.

2. Contact our GP practice

If you meet the criteria above and have not yet received antibiotics in Kent, you can request preventative antibiotics from our practice. UKHSA has recommended that GPs across the UK prescribe these to eligible individuals who have travelled home.

3. Be alert for symptoms

Meningitis and sepsis can develop rapidly. Seek urgent medical help if you develop:

· Sudden fever

· Severe headache

· Stiff neck

· Rash that does not fade under pressure

· Vomiting or diarrhoea

· Light sensitivity

· Cold hands/feet or limb pain

· Confusion or drowsiness (Symptom recognition is vital due to the fast progression of meningococcal disease.)

4. Routine prevention

It is important to keep routine vaccinations up to date, including the MenACWY vaccine where applicable. The full UK routine schedule is available here: Complete routine immunisation schedule from 1 January 2026 - GOV.UK

5. Further information on meningococcal disease is available from:

· The NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/ · The Meningitis Research Foundation: www.meningitis.org 0808 800 3344 (24 hours) · Meningitis Now: www.meningitisnow.org 0808 80 10 388 (9am – 8pm)

Where to Get More Information

For full details on the outbreak, including updates on case numbers, antibiotic collection sites, symptoms, and vaccination arrangements, please visit the official https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/03/18/meningitis-b-outbreak-what-you-need-to-know/

There is currently an outbreak of meningococcal disease (MenB) in Kent. This blog post includes information on MenB and this outbreak, what to do if you are affected and where you can get antibiotics and who is being offered a vaccine.

19/03/2026

Need help with the NHS App? Book an appointment using the number below.