South Brent Health Centre

01/10/2025

🌟 COVID-19 Autumn Vaccinations Are Here! 🌟

The eligibility for the COVID vaccine has changed this year, and we want to make sure everyone who can benefit is protected.

💉 If you’re in one of the eligible groups (see image below 👇), please book your vaccine appointment with us.

📅 Vaccinations are available at the practice.

📞 Call us on or watch out for your invitation to secure your slot.

Getting your COVID jab helps protect you, your loved ones, and our community this winter. ❤️

Please share this post to help spread the word!

01/10/2025

🌟 Protect yourself this winter! 🌟

Flu season is here – and the best way to stay protected is with your flu jab. 💉✨

Contact your GP surgery today to book your appointment and keep yourself, your family, and your community safe.

Watch out for your invitation, or 📞 Call us now to book in for your flu vaccination!

01/10/2025

Message from our Head of Midwifery, Joanna Bassett

You may have seen news stories about paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism. We understand pregnancy can feel worrying, and you want to do the best for you and your baby.

The latest guidance from the NHS and MHRA is clear: taking paracetamol during pregnancy is safe, and there is no evidence it causes autism. A major 2024 Swedish study of 2.4 million children also found no link.

It’s important to manage pain and fever during pregnancy. Untreated fever can be risky for your baby, and untreated pain can affect your wellbeing. Paracetamol remains the recommended pain relief for people who are pregnant—please do not switch to alternatives like ibuprofen without medical advice.

If you’re concerned about your health or your baby, contact your GP, midwife, or NHS 111 for professional guidance. Our team, alongside the wider NHS, is here to keep you and your baby safe.

Read more: https://buff.ly/akPKBXb

25/09/2025

Practice Closure

We will be closed today (Thursday 25th September) from 12:00pm for staff training.

If you need to speak to a clinician during this time, please contact 111 to speak to the out of hours service. We will open as normal at 8am on Friday 26th September.

20/08/2025

We’re taking bookings for Flu vaccinations &
Covid vaccinations
(The age criteria for covid vaccinations this Autumn is over 75)

Please look out for a text message with a booking link.

Our first Flu only clinic will be held on Saturday 4th October

Flu and Covid clinics will be held during the weekdays starting on 8th October. (The age criteria for covid vaccinations this Autumn is over 75)

13/08/2025

13/08/2025

When you find out you are pregnant, you can refer yourself for NHS pregnancy care so you start care with a midwife right away.

Once you sign up online, the maternity team will contact you to book your first appointment with a midwife.

You should do this by the 10th week of pregnancy, if possible, but it’s never too late to start. If you're over 10 weeks, refer yourself as soon as you can.

Start here: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/refer-yourself-for-nhs-pregnancy-care/

22/07/2025

The RSV vaccine helps protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common virus that can make babies and older adults seriously ill. It's recommended during pregnancy and for adults aged 75 to 79.
If you are eligible, please contact reception to book an appointment.
For more information, click below.

Find out about the RSV vaccine, including who it's for, how to get it and common side effects.

09/07/2025

South Brent Health Centre is eager to ensure that local people are actively involved in deciding how the health services they use should develop. You are welcome to come along to our next PPG meeting on Wednesday 16th July @ 18.00

A Patient Participation Group (PPG) is a group of patients, carers and GP practice staff who meet to discuss practice issues and patient experience to help improve the service.

Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) work in partnership with their practices to:

help patients to take more responsibility for their health.
contribute to the continuous improvement of services and quality of care.
foster improved communication between the practice and its patients.
provide practical support for the practice and help to implement change.
To learn more about PPG in general:

We believe that every person in the United Kingdom has the right to shape the future of primary care. Representing 17.5 million people, we listen to those who are not always heard and unite those who can make a difference.

02/07/2025

❗ Missed Appointments Matter – Here's Why ❗

Every week, dozens of GP appointments go to waste because patients simply don’t turn up—and don’t let us know. Patients at South Brent Medical Centre missed 69 appointments in June 2025. These missed appointments (DNAs) might seem small, but they have a big impact:

➡️ That unused time could have helped someone urgently needing care
➡️ It increases waiting times for everyone
➡️ It puts extra pressure on NHS staff already working flat out
➡️ It costs money that could have been used to help someone who needs care

We understand that things come up—but if you can’t make it, please cancel. It only takes a minute, and it helps us care for more people in our community. You can cancel via the NHSApp, your online login (https://www.nhsapp.service.nhs.uk/login), our online contact form https://accurx.nhs.uk/patient-initiated/l83075, or by calling us 01364 72394.

✅ Let’s work together to make every appointment count.

30/06/2025

☀️🌡️ Hot Weather Alert – Stay Cool & Look Out for Each Other

Looks like we're in for a stretch of very hot weather here in the UK 🥵 – and while we all love a bit of sunshine, extreme heat can be tough, especially for older people and those with health conditions like asthma, heart issues, or diabetes.

Here are some simple ways to stay cool and safe over the next few days:

💧 Keep hydrated – Drink water regularly, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Try to avoid too much tea, coffee, or alcohol.
🏠 Stay indoors during the hottest part of the day – usually between 11am and 3pm. Keep curtains closed in sunny rooms and use fans if you have them.
🧊 Cool down – Use a damp cloth on your neck and wrists, take cool showers or baths, or place your feet in a bowl of cold water.
👕 Dress appropriately – Wear light, loose-fitting clothing and a hat if you’re out and about.
🧴 Don’t forget sun cream – even in the UK, you can burn quickly in strong sun. SPF 30 or higher is best.

❤️ Please take a moment to check in on vulnerable neighbours, friends, or family members – especially those living alone or with long-term health conditions. A quick call or visit could make all the difference.

Let’s all take care of ourselves and each other. Stay safe, stay cool 😎🌿

24/06/2025

❤️❤️ Women and people with a cervix who are overdue for cervical screening in England will be offered an at-home testing option, in plans to help boost participation in the life-saving cervical screening programme.

The new initiative, announced today by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), will offer women who are six months overdue for screening a self-sampling kit to complete at home and return to a lab via pre-paid mail. Anyone whose sample shows signs of high-risk HPV (human papillomavirus), the cause of almost all cervical cancers, will then be referred to a specialist for follow-up testing.

The rollout is expected to begin in January 2026.

People who are six months overdue for cervical screening in England will now be offered self-sampling kits they can use at home.