Brynhyfryd Medical Centre

13/03/2026

02/03/2026

Arthritis UK Cymru is holding a FREE 5-week programme for anyone with an arthritis or related musculoskeletal condition.
It is designed to help support you to manage your condition better.

It's a combination of learning how and where to access help, information and support; whilst developing the tools you need to take back control so you can start living the life you want.

ONLINE via Microsoft Teams:
• Thursday 19 March (2pm-4.30pm)
• Thursday 26 March (2pm-4.30pm)
• Thursday 2 April (2pm-4.30pm)
• Thursday 9 April (2pm-4.30pm)
• Thursday 16 April (2pm-4.30pm)

Spaces are limited. Please sign up ONLY if you can attend all 5 weeks, to get the best from the programme.

The course will cover an introduction to self-management, how to communicate effectively about your condition with others, understanding pain and other symptoms, the impact of exercise and activity, and managing the change you want to see.

Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/living-well-with-arthritis-bywn-dda-gydag-arthritis-tickets-1981864762856

20/02/2026

A new community hub where people can access information and support to improve their wellbeing has launched in Swansea.

The Penderi Wellbeing Hub has been created by the Penderi Local Cluster Collaborative (LCC) as a place where local residents can drop in and chat to various services and organisations.

Located at the CREST (Community, Recovery, Education, Skills and Training) Recovery College in Heol y Gors, Cwmbwrla, the hub is available every Wednesday from 11am-3pm.

The LCC, which also covers the Fforestfach, Brynhyfryd, Manselton, Penlan, Portmead, Ravenhill, Treboeth and Blaenymaes areas of Swansea, has previously hosted several health and wellbeing events.

Now, the hub will provide people with more regular access to information and support that can help improve their health and wellbeing.

Every week, different services and organisations will attend the hub so members of the public can ask questions and get advice about a variety of different topics.

Penderi LCC lead and GP at Fforestfach Medical Centre, Dr Sowndarya Shivaraj, said: “We have done several wellbeing events over the last three years in various locations.

“We have had positive feedback and attendance at our events, but launching a Wellbeing Hub will allow people to access information and support on a more regular basis.

“It also means people can drop in at a time which is convenient for them, and it is very convenient for patients within our cluster as the hub is based close to their homes.

“It will help to provide a more permanent base for support, as opposed to our wellbeing events which take place every few months at different locations.”

A range of local services and organisations, as well as health board services, will attend the hub over the coming weeks to share information with the public.

These will include Local Area Coordinators, Citizens Advice, social prescribers, Swansea Carers Centre, Swansea Mind and the health board’s Help Me Quit team, among others.

They will be on hand to offer support around healthy lifestyle changes, mental health and wellbeing, local information and much more.

Residents will also be able to benefit from the wider support and activities on offer at CREST, a specialist mental health and wellbeing resource centre run by Swansea Council.

“CREST has a purpose-built building with lots of activities, such as a wellbeing café and support groups taking place,” Dr Shivaraj added.

“It will be great to work alongside the CREST team, and we can signpost patients to the support available to them there too.”

It is also hoped that GP practices, pharmacies, dental practices, and health visitors will signpost and refer patients to the Penderi Wellbeing Hub for any support and information that may be relevant to them.

Dr Shivaraj said: “These services will have copies of the timetables so they will know which services will be at the hub.

“We hope they will be able to direct patients to the hub so they can access the correct services and support.”

Follow this link to find the upcoming timetables and more information about the Penderi Wellbeing Hub: https://sbuhb.nhs.wales/community-primary-care/clusters/clusters/penderi-cluster/penderi-wellbeing-hub/

Pictured: Penderi LCC business development and implementation manager Anna Tippett, Penderi LCC lead Dr Sowndarya Shivaraj, p*er support lead at CREST Ian Richards and tutor facilitator at CREST Alex Smith.

04/02/2026

Being told you may have cancer and need an urgent hospital referral to find out one way or the other is one of the most anxious and worrying times in anyone’s life.

Now a suite of five videos has been created which offer information and support and empower people to make positive changes for their health, while they wait for their appointment.

The first video explains the urgent referral process - and emphasises how most people referred to hospital this way do not end up with a cancer diagnosis.

The other videos discuss managing anxiety and ways to improve overall health and wellbeing, including physical activity, nutrition and dealing with harmful habits.

View the videos via this YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZCo7SZSH_W4PMnWHQqLCUeAtcvvjjLP3

The project has been led by Dr Gemma Eccles, Swansea Bays’ Primary Care Cancer Clinical Lead, supported by Jo Horton, Consultant Therapist and Lead for Cancer Therapies.

The videos are believed to be the first offering health optimisation advice for people who have been referred to hospital on an urgent suspected cancer pathway.

Today is World Cancer Day, and the clinicians behind the videos have talked about why they’ve made them.

Gemma explained: “The vast majority of patients referred into hospital on urgent suspected cancer pathways will not be diagnosed with cancer.

“But understandably patients can feel quite anxious and helpless at this time as they are worried that they may have cancer.

“We wanted to empower them to be able to make positive changes for their health and use their waiting time to get as fit as possible prior to being seen. We also wanted to offer advice on managing the anxious feelings and worry that waiting for an urgent appointment can bring.

“Even if they thankfully do not get a cancer diagnosis, this time is still a great opportunity for people to think about their lifestyle and make changes if there are things they can do to improve their health.”

Jo added: “Urgent suspected cancer appointments can often be given at short notice. We wanted to make videos to prepare people for what to expect so that they are better able to get ready for their appointment.

“We hope that watching the videos will offer some reassurance to patients who are waiting to be seen, as well as giving some simple tips for improving their health and managing the worry that can come with having an urgent referral.”

The videos, which have now been endorsed by the National Cancer Team at NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, can be found on the Swansea Bay UHB website via the ‘Waiting Well’ section, and are also available - in English and in Welsh – via the YouTube playlist already mentioned earlier: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZCo7SZSH_W4PMnWHQqLCUeAtcvvjjLP3

29/01/2026

Swansea Bay’s pelvic health physiotherapy service is running free community-based educational sessions about pelvic floor and health.

The sessions are available to women aged 16 and over, and supporting partners are also welcome to attend too.

They will cover information on bladder symptoms, such as leaking when you're laughing, jumping or exercising, or bladder overactivity, bowel problems such as faecal incontinence, prolapse symptoms, and pain with in*******se.

The team will also talk about menstrual health and pelvic floor symptoms to look out for in menopause.

The information provided will be relevant to women at various life stages.

Upcoming sessions will be held at:
👉 Tesco Llansamlet’s community room
👉 Morrisons Baglan’s community room

You can find all of the dates and can book onto any of the sessions here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/pelvic-health-physiotherapy-sbuhb-119936844861

19/01/2026

Are you living in Wales and taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for menopausal symptoms? We’re running a voluntary survey to learn more about the care you receive from NHS Wales — especially around treatment reviews and how they could be improved.
Share your experience and help shape future care:

15/01/2026

Women with a urinary tract infection can now be assessed and treated, if needed, at all community pharmacies in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

The service is available to most women aged between 16 to 64, who have symptoms of a UTI.

These can include pain or a burning sensation when p*eing, needing to p*e more often than usual, needing to p*e suddenly or more urgently than usual and lower tummy discomfort, among other symptoms.

You must register for the Common Ailments Service at your pharmacy to be able to access it, which only takes a few minutes.

Pharmacists will complete a clinical assessment in a private consultation room to determine whether treatment is needed. In some cases, a urine test may be required.

If treatment is required, the pharmacist can provide this without the need for you to see a GP.

They can also offer self-care advice and information on what to do should symptoms worsen.

Community pharmacies may ask you to call back or advise you to book an appointment, so please check availability at your local pharmacy.

04/01/2026

Winter is upon us.

It’s a great time for getting cosy and hunkering down, but for many the shorter days and longer nights can take a toll on sleep.

As the daylight hours dwindle, our internal body clocks - or circadian rhythms - can get thrown off balance, leaving us feeling groggy and sluggish during the day, or wide awake at night when we should really be winding down.

But it’s not all bad news. A few simple habits can help you keep your body clock in sync, meaning sounder sleep through these darker months.

1. Maximise morning light exposure
Try to get outside within an hour of waking, even on cloudy days. A dose of natural light helps reset your circadian rhythm and boosts alertness.

2. Use a light therapy lamp
Busy lives mean often waking before sunrise, and then working indoors all day. A lightbox can mimic sunshine – aim for 20–30 minutes of exposure in the morning hours to simulate daylight.

3. Stick to a sleep schedule
Consistency is key. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends, to stabilise your internal clock and boost sleep quality.

4. Limit screen time before bed
Nocturnal doom-scrolling can leave you feeling emotionally drained, and blue light from phones and computers can delay production of melatonin, the hormone which naturally rises at night to promote sleep. Try switching to night mode, using blue light filters or – better still – switching off entirely.

5. Create a wind-down routine
Instead of staring at a screen, dim the lights, read a book or do gentle stretches before bed. Diet counts, too – avoid caffeine and big meals late in the day.

Help with sleep from NHS Wales

If you need a little extra help nodding off, try SilverCloud programme ‘Space for Sleep’.

It’s an online, self-help programme based on cognitive behavioural therapy, clinically proven to help you feel better.

Anyone aged 16+ can self-refer without seeing a GP. 20 minutes a day, three times a week is all it takes. You can work on it on any mobile device, anytime, anywhere – even in bed!

Learn more and self-refer: https://nhswales.silvercloudhealth.com/onboard/nhswales/programs/89/details

22/12/2025

Your Diabetes team will be unavailable 25th, 26th 27th and 28th December and 1st January 2026. However, all other days over the festive period we are open as normal for help and support, our lines are open 08:30 to 16:00, we do not offer a walk-in service.

• Neath Port Talbot 01639 862485
• Singleton 01792 285204
• Morriston 01792 703911

Make sure you are stocked up on all the medications you normally take (insulin, testing strips, tablets), today (22.12.2025) will be the last day to order your repeat prescriptions to be able to collect on 24.12.25. If you require any medication, please contact your GP surgery.

If you become unwell during the festive period, follow your sick day rules, if you need help and advice contact NHS Wales 111, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you require an out of hours GP appointment, contact 111. In the event of an emergency please call 999 or go to the nearest Emergency Department.

There are a number of pharmacies which will be open over the festive break, https://sbuhb.nhs.wales/urgentout-of-hours/pharmacy-rotas/bank-holiday-pharmacy-rotas/

At some point during the festive period, you may find that you have higher blood sugar levels than normal due to being less active than usual, overindulging, or changing your routine. While one or two high readings shouldn’t affect your long-term health or diabetes management, take care not to let your blood sugar levels stay high for long, as you could start to feel unwell.

Although we all love putting our feet up and relaxing over the festive period, it’s important to keep active. Being physically active can help lower your blood sugar levels, blood pressure and blood fats over the Christmas period and help you manage your weight. There are lots of easy and fun ways to fit in some physical activity, even when it’s cold. A brisk walk is a great way to stay active

Eating and drinking at Christmas time is part of the fun, and there is no need to completely miss out on certain foods and drinks. Try to be mindful about your choices, and don’t worry if you eat a little more than usual, or have some less healthy options. A small break from your usual routine is normal over Christmas - enjoy it, and simply return to your regular habits the next day.

To find out more about diabetes and Christmas, visit the Diabetes.org.uk website.

On behalf of the Diabetes team, Merry Christmas.