We use cookies to help provide you with the best possible online experience.
By using this site, you agree that we may store and access cookies on your device. Cookie policy.
Cookie settings.
Functional Cookies
Functional Cookies are enabled by default at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings and ensure site works and delivers best experience.
3rd Party Cookies
This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.
Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.
PPG Newsletter: September 2025
Contents
- Practice News
- NHS App notifications
- Flu Clinics
- Physiotherapy self-referral
- NHS Food scanner App
- Busiest July on record for General Practice
- Dementia and assisted technology
- Cervical Screening results
Practice news
Staff news
Our Practice has a long history of training new generation of doctors. We have very experienced GP trainers who share their knowledge and provide supervision to the new Medical students.
We are pleased to welcome two young doctors to our Practice Mr Lenoj Kanageswaran who have joined us in August for a year-long placement and Ms Hyat El-Zebdeh who will stay with us till December.
Over the summer, we had some leavers from the Reception but we have now recruited 4 new Receptionists. They are in the process of being trained, gaining necessary skills and experience and are already valuable addition to the team.
NHS App
We are calling all patients with the NHS App to make sure that your NHS App Notifications are switched ON.
Enabling these notifications allows you to receive important updates like appointment reminders, new messages from your GP, test results, and prescription information, Anima responses, screening results.
You'll need to manage settings for each device you use the NHS App on, and the change may take up to 24 hours to take effect.
Please see instructions below:
To turn on "NHS All notification switch," log in to the NHS App, go to Account > Settings > Notifications > Manage notifications, then select the option to enable notifications for your device settings.
You may receive a message from us shortly with the reminder to action this for your devices.
Flu Clinics
The Flu vaccination season has arrived!
We are holding flu clinics on Saturdays 4th October and 11th October at the Royal Victoria Shopping Centre, opposite Sports Direct.
Appointments are from 9:15am to 1:30pm and text messages are being sent with the booking link where you can choose appointment time that is convenient for you.
Please reply with "DECLINED" if you do not wish to attend these Saturday flu clinics as this will help us to manage patient numbers.
Weekday clinics will also be added later in October.
Physiotherapy self-referrals
Patients with musculoskeletal problems can be seen directly by an MSK without GP referral.
They are able to:
- Assess you and offer a diagnosis.
- Give expert advice on how best to manage your condition.
- Request blood tests, X rays, MRI and other scans.
- Refer you on to specialist services if necessary.
The MSK Assessor can assess:
- All soft tissue injuries, sprains, strains or sports injuries
- Joint pain (arthritis)
- Spinal pain including lower back pain, mid-back pain and neck pain.
- Possible problems with muscles, ligaments, tendons or bone (e.g. forearm pain, foot pain)
If you would like an appointment with the MSK assessor please contact us online.
NHS Food Scanner App
With the obesity cases on the rise the NHS has introduced an NHS Food scanner App.
Download the NHS Food Scanner app for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play. It will allow you to check the amount of sugar in food by scanning a barcode.
This app uses your phone's camera to scan a barcode, revealing the sugar content (along with saturated fat and salt) and suggesting healthier alternatives.
You can also find information through the app's search function or by using augmented reality to visualize the nutritional content, according to nhs.uk and Google Play.
How to use the NHS Food Scanner app:
- Download: the app from your device's app store (Apple App Store or Google Play).
- Open: the app and select the barcode scanner feature.
- Scan: the barcode on the food or drink product using your phone's camera.
- View: the product's nutritional information, including the amount of sugar, saturated fat, and salt.
- Explore: healthier alternatives and make an informed choice next time you shop
Busiest July on record for General Practice!
General practice teams have delivered a record 33.6 million appointments in July 2025, up 4.3% on the year before and up nearly a quarter on the same period pre-pandemic (24.3% increase since 2019).
Today’s statistics show the NHS is on-track for its busiest summer ever in general practice, with record appointments also delivered in June 2025.
GP teams also carried out high numbers of care home visits this July, with 127,112 carried out, the second highest on record.
Typically, the summer months see a slow-down in NHS activity due to fewer respiratory viruses circulating, like the flu, but this year, practices have been dealing with a surge in people coming forward, making what looks to be the busiest summer in general practice in history.
Here is some statistics about GP Surgeries across Kent and Medway:
- GP Surgery Appointments: 961,320
- Appointments with a GP: 428,210
- Face to Face all appointments: 69%
- Face to Face with a GP: 56%
That’s the equivalent of almost 50% of the population of Kent and Medway having an appointments in General Practice in July 2025.
Dementia and assisted technology
Dementia often has a significant impact on a person’s daily life, including how they function within their own home.
However, a wide range of products are available to help the person live more independently; minimise frustration caused by not being able to carry out certain tasks; reduce the risk of falls, accidents and injuries; and relieve families of some of their worries, leading to a better quality of life for everyone.
‘Assistive technology’ refers to equipment that is designed to help people with physical or cognitive disabilities carry out daily activities more easily. It doesn’t just refer to electronic equipment or machines, but to a range of living aids.
These are just a few examples of assistive technology for people with dementia. Some people will find them helpful while others will not, so consider what the person is finding difficult first and then look at possible aids or adaptations.
Living aids and assistive technology for a person with dementia
NHS Cervical Screening programme: Digital normal results go live
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme has now introduced digital normal results via the NHS App.
Abnormal result letters will continue for the time being to be delivered by post. This follows the successful rollout of digital invitations and reminders in June 2025, where since the launch, nine out of every 10 invitations are being sent digitally.
This means quicker and more convenient access to cervical screening invitations and normal results. For those where a digital communication isn't possible, a letter will be posted as a backup.
This digital transformation supports the NHS commitment to put patients in control of their own healthcare, making it easier to manage appointments and health needs.
Continuing to encourage all those eligible remains central to our ambition to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, and we are grateful for the continued efforts to support this aim.
Published: Oct 9, 2025