Patient Newsletter for March 2024




📆 Help us keep appointment waiting times short at Apex
Team Apex is well and truly back in full swing after the Christmas period, but like the rest of the NHS, we are still very much in demand! You can help to keep waiting lists for appointments short by cancelling unwanted appointments as soon as possible.
To cancel your appointment:
- Use your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App).
- Reply CANCEL to your appointment reminder text message.
- Phone us on 01634 720220 during opening hours.
In January, 95 patients didn’t attend GP appointments and 110 patients didn’t attend their nurse appointments. That’s over 200 appointments that could have been given to patients currently waiting for one.
Unfortunately, patients who repeatedly miss appointments will be asked to find a new practice as this is unfair to other patients and to our team, especially when NHS services are so stretched and in demand.

đź’Š Think
Pharmacy First
Did you know that treatments for the following conditions are now available directly from pharmacists, without an appointment, and without having to contact the surgery first?
- sore throat
- earache
- sinusitis
- impetigo
- shingles
- infected insect bite
- uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women under 65.
The pharmacist will recommend the best course of action for you. This could be an over-the-counter treatment or a prescription-only medicine, which they can prepare for you straight away.
You can find out more here or pop into your local pharmacy.


đź’© Your next poo could save your life
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month so the perfect time to make yourself familiar with the symptoms of colon cancer. You should make an appointment with our team, even if it happens just once, if:
- there is blood in your poo (stools)
- you are bleeding from the back passage
- there is a change in your normal bowel habits.
For more information and guidance about colon cancer, please visit Macmillan Cancer Support.

🚨 Got a long-term health condition?
If you have high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cholesterol or cardiovascular disease, we can now manage and monitor your condition from the comfort of your home. Our new online clinic means you won’t have to come into the practice to see a doctor or nurse face-to-face for your reviews unless you need to.
If you’re eligible to use the online clinic, we’ll send you a text message to let you know, followed by a link to our online patient portal. This is a secure platform we use to collect your information, like blood pressure readings. You can find out more information about our new online clinic here.

🥗 Free 12-week healthy lifestyle and weight loss programme
The Medway Healthy Way is a 12-week programme that helps you to make changes that will have positive health benefits including weight loss and a healthier lifestyle.
Each week, the programme will look at things like exercise, diet, nutrition, stress management, and how to maintain your progress. It’s an easy-to-follow, online programme that could make a big difference to your physical and mental health. You can find out more and book a place here.

👶🏽 Should I keep my little one off school?
When your child is poorly, it can be tricky to know whether you should keep them off school or nursery and when/if you should seek medical advice.
You know your child better than anyone else so trust your instincts. The Healthier Together website has some handy information about when to keep your child at home and what illnesses they can still attend school or nursery with. And remember, your local pharmacist can advise how to ease your child’s symptoms and if they should see a GP.

đź’š A safe haven if you ever need it…
Safe Havens offer face-to-face mental health support, and you don’t need an appointment or a referral. There are Safe Havens across Kent and Medway run by Mental Health Matters available to anyone who lives in Kent or Medway. Our nearest Safe Haven is opposite the urgent treatment centre at Medway Maritime Hospital.
Locations, opening times and contact details for all of these Safe Havens can be found here.

