Practice News
Fever in Children
High fever If your child is 3-6 months old and has a temperature of 38°C or more or you think they have a high temperature. High fever If your child is 3 months old or less and has a temperature you have measured of 38°C or more or you think they have a high temperature. Other signs Your child has a stiff neck, is bothered by light, has cold hands or feet or has had a fit or seizure for the first time (can’t stop shaking). A member of your pharmacy team can help you assess your child’s symptoms, or visit the NHS website in your country for advice:When should I seek medical attention for my child?
Contact your child’s surgery or call 111 in England and Wales if your child has any of these:.
Vomiting Your child vomits repeatedly, or brings up dark-green vomit.
Skin colour Your child’s skin, lips or tongue appear pale.
Rash You notice a new rash that fades when a tumbler is pressed against it.
Behaviour Your child is not responding normally, wakes with difficulty, is less active, doesn’t smile or feed poorly or is not their usual self and you are worried.
Breathing Your child breathes much faster than usual and their nostrils flare.
Hydration Your child is not drinking well and is not passing much urine. Nappies stay dry or their mouth or eyes appear dry.
Duration Your child’s fever has persisted for 5 or more days.
Other signs Your child has a new limp, has developed a swelling or new lump in a limb or joint or has attacks of shivering or you notice any other unusual symptoms and signs that you can’t explain, or your child is less well than when you previously sought advice.Go to A+E if your child has a temperature and any of these symptoms:
Skin colour Your child’s skin, lips or tongue are mottled, ashen, pale or blue.
Behaviour Your child does not respond, does not wake, or falls asleep again if woken or has a high pitched or continuous cry or is very agitated or confused.
Breathing Your child breathes much faster than usual, makes a grunting sound when they are breathing, and the skin between the ribs or the area just below the rib cage moves in and out during breaths.
Hydration If your child has a dry mouth, if you pinch the skin on the back of your child’s hand and it does not return to normal quickly or, in babies, the soft spot on the top of the head (fontanelle) is sunken or bulges.
Rash You notice a new rash that doesn’t fade on pressure (press a tumbler against the rash to see if it disappears).Where can I find out more?
Published on 13th Oct 2026
Cough in Adults
A new continuous cough may be coronavirus – see section above before reading further. Seek medical advice if you feel more unwell than you’d expect or if you notice any of the warning symptoms below: Contact your surgery or ring NHS111 in England and Wales, the Phone First service in Northern Ireland or NHS24 in Scotland. They will tell you what to do and can arrange a call from a health care professional if you need one: Below are NHS website links in your area of the UK or speak to a member of your pharmacy team, who can help you with assessing and managing your symptoms.When should I seek medical help?
Severity: Your cough is really bad or gets worse quickly – especially if it’s a ‘hacking’ cough or you can’t stop coughing;
Duration: Your cough lasts longer than three weeks;
Foreign body: You cough after you’ve choked on something;
Chest or shoulder pain: You have chest and/or shoulder pain
Breathlessness: You also find it harder to breathe, or you breathe faster than normal;
Blood: Seek medical advice if you cough up small amounts of blood. If you cough up larger amounts, seek medical advice urgently;
Swollen glands: The side of your neck feels swollen and painful;
You have a weakened immune system: For example, through diabetes or chemotherapy.Where can I find out more?
Published on 13th Oct 2026
Sore Throat
Your pharmacist can help and can give you antibiotics if you need them. This is under the Pharmacy First Scheme. Speak to your pharmacy team or look at the NHS or Patient.co.uk websites below. Seek professional advice if you or your child’s symptoms are: Temperature over 37.8°C: Consider COVID19 and follow the advice on the link below. Temperature of over 38°C for more than 3 days. That doesn’t come down, even with ibuprofen or paracetamol. Contact your surgery or call 111. Children under 5 with a temperature of 38 or more. See our fact sheet ‘Fever in Children’ here. Severity. Pain is severe and is not helped by painkillers or is getting worse and you are having difficulty swallowing. Voice changes. Your voice becomes muffled. Difficulty getting enough fluids. You find it difficult to drink enough fluids and are dehydrated. Effect on day-to-day life. Your symptoms stop you from going about your daily life normally. Weak immunity. Ask for medical advice if you have weakened immunity. This might be because you have HIV/AIDS. Or if you take drugs such as high dose steroids, some anti-rheumatic drugs, a drug called carbimazole. People who are now undergoing or have recently completed chemotherapy should also seek help. They will tell you what to do next. They can arrange a call from a health care professional if you need one. Breathing problems.When should I seek medical attention?
Warning symptoms and signs:
If you have any of the above contact your surgery or call 111 in England and Wales. (This is the number for NHS111.)
Call 999 or go to A&E if you or your child has any of these:
The throat feels like it is closing up.
Breath sounds are high pitched.
Drooling and difficulty swallowing. Drooling or finding it hard to swallow even small quantities of water is an emergency!
Published on 13th Oct 2026
Common Cold in Adults
Most colds are not serious and get better by themselves. Contact your surgery or NHS 111 in England and Wales, the Phone First Service in Northern Ireland or NHS24 in Scotland if: • You develop a high temperature (above 39°C or 102.2°F), or you feel shivery; A member of your pharmacy team can help you with symptoms, otherwise more information is available here: NHS Inform, Scotland When should I seek medical attention?
• You feel confused or disorientated;
• You notice a sharp pain in your chest;
• You cough up blood;
• You find it difficult to breathe;
• Your symptoms last longer than three weeks;
• Your symptoms suddenly get worse.Where can I find out more?
NHS Website
NI Direct, Northern Ireland
NHS111, Wales
Published on 13th Oct 2026
Missed Appointments to date 2026
The following appointments were wasted due to none arrivals of patients at Musgrove Park, Sydenham House and Hollington Surgery:
- Practice Nurse 366 did not attend
- Nursing associate 113 did not attend
- Health Care Assistants 576 did not attend
This totals 1055 missed appointments in total.
Published on 12th Oct 2026
HPV self-testing is now available
The NHS is introducing HPV self-testing for some women and people with a cervix who have not attended cervical screening following previous invitations.
If you are eligible, the NHS will contact you by NHS App, text message, email or letter and invite you to order a free HPV self-testing kit.
The test can be done at home or in a private space, without an appointment. You collect your own sample using a swab and return it to the NHS by post using the free return envelope provided.
What happens if HPV is found?
The self-test checks for high-risk HPV, which can increase the risk of cervical cancer. A positive result does not mean you have cervical cancer.
If high-risk HPV is found, you will be asked to attend a cervical screening appointment at your GP surgery or sexual health clinic. A nurse or doctor will then take a sample from your cervix to check for any cell changes.
Important to know
HPV self-testing does not replace routine cervical screening for people who are currently attending their screening appointments. We do not yet have evidence that self-testing is as effective at preventing cervical cancer as regular cervical screening.
If you have been invited for cervical screening, please continue to attend your appointment.
If you have previously missed cervical screening and are eligible for HPV self-testing, you will receive an invitation from the NHS. You cannot request a self-test kit unless you have been invited.
Even if you have had the HPV vaccine, you should still attend cervical screening when invited or complete an HPV self-test if you receive an invitation.
For more information, visit the NHS cervical screening information page.
Published on 5th Oct 2026
Cases of invasive meningococcal disease confirmed in Kent
Statement issued by the UK Health Security Agency on 15 March 2026.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS are arranging antibiotics for some students in the Canterbury area of Kent following a number of cases of invasive meningococcal disease. The specific strain has not been identified at the present time.
For more information including signs and symptoms, please click on the link below:
Cases of invasive meningococcal disease confirmed in Kent - GOV.UK
UKHSA helpline for the public. Opening times are Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm – 0344 225 3861, if you have no symptoms but are concerned you have been in contact with a confirmed case or have a general enquiry.
Criteria for prophylaxis:
contact with/or self-reported contact with a confirmed case of meningococcal diseases/meningitis
Living on the Kent University Campus
Attended the Chemistry night club on 5th,6th or 7th March 2026
Available at:
- Senate Building, University of Kent, CT2 7NZ - Open daily from 9am to 8pm.
- Gate Clinic, Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Ethelbert Road, Canterbury CT1 3NG - Open daily from 8.30am to 7.30pm.
- Thanet Community Health Hub, Northwood Road, Broadstairs, CT10 2WA - Open daily from 8.30am to 8pm (last patient 7.30pm).
- Westgate Hall, Westgate Hall Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2BT - Open daily from 8.30am to 7.30pm.
Health Publications orderline: https://www.healthpublications.gov.uk/Home.html
Meningitis NOW: https://www.meningitisnow.org (Tel: 0808 801 0388)
Meningitis Research Foundation: www.meningitis.org (Tel: 0808 800 3344).
National guidelines on the management of meningococcal cases and their contacts can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/meningococcal-disease-guidance-on-public-health-management
Preventing the spread of meningococcal disease
The best way to stop the disease spreading is by giving antibiotics to the very close contacts of the patient with the illness. That usually means that only people who live in the same house as the sick person need treatment.
There are numerous strains of the meningococcal infection. The MenACWY vaccination gives good protection against MenA, MenC, MenW, and MenY and is routinely offered to teenagers in school Years 9 and 10. However, this vaccine does not protect against all forms of meningitis. Other strains such as MenB can circulate in young adults, which is why it’s important to know how to spot the symptoms of Meningitis and septicaemia as early detection and treatment can save lives.
Symptoms of meningococcal disease
It is sensible to be aware of the main signs and symptoms of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia, outlined below.
Some common signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease
|
High temperature |
Rapid breathing |
|
Vomiting or diarrhoea and stomach cramps |
Joint or muscle pain |
|
Cold hands and feet |
|
|
Severe headache |
Pale blotchy skin |
|
Stiff neck |
Confusion and/or irritability |
|
Dislike of bright light |
Drowsiness or difficult to wake |
|
Rash or bruising rash |
Seizures or fits |
One or more of these symptoms may develop and they can appear in any order.
Meningococcal disease can be hard to identify at first because it can be like a bad case of flu. However, anyone affected with meningococcal disease will usually become seriously ill within a few hours. You should keep checking yourself/ your child if they are unwell and contact your GP (family doctor) or NHS 111 for advice if you have any concerns.
If you become worried about your/your child’s condition, particularly if they are getting worse, seek medical help urgently at the closest A&E Department or by dialling 999.
Be watchful and use your instincts. Early treatment can be lifesaving.
Further information on meningococcal disease is available from:
The Meningitis Research Foundation, www.meningitis.org telephone: 0808 800 3344
Meningitis Now, www.meningitisnow.org telephone: 0808 80 10 388 helpline email address: helpline@meningitisnow.org
Published on 8th Apr 2026
Risk Stratification
You might spot something in your NHS App called segmentation. Don’t worry – it’s not a test result you need to act on!
Think of segmentation as us creating a simple “map” of our patients’ health and wellbeing needs. This helps us understand what matters most to you, so we can make your care more personal and timely.
✅ No action is needed from you – it just helps us help you.
ℹ️ More information can be found here
Published on 8th Apr 2026
Page created: 25 October 2024