2026 Happy New Year

We are in the middle of ‘winter pressures’ which means we are experiencing a higher number of calls and appointment requests. These pressures are managed excellently by our Care Navigation team, Clinicians & admin team. Please continue to book in vaccines and health checks with us when invited to do so. We have also noticed an increase in missed appointments. If you no longer need an appointment please contact us to cancel it. By cancelling your appointment correctly, provides valuable appointments for other patients.

Flu and Covid vaccines are offered to eligible patients every year to help reduce the impact of these viruses and reduce hospitalisation rates. Flu vaccines are given once a year in the Autumn/Winter, and are still available to the end of March if you haven’t yet had yours! Covid needs to be given to our more vulnerable patients twice a year to boost their protection. Following changes in government advice, the eligible groups are all patients aged 75yrs and over, and those 18yrs and over only if they are immuno suppressed through a health condition or as a result of their current medication.

This year’s Covid spring booster will be given from 13 April 2026.

Meet the Team – Physicians Assistant – Anna Garcia

Dry January

The Dry January challenge, created by Alcohol Change UK, helps people reset their relationship with alcohol at the start of the year and beyond. Whether it’s to give your energy a boost, enjoy better sleep, put some money back in your bank account, or help you feel fresher and more productive the next day, the Dry January challenge offers the perfect opportunity to reset and experience all the benefits of a month off booze. With the free Try Dry app, you can track your savings, sleep, mood, and more.

PPG

The Patient Participation Group (or PPG) provides an opportunity for our registered patients to get involved in current health service issues and help the practice shape and improve its service. All our patients are invited to join the group, however we do ask new members to complete some background reading, and we may have points during each year where it is more suitable to join. We would value the opinions of everyone, including young people, workers, retirees, people with long term conditions and people from non-British ethnic groups.

To apply to join, sign up using the online form available on our website or register your interest with a member of staff.

Lucid Project

This month also marks the launch of the Lucid Project across the PCN. This initiative aims to improve coordination between primary and secondary care for patients with kidney disease. Practices will now meet monthly with the hospital renal team to review patients who may benefit from additional support.

Weight Management in Primary Care

Our practices within the Primary Care Network are together running a new service offering Mounjaro as an option for weight management - initially prioritising those with a high BMI, who are also facing a combination of significant weight-related health conditions. Group consultations for these patients have started, the programme, which involves wraparound care provided for us by Living Well Taking Control. In due course the eligibility criteria will be widened so we will then be able to invite more patients to this service.

Asthma & Lung UK – Winter Wellbeing Guide

Patients living with a lung condition can find winter a difficult time. Asthma + Lung UK's winter wellbeing guide is here to help.

Answer a few short questions about your lung conditions and symptoms to get free, personalised health advice sent to your inbox.

Learn more about this

Gynaecology Care Survey

The local NHS is running a public survey about gynaecology care.

The online survey is for people living in BNSSG (Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire) who experience any of these issues:

• Heavy, very painful or irregular periods.
• Symptoms of the menopause or perimenopause.
• Problems with your wee leaking.
• Prolapse (heaviness in your vagina) or worry that something inside might fall out.
• Any other gynaecology symptoms for example irritation around your vagina, lumps, or pelvic pain.

They want to know about good experiences, bad experiences, in-the-middle experiences or if you haven’t accessed NHS services at all.

We will be sending a text message with a link to complete the survey to relevant patients.

Early Cancer Diagnosis

The Quality & Projects teams for each practice are often pursuing projects focused on the incredibly important area of early cancer diagnosis. Often this is a case of identifying patients who have not attended screening appointments and sending information to encourage them to go. Cervical Screening and Bowel Cancer screening have been a recent focus, and Breast Cancer screening will be next.

The NHS have been running a lung cancer screening programme contacting ex and current smokers to assess whether they would benefit from a scan for early diagnosis. We encourage all our patients to take up any early screening on offer to them as it could either prevent the development of cancer or be able to treat it at a much earlier stage.

The Growth of Research at Gloucester Road

Gloucester Road are relatively new to research but have risen to its challenges and, like the other two practices within the Primary Care Network, are constantly looking for research studies which will bring benefits to our patients now or in the future.

One example is the FluSNIFF study which is trialling the immunisation of younger children with the nasal flu vaccine and involved vaccinating 50 toddlers in December. This has been very well received so may be run again in the new year.

NHS App

To view your health records, manage & request medications, check upcoming appointments and more – download the NHS App.