3 to 9 November 2025

Experiencing a problem with a medicine or medical device?

We all have the power to make healthcare products safer. Help others by reporting a problem using the Yellow Card Scheme. You can report suspected  side effects to medicines, adverse incidents with medical devices, safety  concerns about e-cigarettes/vapes and defective, low quality or falsified (fake) products to improve patient safety. Every report counts!

Vaccination remains the best form of defence against severe illness, hospitalisation, and death as a result of COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccination  is aimed at protecting the most vulnerable in our society.

Appointments for Covid vaccination clinics will be available to book from mid  September on line or via reception.

Eligible Patients are:

• all adults aged 75 years and over; born before 31 March 1951.
• residents in a care home for older adults (in NI this will apply to all residents of a care home for older adults);
• individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed

Unlike in previous autumn campaigns, adults aged 65 to 74 years of age and  people aged under 65 years of age with underlying medical conditions,  including pregnant women (apart from those who are immunosuppressed) will  not be eligible for Covid vaccination.

For more information, please download our full Newsletter…

RSV is a common respiratory virus that can cause serious lung infections. For  most people, RSV infection causes a mild respiratory illness. Globally, RSV  infects up to 90% of children within the first 2 years of life and frequently reinfects older children and adults.

While RSV infection can occur at any age, the risk and severity of RSV and its  complications are increased in older adults and in neonates and small infants.

For more information, please download our full Newsletter…

Child nasal flu appointments are available to book for pre-school children aged  from two years of age, born between 2nd July 2021 and 1st Sept 2024. Appointments are available to book online or via telephone after 9.30am any  morning.

Appointments for the Flu vaccine will be available to book from mid September for all patients aged 65 years and over born on or before 31st March 1961 and for those in an AT RISK group.

In 2025/26, healthy 5-64 year olds will NOT be eligible for the flu vaccination.

For more information, please download our full Newsletter…

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): Do you have an of the following urinary symptoms?

• Passing urine more often at night?
• Cloudy Urine?
• Burning pain when passing urine?

Ask your Pharmacist first for advice, test and treatment (if needed) without having to contact your GP.

Pharmacy First for Sore Throat: Save time and avoid waiting to see a GP, ask you Pharmacist FIRST for free and confidential advice, test and treatment for sore throat.

Find out more, download our Newsletter

An outlook of work output throughout the month of October by all Practice Staff:

Telephone Statistics:

• 8,101 Incoming telephone calls to the Practice
• 2 minutes 49 seconds average patient wait time once in the queue

Daily Triage Areas:

• 50 patient home visits by a GP
• 5,162 Face to Face appointments
• 2,087 triage call back to patients

Appointments Booked and Not Attended:

• 213 – these are appointments that have been wasted and could have been offered to another patient

Administration Tasks:

• 2,749 Hospital letters actioned by Practice Staff
• 20,722 General admin tasks by Clinical and Admin Team
• 5,636 Prescriptions issued
• 2,585 Patient results reviewed

Find out more download our Newsletter

If you can’t sleep, get up after 20 minutes and do something relaxing until you  feel sleepy again. There is more information and advice about dealing with sleep  problems on the NHS Every Mind Matterswebsite. 

HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy): can improve sleep. HRT can help directly by improving hormone levels and also by reducing hot flushes and sweats.

Non Hormonal Treatments: if HRT is not suitable or in not preferred, other treatments may help:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the most effective treatment for chronic insomnia and can be carried out in person, in groups or online. (download our full newsletter for more information)
• Digital apps are available including: Sleepful, Sleepio and Sleepstation.
• Medicaitons such as: certain antidepressants, gabapentin or clonidine may reduce hot flushes and can then improve sleep
• Melatonin is licensed for short-term use in people over 55 year of age (up to 13 weeks)

Find out more, download our Newsletter

Alzheimer’s Society Virtual Dementia Information Programme Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Trust – November 2025

A series of free online information sessions for anyone caring for or supporting someone with diagnosis of Dementia or anyone with an interest in Dementia.

For more information, please download our full Newsletter…

We strongly advise you not to take any drug which has not been prescribed to  you. However, if you do choose to use drugs, you can help to reduce the risk of  harm by:

• Dosing low and going slow – take the smallest amount you can and leave as long as you can between doses, at least 2 hours.
• Sticking to one drug – mixing drugs can cause unexpected and  unpredictable results. This includes mixing with alcohol.
• Never using alone – make sure that there are people around who can  respond in the event of an emergency if someone becomes ill, get medical help urgently! For more information on drugs and alcohol, visit www.drugsandalcoholni.info.

This site provides help and support as well as information on drugs and  alcohol.

Drug and Alcohol Coordination Teams (DACTs) are made up of statutory and  community agencies with an interest in, or need to, address drug and alcohol  issues in the Trust area. There is a DACT for each Health Trust area in  Northern Ireland, and each has a Connections team.

Find out more, download our Newsletter