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PPG Newsletter Autumn 2025
As we leave summer behind, welcome to our Autumn Newsletter. We hope you have had a pleasant summer break and are prepared for the coming, colder months. We wish you good health during this time in the knowledge that the Practice is there to care for you throughout.
John Gallimore
Chair of The Meads Medical Practice PPG
The Baton of Hope
The Baton of Hope is the UK’s largest suicide prevention initiative - a powerful, symbolic campaign designed to spark national conversations around mental health, suicide awareness, and hope. Here's a breakdown of what makes it so impactful:
What Is the Baton of Hope?
Founded by bereaved fathers Mike McCarthy and Steve Phillip, who lost their sons to suicide, the campaign was launched in 2023 to honour lives lost and prevent future tragedies.
The baton itself is a beautifully crafted object by Thomas Lyte, goldsmiths to King Charles III. Its design is rich in symbolism:
- Upward-pointing structure: Represents the journey from despair to hope.
- Lattice design: Depicts a community lifting each other up.
- Semi-colon top: A nod to the suicide prevention symbol, choosing to continue rather than end.
Nationwide Tour & Events
The baton travels through cities across the UK, carried by individuals affected by suicide—survivors, bereaved families, and advocates.
Each city hosts a day of events including:
- Community walks and remembrance ceremonies
- Mental health workshops and support hubs
- Talks by campaigners and healthcare professionals
- Creative activities like choir performances, yoga, and art installations
Workplace Pledge
A key initiative is the Workplace Pledge, encouraging employers to create psychologically safe environments and reduce stigma around mental health.
Training programs and e-learning modules help staff recognize warning signs and support colleagues in crisis.
Why It Matters
Suicide remains the leading cause of death for men under 50 and young people aged 10 to 19 in the UK.
The Baton of Hope aims to build a zero-suicide society by fostering connection, education, and action.
Where you can see it in Swale:
You’ll be able to see the Baton of Hope in Swale on Sunday, 21 September 2025, during a special relay event on the Isle of Sheppey. Here's what’s happening:
Baton Relay Details
- Start Time: 1pm
- Location: Begins at EKC Secondary School, moves along the seafront to the Shingle Bank, and returns to the school.
- Participants: Eight local teams including NexYouth CIC, HMP Elmley, Oasis Youth and Community Hub, and others will carry the baton in a community relay.
Charity Village & Support
- Open from 1pm at EKC School
- Features stalls from:
- Sheppey Matters
- Kent Talking Therapies
- Citizens Advice Swale
- Kent Community Health NHS Trust
- Salvation Army, Sheppey FM, and more
- Refreshments: Provided by EKC’s Dementia Café
- Entertainment: Live performances and activities to celebrate hope and community
Surgery News
Flu Vaccination Clinics Begin Saturday 11th October 2025.
We’re pleased to announce that our annual flu vaccination clinics will begin on Saturday 11th October 2025.
All patients who are eligible for a free NHS flu vaccine, including those aged 65 and over, individuals with long-term health conditions, pregnant women, carers, and frontline health or social care workers—will be invited to attend.
Invitations will be sent via text message, phone call, or letter, depending on your contact preferences. Please keep an eye out and book promptly to help us manage clinic flow and ensure everyone is protected ahead of winter.
The practice does not manage COVID-19 vaccinations. If you are eligible for a COVID vaccine, you will receive a separate invitation with instructions on how to book. Please follow the guidance provided in that message.
Getting vaccinated not only protects you but also helps safeguard vulnerable members of our community. Thank you for playing your part.
If you have any questions, please contact reception.
Sheppey Frailty Ward
Sheppey Frailty Ward in the Community Hospital was awarded a Healthwatch recognition Award. The idea to have a satellite ward from Medway Maritime Hospital was that of Mr Sanjay Kumar, consultant Geriatrician at Medway. He hoped that it would ease the burden for visitors to patients who live in Sittingbourne, Sheppey and surrounding areas in Swale if there was access more locally.
Once medical supervision was not needed, rehabilitation could be provided elsewhere, and after many months of trying, Mr Kumar was allocated a ward in Sheppey Hospital. This has proved very successful for patients and their relatives who are delighted that they no longer have to make the journey to Medway each day.
It has cut their costs and meant daily access to see family members thus addressing some of the health inequalities in Swale.
Protect your child with the MMR Vaccine
Health chiefs in Kent and Medway are urging parents and carers to check if their child has both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and to ignore misinformation about the life-saving jab.
Childhood infections, like measles and whooping cough, are rising across the country with several places reporting outbreaks.
Measles is an infection that spreads very easily and can cause serious problems in some people. Having the MMR vaccine is the best way to prevent it and not infect others.
Please check your child’s Red Book or contact your GP practice to see if they are up to date. Children will need both doses of the MMR vaccine to be fully protected.
Visit the Get Vaccinated Now website to find out more.
New dates for community clinics where Kent and Medway under-19s can catch up on their vaccinations, including MMR, are now available.
Visit Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust to find out more and book an appointment.
Busiest July in History for GP teams
General practice teams in Kent and Medway offered more than 960,000 appointments in July 2025, up three per cent on the year before and up nearly a third on the same period pre-pandemic.
Earlier in July, the GP patient survey also showed there has been an improvement in patients’ overall satisfaction with their GP practice in Kent and Medway from 65 per cent satisfaction in 2023 to 70 per cent in 2025.
Read more about this on the Kent and Medway ICB website
Iatrogenic Botulism
Have you heard of this before? Probably not unless you are one of the unfortunate ones to have suffered from it. This condition is caused by an infection of botulism from the use of injectable aesthetic cosmetic preparations which are based on controlled amounts of the botulinum toxin. There has been a considerable increase in outbreaks of this in recent months. All cases had reported having recent aesthetic procedures involving injections of botulinum toxin, with investigations showing that most individuals received products that are unlicensed for use in the UK.
An alert has been issued urging the public to take precautions when seeking aesthetic procedures and to seek medical advice if they experienced symptoms suggestive of botulism such as difficulty swallowing, slurred speech and breathing difficulties.
The public have been advised to ensure they are receiving products that are licensed for use in England and that practitioners are sufficiently trained to give procedures involving injectable botulinum toxin. Advice is available on the NHS website to support the public in choosing who will undertake their cosmetic procedures.
Learn more about Iatrogenic Botulism on the NHS website
Published: Sep 15, 2025