Topsham Surgery & Glasshouse Medical Centre

10/12/2025

Digital detox

Feel like you’re spending too much time on your phone? Endlessly scrolling reels and wondering where the hours go? Why not consider a digital detox this festive season? Taking a break from going online can improve your sleep and help to decrease stress levels, and there’s no better time to connect with people around you than at Christmas! Why not give it a try?

Staying connected to others using our smartphone, tablet, or computer can have huge benefits. By always keeping in touch, we can manage relationships and stay connected with friends and family at the touch of a button. For some of us, this can feel tiring and like we are constantly tasked with keep....

08/12/2025

Grief Awareness Week, 2nd-8th December

Losing someone we love changes us and how we see the world. Pain doesn’t fade, but as time passes, with support, compassion and strength, you can find that your hope returns, shaped by your memories.

This Grief Awareness Week, the focus is on growing with grief and how you can work towards a future where, although you will not forget, you can learn to smile again.

If you’re struggling with grief, please reach out: https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/ngaw/

Cruse Bereavement Support

NGAW25 CAMPAIGN PACKS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW - TO INCLUDE "Growing with grief" seeds, year planners, wooden plant markers

05/12/2025

If anyone has lost a Nationwide Debit Card, we have one behind reception at Topsham. Please contact us and bring your ID.

05/12/2025

Crohn’s and colitis, 1st-7th December

Crohn’s disease and colitis are often invisible to the outside world but they deeply impact on the daily life of sufferers.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is not just a stomach ache; it’s fatigue, uncertainty, flare-ups, strict diets, hospital visits, and strength that often goes unseen. Sharing awareness and showing compassion can help support Crohn’s and colitis sufferers.


https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/

Did you know that 1 in 120 people suffers from Crohn’s disease and colitis? Inflammatory bowel disease can cause a range of symptoms, such as:
Diarrhoea
Blood or mucus in your poo
Stomach pain
Feeling very tired or generally unwell

If you’ve noticed any of these symptoms over a prolonged period, it’s worth making an appointment to speak to your GP.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/crohns-disease/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuytsHjQvqc

Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, affecting at least 300,000 people in the UK.Yet it is largely a ...

03/12/2025

International Day of People with Disabilities, 3rd December

International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPWD) celebrates and promotes the rights of everyone with a disability and this year, the focus is on building an inclusive society.

We’re an accessible, disability-friendly practice – if you require support, please do contact our reception team.

01/12/2025

World AIDS Day, 1st December

Held every year on 1st December, World AIDS Day is more than a ribbon. We continue to advocate for access to testing, treatment and prevention for everyone.

Together, we can work towards a future where HIV is no longer a global threat, aiming to end new cases by 2030.
https://tht.org.uk/support-us/world-aids-day/what-is-world-aids-day

This World AIDS Day, it’s the perfect time to review a few tips on keeping ourselves and communities safe in preventing HIV.
Use condoms consistently and correctly
Get tested regularly
Talk openly with partners about sexual health

To learn more, visit this link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hiv-and-aids/

Devon Sexual Health

Find out about the symptoms of HIV and AIDS, what treatments are available and how to prevent getting or spreading the infection.

27/11/2025

Winter weather warnings and staying warm

Feeling the chill this winter? Keeping warm is essential for your well-being and health. Here are a few tips on warming up when it’s cold outside:

Reduce draughts where you can
Layer up – wear lots of layers of thinner clothing
Cover extremities – hats, gloves, thick socks and scarves
Eat healthily with plenty of hot drinks
Avoid alcohol
Keep moving
Keeping the cold at bay can help you to stay healthy over these wintry months.

25/11/2025

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, 25th November

Every ten minutes, a woman is killed. International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women raises awareness about all forms of violence against women. Wear orange as a bright and optimistic colour; this represents hope and a future free from violence against women and girls.

©2025 British Red Cross The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949), Scotland (SC037738), Isle of Man (0752) and Jersey (430).

21/11/2025

Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, 18th to 24th November

Not every illness needs antibiotics. Resistance to antibiotics is a growing concern, so help to preserve their efficacy for when they’re really needed!
Always take antibiotics as prescribed
Never miss a dose
Complete a course in full
Vaccinate yourself and your family
Keep antibiotics for when they’re really needed. You could save a life.

20/11/2025

Carers’ rights, 20th November

Being a carer is hard. There are no set hours and you’re often caring for someone close to you.

Every day, 12,000 people become unpaid carers for a partner, family member or friend. They may not even view themselves as carers. But who looks after you when you’re looking after someone else? All carers deserve to understand their rights and be supported to use them if they wish.

Discover more here:

Carers Rights Day is about raising awareness of the rights the UK’s 5.8 million unpaid carers are entitled to, and to help them get the support they need and the recognition they deserve.

20/11/2025

Sugar Awareness Week, 17th to 23rd November

Did you know that nine in ten children, and four in five adults, in the UK are eating more sugar than recommended? This raises the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay – starting from childhood.

This week is all about raising awareness, making informed choices and calling for better food policies to support healthier lives.
(Factsheet here: https://www.actiononsugar.org/resources/ .en.488879)

This Sugar Awareness Week, the theme is ‘Cutting Through the Sweet Talk: What You See Isn’t What You Eat’, highlighting the importance of looking past marketing and packaging.

Terms such as ‘smart snacking’ can distract from the nutritional value of a food.
Always read the label
Swap sugary drinks for water
Choose whole, unprocessed snacks

Try the NHS food scanner to look into labels in more detail: https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/food-facts/nhs-food-scanner-app/

As a not for profit charity, we heavily rely on your charitable donations to help us continue our campaign and provide our resources free of charge. We can provide up to 50 health factsheets but any additional requests will require payment to cover the cost of printing, postage and packaging.  You ...

19/11/2025

International Men’s Day, 19th November

Today we celebrate men in our families, communities and society, and highlight some of the social issues that men and boys face. From boys struggling at school to men struggling with their mental health.

Did you know:

• Men are less likely to seek help for physical or mental health issues
• Su***de is one of the leading causes of death for men under the age of 50 in the UK
• Promoting healthy role models, respect and equality benefits everyone

Start the conversation this International Men’s Day.

International Men's Day in the UK is on 19 November. Find our more on the website.