News

Brighton & Hove Ageing Well Festival is a 2 week festival of celebrations & events for over 50s! It'll take place Friday 25th September - Friday 9th October 2026!

For more info, check out www.ageingwellfestival.org or call 01273 322948.

We have recently committed to buy fairtrade tea and coffee for our staff - rather than going for the cheapest option.  This is because we believe it is contradictory - and unethical - to provide healthcare using goods and services that may harm the health of others - whether fellow workers overseas or future generations.

Many tea and coffee farmers do not receive a fair price for what they produce - and suffer harsh, unsafe working conditions.  Buying fairtrade is a powerful opportunity to improve the health and wellbeing of these workers - and we believe our commitment to support this is an important demonstration of our core values.   

For workers on Fairtrade plantations, there is investment in better housing, better schools and medical facilities - as well as the elimination of child labour.  Fairtrade standards also help protect the environment through strict rules on pesticides, energy use and biodiversity.

We believe we can help make a difference - and that, through this commitment, we are consistent in our responsibilities for health, now and in the future, through the everyday choices that we make.  We’d like to know what you think. 

Dr Rachel Cottam

St Peter’s Health Centre is delighted to start offering free Fibroscan liver checks to our patients . This is an NHS England funded project which aims to improve early detection of liver cancer to help achieve the Long Term Plan ambition for 75% of all cancers to be diagnosed at an early stage by 2028

Liver disease is a leading and rising cause of death and is responsible for thousands of premature, largely preventable deaths each year. Standardised mortality rates for liver disease have increased 400% since 1970, and 75% of alcohol related deaths are due to Alcohol Related Liver Disease. Liver disease is frequently silent until the later stages

Using Fibroscans we can identify people early in primary care who need further assessment or monitoring and provide early intervention to reduce liver disease progression, complications and deaths.

We are inviting people in the following groups to come and have a scan at the practice

·         People aged 18-75 who drink more than 35 units of alcohol a week
·         People aged 18-75 with Type 2 diabetes and a body mass index of over 30kgm2 (BMI of 27 if you are from a Black or Asian background)
People aged over 50 with a fatty liver (metabolic associated steatotic liver disease)

The scans will be done by specialist nurses from the hospital – they are quick and painless and do not need any needles . You can see a video of someone having a scan here https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bb8r8qbRVnQ

The project has already been running in Hove, and a patient at a practice there wrote a really useful description of their experience 

As I sat in the waiting room staring at a sign that said ‘free liver health check’ for people drinking over the recommended alcohol limits, I knew that I needed to book an appointment. It didn’t fill me with joy, and I was nervous; mostly fear of judgement at something that in theory I could easily change without help. 

The liver nurse was very kind, compassionate and non-judgemental. As a result, I was able to share with her that my drinking behaviours changed in Covid and had never really got back to normal. She performed the scan there and then. There was no pain, and it was quick. To my surprise she was also able to give me my results there and then. She told me that I had a Fatty Liver and talked me through what that meant.  It was powerful and assuring to do that in the room, as previously I’ve only ever received a faceless message for tests. I felt some shock but I was assured by the Nurse’s helpful advice and information and the fact that for me the condition was reversible with a change in lifestyle. She offered follow up advice and support, all in a non-judgemental and compassionate manner.

Since that time, I’ve done further research myself and most importantly changed my drinking behaviour. I don’t believe I would have the commitment and motivation to do so without having had the opportunity for a check which has given me every reason to act now while I can before the condition becomes worse and potentially irreversible.

On reflection I feel very lucky to have had the appointment and to have had the chance to prevent further ill health. I recommend anyone who may be concerned to book an appointment, its pain free, quick, non-judgemental and importantly lifesaving. I’m looking forward to making the most of the chance to live well.

Did you know that the climate crisis has been recognised as the greatest risk to health this century - but also the greatest health opportunity, reaping huge rewards for health.

It is estimated that 5.4% of the UK's carbon emissions are from the NHS. This is equivalent to all the planes taking off from Heathrow in an average year (pre-pandemic!) At St Peter's we are taking seriously the importance of living and practising sustainably. We have recently signed up for the RCGP Green Impact for Health Award, and have identified key areas where we can focus our attention, some clinical, some not. These include:

• Ensuring we buy Fairtrade products where we can. Fairtrade products guarantee a fixed income for some of the poorest farmers in the world
• Reducing waste and increasing recycling
• Using 'active' modes of travel where we can
• Reducing our use of paper - and making sure our paper is sustainably sourced
• Looking at some aspects of our prescribing. This might include working with you to make sure you know what your medications are for, ensure that you actually want them! - and know how to take them most effectively. If you use an inhaler, you might also want to talk to us about those inhaler options which emit less toxic greenhouse gases - as well, of course, as remembering to take any used inhalers back to the pharmacy to be appropriately disposed of.

There are also things you can do:

• You can talk to us about how we might support you to manage your condition most effectively.
• You can try to use 'active' methods of travel - good for you and good for the planet, the health of our children and future generations.
• Using online consultation when it’s an appropriate way to find the care you need
• Or you could try reducing the amount of meat and dairy you eat - even if just on one or two days of the week, this is one of the biggest environmental impacts you can have and there is lots of support available to you. Take a look at Veganuary and Meat Free Monday or try something like Dairy Free Tuesdays. There are lots of recipes online to inspire you if you want to make small changes to what you eat.

And of course you might have ideas for us. If so, please let us know!

Dr Rachel Cottam & the St Peter’s Team

Crime can happen to anyone

If you've been affected by fraud, domestic abuse, theft, assault, or any type of hate crime, Victim Support is here to offer advice and support.

They support victims and witnesses of crime aged 4 upwards. They are independent of the Police and will support you whether or not you've reported the crime to the authorities.

Get in touch with their team:
Email: Sussexadmin@victimsupport.org.uk
Phone: 0808 168 9274
Website: victimsupport.org.uk
Social media: vs_sussex (Instagram) and VictimSupport (Facebook)

Anyone can be a victim of crime