DoctorNow

28/09/2026

Thank you to all our staff who baked some delicious cakes and donated on Friday for this years Macmillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning!

Here at DoctorNow we are always proud to support such amazing causes 💚

17/09/2026

Did you know it’s Sepsis Awareness Month? 🗓️

Knowing the signs of could help save a life 🫶

This September, we’re joining The UK Sepsis Trust in raising awareness of sepsis and the importance of recognising the signs early. We want to help our communities in Beaconsfield, Thame, and beyond, become more aware of the signs 🔎

Sometimes, an infection can cause the body to react in a serious and potentially life-threatening way. This is called sepsis. It can affect anyone, and is treatable if caught early.

Sepsis can develop from relatively common infections including:

- Chest infections, such as pneumonia
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Skin infections
- Abdominal infections
- Infections following surgery or injury

Sepsis can develop rapidly. Symptoms may include:

⚠️ Extreme shivering or muscle pain
⚠️ New onset or worsening confusion
⚠️ Dizziness or light headedness (feeling like you’re going to pass out)
⚠️ Severe breathlessness
⚠️ Passing very little or no urine
⚠️ Blue, pale, grey, mottled or blotchy skin
⚠️ A very high or very low temperature

Trust your instincts. Act quickly.

If you or someone you care for has an infection and is becoming seriously unwell, it’s important to seek urgent medical help, immediately.
Don’t be afraid to ask: Could it be sepsis?

Take a moment to learn more this 🫶

Image ALT text - a red, white, yellow and orange graphic reads - Just ask. “Could it be sepsis?”

12/09/2026

Do you know your numbers? 🩺

This Know Your Numbers Week (7–13 September) we’re supporting Blood Pressure UK in raising awareness of the importance of knowing your blood pressure 🩸

Around 1 in 3 people in the UK have high blood pressure and many don’t know it. This is because high blood pressure often has no early symptoms. The only way to be sure is to get them checked.

DoctorNow Nurse, Becky Martinelli, says: “High blood pressure can cause serious conditions such as stroke and heart disease so it’s important to have it checked.

“A blood pressure test is simple and quick to do and can alert you if it’s too high or too low.”

We offer blood pressure monitoring as part of our health monitoring and diagnostic services at our Thame and Beaconsfield clinics, including:

🩺 Serial blood pressure readings to monitor your numbers over time.

🩺 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, recording your blood pressure throughout your normal day and night.

Our GPs can also discuss your results with you and advise on appropriate next steps.

This , take a moment to check yours.

Link 🔗 https://doctornow.org/services/health-monitoring-diagnostics/



Image ALT text - a graphic shows DoctorNow Nurse, Becky Martinelli. Also on the graphic is a photograph of a model of a human heart (photo by Robina Weermeijer, Unsplash) and the DoctorNow logo.

08/09/2026

Shabbington Ball guests will have the chance to bid on some amazing silent auction lots next Saturday night… 🤵‍♂️

Lot 004 - Mission Restore - includes a 1 year DoctorNow membership, a physiotherapy session, a podiatry session, and much more 🩺

We can’t wait to see you at the 🎉

03/09/2026

September can be an exciting time filled with fresh starts and new beginnings. But it can be a lot, too 😮‍💨

For many of us and our families it’s back to work, back to school, or back to university. There are new routines, deadlines, and expectations to juggle.

Stress manifests in so many different ways. You might be…

📺 Struggling to switch off
💡 Finding it hard to concentrate
😢 Feeling overwhelmed or anxious
🥱 Sleeping poorly
⚡️ Feeling unlike yourself, and like something isn’t quite right.

If you are struggling, it’s ok not to be ok. You don’t have to wait until it becomes too much, to ask for help.

A simple conversation can be a first step, and our GPs at our Thame and Beaconsfield clinics can support you with expert, personalised care, including options for video consultations, making it easier to get support around your life 🧠

Where appropriate, we can also help you access specialist mental health support.

Find out more 🔗 https://doctornow.org/services/psychiatry/

Photo ALT text - picture 1 is a photograph of a central London street scene. Tower Bridge is just visible between two large buildings. People are walking along the pavement. Picture 2 is a photograph showing students walking in a historic university quadrangle in Oxford. Picture 3 is a photograph of three children walking to school via a crossing.

Photo credits (unsplash) - picture 1 by ‘visuals of lukas’, picture 2 by Ben Elliott, picture 3 by Jon Torres.

30/08/2026

What actually happens in a DoctorNow Lifestyle Medicine Consultation in Beaconsfield or Thame? 🩺

Lifestyle medicine isn’t about being handed a long list of things you should be doing differently, or making you feel guilty, or under pressure. It starts with understanding you.

Here’s what you can expect in your first Lifestyle Medicine Consultation with one of our friendly GPs:

1) A thorough initial assessment. Your initial assessment will last 30 minutes. We’ll discover your medical history, lifestyle, and health goals. This gives us the foundation for a plan that’s genuinely tailored to you 🤵‍♀️

2) A personalised lifestyle plan.

Together, we’ll identify the areas that could make the biggest difference to your health and we’ll make a plan.

You won’t be expected to change everything overnight. We’ll agree realistic, manageable steps, building gradually over time.

3) Ongoing support and adjustment.

Change takes time. That’s why your care doesn’t end after one appointment.

Follow-up appointments give you the opportunity to talk about what’s working, what isn’t, overcome barriers and adapt your plan as your circumstances and health change 🔬

If you’re ready to take a more proactive approach to your health, we’re here to support you 🔗 https://doctornow.org/services/lifestyle-medicine/

Image ALT text - a photograph showing Dr Katie Hannaford carrying out a consultation at DoctorNow.

23/08/2026

If you knew it could improve your health for years to come, what would you change?

Perhaps you’d like to…

⚡️ have more energy
🛌 get better sleep
🏋 feel stronger
🌱 improve your relationship with food
👟 be more active
🩺 reduce your risk of future illness.

Sometimes, looking after your health isn’t about treating a problem once it appears. It’s about understanding what you can do now, to protect your health in the future.

This is where our Lifestyle Medicine Service kicks in. It’s an evidence-based approach that helps you make meaningful, sustainable changes across the areas of life that influence your health from nutrition and movement to sleep and mental wellbeing.

At DoctorNow, we take the time to understand your individual circumstances and help you create a realistic approach to your health goals.

Small changes can make a meaningful difference. You don’t have to work it out alone 🙌

Link in comments 🔗

Image ALT text - a photograph showing two men walking their dogs in Bernwood Forest. There are trees in the background and it’s a sunny day.

21/08/2026

Some emerging health news, following new advice from the Food Standards Agency 🗞️

Children under five, pregnant women, over-65s, and people with health conditions should avoid runny or undercooked eggs when eating out, due to a salmonella outbreak 🍳

Choose eggs that are thoroughly-cooked when ordering from cafes, restaurants and takeaways, and avoid freshly-prepared foods containing raw egg such as mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce. There is currently no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected.

If you develop severe diarrhoea, vomiting, fever or signs of dehydration, seek medical advice 👩‍⚕️

The advice also applies to the over-65s and others with underlying medical conditions amid salmonella outbreak.

16/08/2026

What is lifestyle medicine?

Lifestyle medicine is an evidence-based medical speciality. It’s one we wholeheartedly believe in at DoctorNow, and one of the many services offered in our Thame and Beaconsfield clinics 🩺

It harnesses lifestyle changes to help prevent, treat, and reverse chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease🫀

It’s easy to focus on individual symptoms or wait until something goes wrong. Lifestyle medicine puts you in control and looks at the factors that influence your health every day, including:

🥗 Nutrition and diet
🏃‍♀️ Movement and exercise
😴 Sleep and rest
🧠 Mental health and wellbeing
⚖️ Weight and metabolic health
🌿 The environment and habits around you

Improving your health isn’t usually about making one big change. It’s about making sustainable changes and having the right support along the way 💪🏼

Find out more about at DoctorNow 🔗 https://doctornow.org/services/lifestyle-medicine/

Photo credit - Sander Traa 📷

14/08/2026

When should you be concerned about a mole or skin change? 🔎

With this summer’s scorching weather, and more time spent outdoors with friends and family, it’s important to not only take care of your skin but keep an eye for any changes, too 🫶

Dr Fleur Paxton (pictured), a GP based at our Beaconsfield Clinic, says to seek medical advice if you notice:

1) A new mole or skin lesion, or a change in an existing one
2) Changes in size, shape, colour or border
3) A mole that starts bleeding, crusting or itching
4) A sore, scab or area of skin that doesn’t heal
5) A persistent or unexplained rash, particularly if it’s worsening or accompanied by other symptoms
6) Any skin change that persists, evolves or concerns you

A useful way to remember what to look for in moles is the ABCDE rule:
A - Asymmetry
B - Border
C - Colour
D - Diameter
E - Evolution (change)

Know your skin and pay attention to change.

Most moles are harmless, but a changing or unusual lesion is worth getting checked ✅

Patients can contact us if they are worried about a new or changing skin lesion, persistent rash, unexplained skin changes, eczema or other ongoing skin problems.

We can assess the problem, advise on treatment and, where appropriate, arrange further assessment or referral.

Find out more 🔗 https://doctornow.org