Blood pressure and Stroke
Do you know what “normal” blood pressure is? More importantly, do you know what YOUR blood pressure is? May Measure Month encourages us to have our blood pressure checked as high blood pressure can be a risk factor for some chronic diseases and premature death. High blood pressure can be an indicator that you’re at increased risk of a heart attack or stroke. What is “normal” blood pressure, and what can you do if your blood pressure is higher than it should be?
Every day in May, 240 people will wake up to the life-changing impact of a stroke. Some of the most common risk factors for a stroke are: high blood pressure, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, high cholesterol, your age, lifestyle factors, family history, ethnicity. While you can’t do anything about your age, ethnicity or family history, you may be able to help decrease the risk from other factors.
https://www.maymeasure.org/
https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-blood-pressure
https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke-awareness-month
International Day of the Midwife, 5th May
Midwives are incredible and can provide many essential services for mums, babies and young people. To recognise midwives and their extraordinary contribution, the theme of this year’s International Day of the Midwife is ‘Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis’.
International Receptionists’ Day, 8th May
In general practice, we couldn’t function without our amazing reception teams. Whether their official job title is “Receptionist” or not, they help to make sure our patients are seen and they deal with a million and one things that need sorting out behind the scenes, often working in challenging situations and with limited resources. We really don’t know how we’d manage without them!
Have you considered a career as a healthcare team receptionist? It’s a tricky job at times, but it’s incredibly rewarding too. Our reception and care navigation teams help patients to get appointments with the right people, by asking the right questions at the right time. They also help and support the wider practice team. Great healthcare reception staff are always in demand and it’s a great start to a career.
International Nurses Day, 12th May
Nurses are amazing; they care for our patients and deal with a multitude of health problems. From situations that are challenging from a health perspective to a shoulder to cry on when times are hard, we don’t know what we’d do without our nurses. International Nurses Day reminds us that we need to look after our nurses as well as they look after us!
Mental Health Matters
Mental Health Awareness Week, 12th – 18th May
World Wellbeing Week, 31st May – 6th June
In Mental Health Awareness Week, let’s think about the number of people impacted by poor mental health. In the UK, it’s estimated that one in four adults suffers from a mental health problem of some kind each year. People suffering from poor mental health need support and to have their voices heard.
This year, let’s focus on community in terms of our wellbeing. Feeling part of a community can have a significant positive impact on our overall wellbeing. While busy lives can mean that it’s difficult to set aside time to build relationships, contributing to our communities helps us and helps others too.
https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/mental-health-awareness-week/
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week
Equality, diversity and inclusion
Global Accessibility Awareness Day, 15th May
International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, 17th May
Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Week, 19th – 23rd May
It’s important to ensure that we’re inclusive and supportive. May has a number of awareness days to highlight important issues for Equality, diversity and inclusion.
It’s estimated that around 24% of the population in the UK have a disability. Global Accessibility Awareness Day aims to target technology and software development to ensure that accessibility is built into systems so that people with disabilities have equity and equality when it comes to digital access.
The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia was created to support and raise awareness of those with diverse sexuality or gender identity. People of diverse sexuality or gender identity are often subject to discrimination or violence, and we need to increase inclusivity.
Later in May it’s Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Week, it’s important to recognise the challenges that people face. This week is all about ensuring equity, equality and inclusivity.
https://accessibility.day/
https://may17.org/about/
https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/equality-diversity-and-human-rights-week-2025
Physical wellbeing
National Walking Month
Walk to School Week, 19th – 23rd May
Walking is amazing. It’s great for both your physical and mental health, and it’s also completely FREE! May is National Walking Month, so discover the magic of walking, and add some extra steps into your day.
19th-23rd May is Walk to School Week. If you work in a school, you might want to think about encouraging your pupils to walk to school where possible. If you’re a parent, you could use the following video as a way to start a discussion with your children about the importance of walking for our general health.
The theme for this year’s Walk to School Week is ‘The Great Space Walk’. For five days, let’s see if we can walk to school and help to improve our physical and mental wellbeing!
https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/get-involved/national-walking-month/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/school-radio/articles/z87nxbk
https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-to-school/primary-schools/walk-to-school-week/
Sun Awareness Week, 6th – 12th May
Sun Awareness Week is run with the British Association of Dermatologists, and they want your help! Looking after your skin is important no matter what the weather, but making sure you use appropriate sun protection is vital in the sun, and this can help to prevent skin cancers and other conditions from developing. Help to spread the word! The NHS has sound advice for us on how we should ensure we stay safe in the sun. The sun in the UK is strongest between March and October, so it’s time to think about how we manage our sunscreen routine, making sure we stay in the shade especially between the hours of 11 and 3.
https://www.skinhealthinfo.org.uk/sun-awareness/sun-awareness-week/
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/
National Smile Month, 12th May – 12th June
This year, National Smile Month is concentrating on how nutrition and hydration work to maintain a healthy smile. From brushing twice a day to making sure we eat and drink mindfully to look after our teeth, there’s a lot we can do to keep our teeth in good shape!
https://www.dentalhealth.org/nationalsmilemonth2025
National Salt Awareness Week, 12th – 18th May
The average salt consumption is around double the recommended average. Reducing salt (sodium) in your diet can help to reduce blood pressure which in turn reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, Meniere’s disease, and kidney disease. An estimated 1.89 million deaths each year worldwide are associated with consuming too much sodium.
https://www.worldactiononsalt.com/awarenessweek/salt-awareness-week/world-salt-awareness-week-2025/
Pregnancy
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, 5th – 11th May
World Preeclampsia Day, 22nd May
‘Your voice, your strength’ is the theme for Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week. Mental ill health in pregnancy, and during or after the birth, can significantly affect both mum and baby. In 2025, let’s ensure that we listen to women and help support them during and after pregnancy.
With regard to physical health, Preeclampsia is a condition of pregnancy that can result in serious complications for both mother and baby. Mothers experience high blood pressure and protein in their urine (proteinuria). In 1–2 out of 100 first pregnancies, preeclampsia is so serious that there’s a threat to the life of the baby, and in some cases the mother. https://maternalmentalhealthallianc...health/maternal-mental-health-awareness-week/
https://action-on-pre-eclampsia.org.uk/
Babies
If you have a baby under six months of age, it can be really difficult to know whether you need to make a medical appointment, or whether you can safely look after your baby at home. The Lullaby Trust built an app to help parents of young babies to know the difference:
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/baby-check-app/
National Weaning Week, 12th – 16th May
Babies are usually ready to start trying their first solid foods when they reach six months of age. Giving your baby a wide variety of normal family foods can encourage habits for life, but we do need to make sure we’re careful as some foods such as salt and honey aren’t suitable for very young children.
https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/weaning/how-to-start-weaning-your-baby/
Patient Voice
National Patient Participation Week, 31st May – 6th June
If you’ve never considered joining your local Patient Participation Group, it’s a fantastic time to try. Patient participation doesn’t need to be time-consuming or difficult, but it really helps practices and the wider NHS build services that work well for patients. https://napp.org.uk/ppg-awareness-week-03-09-june-2024-2/. Speak to a member of reception if you are interested in joining the Surgery PPG which meets one evening every 2 month to discuss matters concerning patients and the surgery.
Awareness Days
World Hand Hygiene Day, 5th May
For 2025, the focus of World Hand Hygiene Day is ‘It Might Be Gloves’. It’s always hand hygiene. Why? Gloves aren’t a magic answer to infection prevention and control. Gloves are susceptible to contamination in the same way that bare hands are, so while we may be wearing gloves, good hand hygiene is still just as important.
https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hand-hygiene-day/2025
Dying Matters Week, 5th – 11th May
Talking about death and dying can be challenging. This year’s Dying Matters Week encourages us to think about how our culture and religion might affect how we discuss death and dying, and how we can support a constructive conversation around the subject.
https://www.hospiceuk.org/our-campaigns/dying-matters/dying-matters-awareness-week
Deaf Awareness Week, 5th – 11th May
Deaf Awareness Week 2025 brings ‘Beyond Silence’ to the forefront, focusing on the varied ways in which deaf people communicate, along with breaking down barriers to full accessibility. You can download free fingerspelling cards, which can help you to communicate more easily with deaf people in your community.
https://bda.org.uk/deaf-awareness-week/
World Asthma Day, 6th May
Asthma is a condition that affects your breathing, and symptoms can include wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing or your chest feeling tight. Not everyone in the world has access to inhaled medication to ease symptoms and this World Asthma Day, we’re encouraged to think about how we can improve access to essential medications for those who don’t.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/asthma/
World Lupus Day, 10th May
Lupus is an auto-immune condition that causes your immune system to create antibodies which attack the body’s own tissues. Lupus is most often seen in women, and in those of Black Caribbean, African and Asian ancestries.
https://lupusuk.org.uk/world-lupus-day-may-10th/
ME/CFS Awareness Day, 12th May
This year, make ‘Just One Wish’ for research into ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. With millions of people around the world, and at least 1.7 million people in the UK, affected, not enough is known about the causes or treatments that might help. Long Covid presents in a very similar way, and understanding more about it could help more people regain a fulfilling life.
https://meassociation.org.uk/get-involved-mea__trashed/me-awareness-week/
World Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, 14th May
Approximately 3 million people across the UK suffer from fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a condition that presents with pain and fatigue. Research into the condition is in its early stages and there’s much we don’t know about why it begins and how we can help to treat the symptoms.
https://www.fibroawarenessuk.org/
REDS4VEDS, 16th May
Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vascular EDS) is a rare and life-threatening inherited disorder. Vascular EDS affects connective tissues in the body, meaning that they’re more than usually fragile and this can lead to sudden arterial or organ rupture.
https://www.reds4veds.org/
Dementia Action Week, 19th – 25th May
If you’re worried about your memory, the Alzheimer’s Society has a fantastic checklist of 20 short questions to help you decide whether you should speak to your GP practice team about your concerns.
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/dementia-action-week