Practice Nurses

Our practice nurses deal with a range of conditions and health concerns. They examine patients, make a diagnosis and plan care. They are available to provide you with help and advice, in particular with:

• Blood pressure checks
• Cervical smears
• Baby immunisation
• Chlamydia screening
• Contraception and sexual health, including 'morning after' pill
• Dressings
• Ear syringing
• Family planning
• Influenza/pneumococcal vaccinations
• "Morning after" pill
• Suture removal
• Travel advice/immunisation
• Triage illnesses
• Well-woman advice/menopausal problems
• Well man checks
• Wound dressing

HEALTH CAR ASSISTANT

Our health care assistant is trained to undertake:

• Blood pressure checks
• Minor Wound dressing
• New patient health checks
• Weight monitoring
• Smoking cessation clinics

ASK YOUR PHARMACIST

Pharmacists are medicines experts and are able to give free health advice and treatment about common illnesses like colds and flu or sickness and diarrhoea. You do not need an appointment and you can speak to them in confidence.

NHS DIRECT

NHS Direct offers free expert health information and advice 24 hours a day on 0845 4647 or at their website www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk which also offers an enquiry service. For deaf people and those hard of hearing, a textphone service is available on 0845 606 4647. If English is not your preferred language, you can choose to use a confidential translation service.

Clinics

Antenatal Clinic 

Tuesdays 1.00 - 3.30pm and Thursdays 9.00am -12.00 noon.
This clinic is run by the midwife. If you become pregnant, you will be given a 'booking appointment' at which the midwife will ask you a few questions and carry out some general health checks. You will be seen regularly throughout your pregnancy either at the practice or at the local hospital, or both.

Cervical Smears 

Mondays 2.00 - 3.30pm and Thursday afternoon.

These are normally carried out by the practice nurses. You are welcome to make an appointment at the well woman clinic. If you have any problems or queries about cervical smears please contact the practice nurse.

Child health Surveillance

This is a surgery check on baby and child development, and problem spotting. All new babies are invited for regular check-ups from eight weeks old.

Baby Clinic 

Health visitor - 1st, 2nd and 3rd Thursday of each month, 1.00 - 3.00pm.  

Baby 8 Week Check

Health visitor and doctor:  Mondays 1.30pm. 

Seven To Nine Month Check

Health visitor - 4th Monday of every month 9.30 - 11.00am and 3rd Wednesday of every month, 1.30 - 3.00pm.

Chronic Disease Management Clinics

These are run by the nurses, who give advice, treatment and monitor your condition.

Asthma Clinic 

Monday 3.00 - 5.45pm and Friday 9.00 - 11.30am.

COPD Clinic 

Tuesday 9.00 - 11.30am.

Diabetic Clinic

Monday 2.00 - 4.00pm (Run by nurse and GP) and Wednesday 1.00 - 3.00pm.

Heart Disease/Stroke Clinic

Wednesday 9.00 - 11.30am.

Hypertension Clinic

Monday am, Wednesday pm, Thursday am, Friday pm.
Run by the nurses, who give advice and support, and monitor your blood pressure.

Immunisations For Babies To Pre-School

Practice nurse Tuesdays 11.00am-1.00pm. If you cannot bring your child yourself you can give written permission for a relative to do so on your behalf.

Postnatal Clinic/Doctor

Mondays 1.30pm.

Quit Smoking

This clinic gives advice and support to patients trying to give up smoking.

Minor Surgery

Procedures such as joint and tennis elbow injections and treatment of warts and other skin problems can often be done in our treatment room, so avoiding the need for hospital referral and the delays involved. Please ask us regarding any moles, lumps or bumps that you are concerned about, as many may be suitable for removal at the surgery. Please discuss this with your doctor who will then arrange for you to be given an appointment.

VACCINATIONS

We offer up-to-date vaccinations in accordance with current guidelines. Please see our practice nurse for details.

NB: Sometimes a patient will experience a reaction to a vaccination or combination of vaccinations. This is fairly common and can happen to anyone. You may get pain, redness or swelling at the vaccination site. Applying an ice-pack and taking paracetamol will bring some relief.

Alternatively, you may get a flu-like illness which can occur up to 10 days after the vaccination. Simple treatment as for a common cold is usually effective.

Children’s Immunisations

Your baby or child will be offered immunisations as required by the Department of Health. For further information please contact your health visitor or practice nurse.

Flu Vaccination

In accordance with Department of Health guidelines, influenza vaccinations are available to patients aged 65 or patients aged over six months in the following clinical risk groups: chronic respiratory disease (including asthma), chronic heart disease, chronic renal disease, immuno-supression due to disease or treatment, diabetes, chronic liver disease and chronic neurological disease those patients living in long-stay residential or nursing homes or long-stay health or social care facilities, carers, individuals with multiple sclerosis and related conditions, and hereditary and degenerative diseases of the central nervous system. The vaccination is usually available in October. Please ask at reception.

Pneumococcal Vaccination

This is available for patients aged 65 or over.

Tetanus Vaccination

We recommend that you keep your vaccination up to date. Please contact the practice nurse for this service which is free on the NHS. Since 1961, with full childhood immunisations, everyone should have had five tetanus vaccinations. Five tetanus vaccinations give you lifetime cover. We only boost if it is more than 10 years since your last injection and you are going to remote foreign areas out of immediate medical attention.

Travel Advice/Immunisation

The practice offers advice and immunisation for travel abroad some immunisations not available on the NHS and we do charge for these including yellow fever vaccination. Our practice is a nationally recognised Yellow Fever Centre. Please contact the nurse well ahead of your planned trip for the above and advice on malaria prophylaxis if needed.

OTHER SERVICES AVAILABLE

Periodic Health Checks

Any patient who has not been seen at the surgery for a three year period or longer is entitled to request a consultation and will be granted such.

Any patient over the age of 75 who has not attended the surgery for a period of twelve months will be afforded the same right to a consultation.

Counselling

The practice can refer patients for counselling.

Physiotherapy

Referrals to the physiotherapist are made only through your doctor. The physiotherapist is based within the practice.

Contraception And Sexual Health

Comprehensive, confidential advice is available during normal surgery hours. We offer oral contraceptives, injectable contraception and coils. The 'morning after' pill is prescribed when appropriate. Please remember that for this pill you need to be seen within 72 hours. Please ask at reception.

Chiropody/Podiatry

If you have a problem with your feet, the doctor may refer you to the podiatrist.

Dietician

If your doctor feels it is appropriate to refer you for dietary advice he will arrange for you to see the dietician.

Occupational Therapy

If you have a problem coping with everyday tasks of dressing, mobility, cooking etc, the doctor will refer you to our occupational therapist for advice. She will then visit you in your own home to assess your needs.

ENQUIRIES ABOUT TEST RESULTS

If you have a test done, eg blood test, X-ray or scan, your doctor will tell you how to find out the result. You may be asked to return to the surgery or to telephone to see if the test was normal. Please make sure you do this, even if you are feeling better. The responsibility lies with each patient to follow up any results of tests they have had.

NB: For reasons of confidentiality, we request that you do not ask a member of your family to try and obtain your results, as we are only permitted to pass this information on to the patient concerned.

INCUBATION AND EXCLUSION PERIODS OF SOME INFECTIOUS DISEASES

DISEASE INCUBATION PERIOD (DAYS) TIME WHEN PATIENT IS INFECTIOUS EXCLUSION FROM SCHOOL COMMENTS Chickenpox 14 - 21 From about one to two days before, to not more than six days after the last crop of spots While child is unwell   Cold Sores (Herpes Simplex)   On direct contact whilst lesions are moist None They tend to heal and recur. Personal hygiene is important Conjunctivitis 1 - 3 Whilst infection is active Until 48 hours of infection is completed Infectious for those in direct contact Fifth Disease (Slapped skin syndrome) 7 - 28 Not known While unwell Rash may be prolonged German Measles (Rubella) 14 - 21 but usually 16 - 18 One week before, to about four days after onset of rash Seven days after onset of rash All young women with children should be checked to ensure they are immune Glandular Fever 14 - 40 Not known While unwell   Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease 3 - 5 During acute phase While unwell Hygiene is important. May be excreted in stools for several weeks Impetigo   Very infectious until treated Until 48 hours of treatment completed   Infectious Jaundice   15 - 50 but usually about 28 From 7 - 14 days before, to seven days after onset of jaundice Seven days from onset of jaundice Hygiene very important. Hand washing etc must be emphasised Infective Diarrhoea Variable During acute stage and for a variable time afterwards Usually until symptom-free Good personal hygiene is essential Lice (Head or Body)   Whilst harbouring lice - until treated None Check children’s hair but adults may be the source Measles 10 - 15 Few days before, to four days after onset of rash About seven days from onset of rash All children should be immunised Meningitis Depends on type While organism is present in the nose or throat Until recovered (usually in hospital) Treatment may be advised for close family Mumps 14-21 but usually about 18 Mainly about two days before onset of illness, but until about four days after swelling subsides Until swelling has subsided   Ringworm   Until lesions have resolved Until at least 24 hours of treatment complete Personal hygiene is important Scabies   Until mites and eggs are destroyed 24 hours after treatment Skin itch may persist for some time after treatment Scarlet Fever (Streptococcal Throat infection Scarlatina) 1-3 If not treated, up to 21 days. Usually non-infectious after 24 hours of treatment Until treated after feeling better   Threadworms   While worms are alive in the intestine. Treatment is rapid and effective Not warranted Strict attention to hygiene is necessary Tuberculosis   Up to 14 days after instigation of treatment According to information from doctor Cases should be notified to the medical officer for environmental health Verrucae     None Normal activities should continue. It is advisable to cover verrucae with an appropriate dressing or footwear and cover warts with an occlusive dressing Whooping Cough 7 - 10 Mainly in early catarrhal stage but until 3 - 4 weeks after onset of paroxysmal cough. This may be shortened to seven days if treated by antibiotics If treated with antibiotics, may return after seven days if well enough New children should not be admitted to school during epidemic unless immunised