CLINICS
Asthma Clinic
We aim to provide a high quality service for asthmatic patients. As part of this process, our
nurse-led clinic (Sister Sara Davison) has been developed. This involves medication review, patient education, ongoing advice and the monitoring of response to treatment. Ask your doctor or practice nurse for details.
Contraceptive Services
We offer a nurse-led contraception clinic with Sister Mary-Ann Simmonds. She can give advice on the full range of contraceptives plus prescribe pills and administer depos.
Emergency Hormonal Contraception
All the doctors and our triage nurses are
fully qualified to give advice on this method of emergency contraception (sometimes
known as the 'morning after' pill) and to issue any appropriate prescriptions.
As with any advice or treatment you receive here at the surgery, strict confidentiality
will be upheld.
Cervical Smear Tests
Smears involve a simple quick test to check for changes that occur before cancer develops. These changes can be easily treated in an outpatient clinic. It is recommended that women aged between 25 and 64 years have regular smear tests - three yearly between he ages of 25-49 and every five years between the ages of 50-64. All eligible women will be sent a letter when their smear tests become due, but if you think you are due and have not been
called, please let us know. Smear tests are carried out by our practice nurses, by appointment.
Child Health And Immunisation
A full programme of child health is undertaken at the surgery. The doctors and health visitor carry out regular development checks. Our practice nurses carry out the childhood immunisations.
For further information please contact your health visitor.
Diabetic Clinic
Sister Pauline Long runs our diabetic clinic. Diabetes is a condition which requires regular medical
review, even when well-controlled or relatively mild. Therefore, our aim is to
offer our patients who have diabetes a review at least twice a year.
The practice nurses are happy to provide information and advice regarding our
diabetic clinic or any other aspect of the condition.
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) Clinic
Run by our healthcare assistant Karen Dench, this clinic is intended to monitor patients with high blood pressure, recalling them for regular checks on their blood pressure and giving them health and lifestyle advice to work towards reducing their blood pressure.
Minor Surgery
Certain small
minor operations can be performed at the surgery, including removal of cysts,
skin lumps, warts and moles. Please see one of the doctors who will make the initial
diagnosis and you will then be given a special appointment for your operation. The NHS does not fund procedures carried out for purely cosmetic reasons.
Travel Immunisation
Well before travelling abroad, check with your travel agent or the tourist office/embassy of the country you intend to visit about any special precautions you may need to take. As soon as you book your trip, you need to complete a Travel Vaccination Form (available from reception). Hand the completed form in at reception and make an appointment to see one of our nurses well in advance of your trip, ideally six weeks prior to travel.
Travellers of all backgrounds and nationalities should seek advice on immunisations for travelling overseas whether for business or pleasure. People with family overseas often believe they have 'natural immunity' common in their country of origin - this is not true.
There will be a charge for certain non-NHS travel services, e.g. prescriptions for antimalarials and some vaccinations. Please see notices or ask at reception for specific details.
Remember:
Most vaccines need to be given a month or more before departure. Also, please bear in mind that it is not always possible to fit patients in for travel vaccines at short notice as this is considered a routine matter.
Some vaccines need follow-up doses (boosters) to provide long-term protection.
Smoking Cessation Advice
Please enquire at reception if you wish to have any advice or support when trying to stop smoking. We can refer you onto Smoking Cessation Service.
THINKING OF STARTING
A FAMILY?
There are several things you need to know before
trying for a baby.
Liver - Liver has a very high
level of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can lead to abnormalities in the baby.
We therefore advise you to avoid liver during pregnancy.
Salmonella - Salmonella germs can cause serious illness, particularly in
pregnant women.
Eggs may contain salmonella. Avoid eating raw eggs and cook your eggs thoroughly.
Listeria - This is a germ that causes severe flu-like illness. Pregnant
women are particularly at risk. Listeria can be present in soft cheeses, pâtés,
delicatessen meats and cook/chill meals. To avoid risk do not eat any cheeses
like Camembert, Brie and blue vein cheeses. Follow the instructions on cook/chill
food very carefully and make sure that it is heated through thoroughly.
Toxoplasmosis - can affect a pregnant woman and, in rare instances, can also affect her unborn child. It is usually unnoticed in the mother, but it can sometimes cause a mild flu-like illness. Where the infection is passed to the unborn baby it may cause a range of problems, some of them serious. The illness is caused by infection due to an organism called Toxoplasma gondii. This is found in raw meat and cat faeces. During pregnancy always wear gloves when gardening and when handling a soiled cat litter tray. Wash salad and vegetables carefully and cook all poultry and meat until the juices run clear.
