Clinics and Services

Contraceptive Services

Our Practice Nurses and Doctors provide contraceptive services, including IUD/Implant fit or removal and emergency contraception for females who wish to avoid pregnancy after unprotected sex (consultation and treatment should be sought as soon as possible and ideally within 72 hours).

Please make an appointment on 324136.

Minor Surgery

Minor Surgery is performed by prior arrangement with one of the Doctors.

Midwives

Margaret Shimmin RGN
RM Helen Harrison

The doctors and midwives provide antenatal and postnatal services. When you have a positive pregnancy test you should arrange an appointment with the midwife for a first (booking) appointment, which will be for one hour on a Thursday morning. Follow up appointments are usually arranged on Wednesday mornings. For more complicated pregnancies the midwife may also refer you to the hospital consultant who will arrange shared care with the midwife.

If you have doubts about continuing with your pregnancy we would encourage you to discuss these with the midwife or doctor, who will be happy to help. Alternatively, you may wish to take advice from the Termination Of Pregnancy Service in Chester (TOPS), Tel: 01244 376690 or from Brook Advisory Centres (patients under 25 years of age only), Tel: 0800 1085 023 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

Other In House Services

We have an outreach Dietetics service operating from the surgery, whilst the Mental Health Team and Practice Counsellor provide a diagnostic and therapeutic Mental Health Service. Referral to any of these services is via the GP. We also hold Smoking Cessation appointments with the Practice Nurse, which can be booked directly with reception.

Nursing, District Nursing and Health Visiting Services

Practice Nurses

Our Practice Nurses run minor illness clinics, where they are able to see patients with the following problems and offer a prescription, where necessary:

• Coughs & colds
• Sore throats
• Earache
• Conjunctivitis
• Diarrhoea and vomitting
• Cystitis
• Thrush
• Rashes

The Practice Nurses also regularly review all patients with asthma, diabetes and heart disease and may also be consulted for dressings, stitch removal, ear syringing, baby immunisations, travel vaccination and advice and health promotion clinics, including Smoking Cessation.

During the winter months flu injections are offered to those who have asthma or diabetes, chest or heart problems, or are over 65 years of age. If you are over 75 years old and have not been seen in the last year, or between 16 & 75 years, and have not been seen within three years, you may request a consultation for a routine health check with the nurse.

Health Care Assistants

The Health Care Assistants are available to take blood, and blood pressure readings and carry out new patient health checks.

District Nurses

The District Nurses are attached to the practice and provide care to patients, especially the elderly, who are confined to their home and need nursing care. Your doctor will arrange for this service to be provided, when necessary.

Health Visitors

Health Visitors usually become involved with families during the late antenatal period or first four weeks of baby’s life. They advise on health care of expectant mothers, babies and young children (including child health, breastfeeding, immunisation and post-natal depression); also of the elderly and disabled.

The Health Visitors run a drop-in baby clinic every Friday from 10.00am – 12.00pm. No appointment is necessary. Alternatively you can contact the Health Visitors on (01244) 381366.

Non-NHS Services & Private Medical Certificates

You do not need a Doctor’s note for the first seven days of illness. Self-certification forms are available from the Medical Centre or your employer.

Non-NHS Work

A charge is made for forms and services which we are not able to perform under the NHS. These include (but are not limited to): HGV & PSV driving medicals, Fitness to Travel forms, signing of passports, private prescriptions, private sick notes, vaccination certificates and various reports for insurance companies and other organisations. Additionally a fee is payable for those vaccines, given for travel purposes, that are not available on the NHS.

Full details are available from reception or by telephoning (01244) 324136

Travel Vaccinations

If you are going abroad you may need travel vaccinations. As a first step, please complete the following form, with full details of the countries and areas within countries that you are intending to visit. This information should be provided as early as possible and ideally at least 6 weeks before your intended travel. This will enable us to determine what vaccinations are required.

Once we’ve reviewed the information you’ve provided, we may telephone or Email you to check on some of the information (don’t forget to leave your contact details on the form) .

Once we’re sure we have all the information we need, we’ll arrange a suitable time and date for your vaccinations with you. This should be as soon as possible before the date of your intended travel to allow time for the vaccines  to work.

N.B. TRAVEL VACCINATIONS ARE NOT PART OF NORMAL NHS WORK AND THERE WILL BE A CHARGE FOR THIS SERVICE. We will inform you of the charges when we book your consultation. Payment must be made before or at the time of vaccination and can be made by cheque or in cash.

There is further information about countries and vaccinations required on the links below

Europe & Russia	North America
Central America	South America
Caribbean	Africa
Middle East	Central Asia
East Asia	Australasia and Pacific

To help us offer the appropriate advice, please fill out the online form before coming to see the nurse.

Travel Questionnaire

If you are travelling to Europe a very useful booklet has been published with advice and guidance to help you get the most out of your holiday.  To visit please click:- http://ec.europa.eu/publications/booklets/eu_glance/86/en.pdf (this is a large document and may take a minute or two to view)

Find Local Services In Your Area

Enter all or part of your postcode in the box below and click one of the buttons to find those services that are local to you.