BABY HEALTH CHECKS

These checks are carried out by a number of GP’s in the practice and consist of a physical examination when the baby is 6 - 8 weeks old. It also allows an opportunity to discuss any problems or concerns you may have with the GP. You will receive your appointment for your baby via the Reception team at Spa Medical Centre.

CHILDREN’S IMMUNISATIONS

Your Health Visitor will advise you when your child needs immunisations. These are very important to protect you child and to eradicate serious disease from the population.  They are all quite safe.

Occasionally, you may notice a slight rash after the MMR vaccination, this is of no significance and will settle quickly, and is not infectious to other people.  Our Practice Nurses will advise you further when your child attends clinic.

There is no need to delay immunisations because of a slight cold.  If you are unsure, there is always a GP or Nurse available to check your child before immunisation.

Child Immunisations are by appointment.  You will be contacted by phone or letter with an appointment time and date for your child’s immunisation.  The surgery has produced a leaflet, which is full of useful and practical information for you to follow, please pick up a leaflet from the Nurse or Reception.

Recommended ages for immunisation in Wiltshire are as follows:

• 2 months - diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, HIB, pneumonia
• 3 months - diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, HIB, meningitis C
• 4 months - diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, HIB, meningitis C and pneumonia
• 12 / 13 months - Meningitis C, HIB, MMR and pneumonia
• Pre School - Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio, MMR

Children are automatically invited when these are due.  You will receive an appointment for your child by letter from the practice.  Please phone Vicky Griffiths on 01225 898014 to cancel if you are unable to make the appointment, it can be offered to someone else.

Children who are behind with this schedule should catch up as soon as possible.  Please ask your Practice Nurse or Health Visitor for advice.

CHILD HEALTH CLINICS

The following drop-in clinics are run by the Health Visitors - no appointment is needed:

Test Results

Following a visit to your Doctor or Nurse, they may refer you for medical tests or investigation, which will either be carried out by a Practice Nurse, Health Care Assistant at the practice, or at the local hospital.

You will be advised when the results will be available.  The results are transmitted electronically from the pathology laboratory at the RUH, and are usually turned around between 5 – 7 working days.  It is then the responsibility of the patient or their carer to telephone the surgery for the test results.  Please call us on our general enquiries line on 01225 703236 after 2pm, as the phones are less busy then.

Results are usually viewed by the requesting doctor first, they will then give specific instruction regarding information that will need to be given to you.  The Receptionist may tell you what the result is, or be asked to make an appointment for you to discuss the result with the doctor.

Hospital Referrals

If the GP feels it is necessary to refer you or your family to see a hospital consultant, they will write to the consultant detailing the history of your condition, any medication currently prescribed and the results of any tests or investigations conducted.  The GP will prioritise your referral by noting whether your referral is routine or urgent.  The referral is then processed by our medical secretaries, who will turn the letter around within a few days, or on the same day, if urgent. 

Many of these referrals will be processed through an electronic service called Choose and Book.  This allows you to choose a hospital or clinic and to choose the date and time of your appointment with a specialist.  You will be given some paperwork with a booking reference number, password and a telephone number for you to ring to book your appointment.

Your GP will be able to advise you of how long you will have to wait for your first outpatient appointment.  If it is a Choose and Book referral, you can find out the waiting times before booking your appointment.

The consultant at the hospital, on reading the GP’s letter, will determine how quickly you need to be seen and an appointment will be sent out to you in due course, if it hasn't been processed through Choose and Book.  Should you have any further queries relating to your hospital appointment, please contact the consultant’s secretary for more information.

The GP’s receive a letter informing them of any missed outpatient appointments, the practice follows this up by contacting you regarding your missed appointment.  Should you need to cancel or rearrange your hospital appointment, please contact the hospital to do so.  The government’s latest directive on choice is designed to offer the patient real choice in where to receive their treatments but also to reduce the number of missed appointments by allowing the patient to contact the hospital to make their appointment, offering more flexibility and a shift of responsibility on to you – the patient!

Other Services

Cervical screening clinics

Appointments can be booked directly at Reception as part of the national screening programme.

Counselling Service

There is a team of counsellors who offer a highly confidential short term counselling service to our patients here at the Medical Centre. Access to this service is by referral from your GP. 

Community Nursing service

The Community Nursing team provide specialist nursing services to patients requiring care at home.  This includes District Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists.

Family planning

A confidential service provided by our GPs and Practice Nurses.

Minor surgery

A number of simple minor surgical procedures and joint injections can be carried out by your GP.

Physiotherapy

This can be offered via a referral from your GP or you can refer yourself by ringing Melksham Hospital on 01225 703088.

NURSE LED SERVICES

• Asthma clinic
• Childhood immunisations
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease clinic ( COPD)
• Diabetic clinic
• Hypertension clinic
• Simple dressings, removal of stitches
• One stop warfarin monitoring clinic
• Stop smoking advice
• Travel clinic
• Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations
• Phlebotomy service
• Ear syringing
• Administration of prescribed injectable medication
• Contraceptive implants service

Flu

We strongly recommend a yearly vaccination for patients over 65, and those with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart and kidney diseases. Our Flu campaign normally begins in October, please contact Reception for further details. It is the patients responsibility to contact the surgery to make an appointment during our Flu Campaign, which normally runs from October to December annually.

Minor Surgery

The Doctors carry out minor surgical procedures as an enhanced service in the minor theatre suite at the Medical Centre. They will be happy to discuss the procedure with you and arrange a future appointment for surgery if required. Our list co-ordinators, Zara Lane and Ali Robson, will contact you by letter with an appointment date and time for your treatment.

Alternative Therapy

We have a Podiatrist running a private clinic once a week at the Centre. Please ask reception for a leaflet detailing more information about the service.

Services not available on the NHS - Private Examinations

Not everything the practice does for you is covered by the NHS and there will be a charge if you require anything in this category.The Doctors are happy to carry out medical examinations, for instance for insurance and driving licences, by appointment. These examinations are outside NHS work and are therefore subject to a charge. Please ask at reception for information on the charges for these services.

These services include:

• Private certificates for your employer
• Fitness to travel examinations
• Fitness to drive examinations
• Holiday cancellation documents
• HGV licence examinations
• Some travel vaccinations
• Pre-employment medicals
• Life insurance medicals or reports

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