Palatine Group Practice
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What do we do...?
The Doctors offer this service to our patients by prior arrangement.
Asthma
Advice is available from our Practice Nurses
to improve your understanding of asthma. They will help you to
use the inhalers properly and advise you on the best treatment to keep
you free of symptoms.
Medicals and Signing Forms
You can arrange to have a medical (for example for a taxi driver’s licence, or because your insurance company has asked for it) done by the doctor. These medicals are not available under the NHS. This means that a) you will be charged a fee for the medical and b) they cannot be done in an ordinary surgery appointment. Tell the receptionist that you want to book a medical and she will arrange a mutually convenient time for you. All of our doctors will do medicals of this type. If your medical requires tests such as ‘treadmill’ tests, it may be easier for you to have them done at a private facility where they have the equipment available.
If you need to get your doctor to sign a form giving a medical opinion, for instance a gym membership or a holiday cancellation form, there is also a fee for these, as well as for signing passport/drivers licence application forms.
The fees for these services can be
found
Contraception (free under the NHS)
Family planning is provided at the Practice by the Doctor or our specialist family planning nurses. If you are using this service for the first time, please ask for a longer appointment. Please see your Doctor or the Practice Nurse for a six monthly follow-up check. Emergency contraceptive advice is provided at all Surgery times. Details available from our staff at reception.
Maternity Care
Please arrange with the chemist for a pregnancy test. If it is positive, the Doctor will then want to see you, and your can see our Practice Midwife for your ante-natal care. After delivery a community midwife will visit you.
Infant and Under Five Years Old Development Checks
Your Doctor, in association with your health
visitor, offers routine check ups for your child and you will be sent
an appointment for the health checks and first immunisations (due at
approximately eight weeks). The Practice Nurse will advise you
when further immunisations are due.
Please ask for the separate booklet that
gives full information about immunisations for children and babies.
Immunisations
These are usually given by our Practice
Nurses. Please check to see if you or your child are fully
protected. Flu jabs are usually available from October to certain
groups of people for whom a bout of ‘flu would be a serious health
risk. Please ask about the criteria if you aren’t sure if you are
eligible. If you want a flu jab but are not eligible, we offer
private flu vaccinations for a fee, but we may delay these slightly
until we are sure there are enough vaccines to cover the eligible
groups. We recommend that all adults receive tetanus and polio
immunisations every ten years.
From 1st December 2010, the Government no longer funds the provision of travel vaccinations under the NHS. The advice on what you should have is free, but we will charge you for the private script/vaccine and for administering the injection. Any medicines that you wish to have solely because of going on holiday are also available only as a private prescription. This includes malaria tablets, medication to delay your monthly period, and antibiotics that you carry with you ‘just in case you get sick’ – for example if you were travelling to a country where stomach bugs are frequent. Please note that, in addition to our fees, you will also have to pay the full cost of the vaccine/medication at the Pharmacy.
The current price for travel vaccination services can be found here.
Osteoporosis
Our osteoporosis register identifies people
who have this condition and also those that are likely to get it.
Treatment is available and the sooner it is started the better.
The Practice Nurses can advise on the best course of action if you feel
you might be at risk. People in the following major categories
are definitely recommended to get more advice. If you have: a)
had a broken bone which resulted from a minor fall or injury; b) a
close relative who has osteoporosis; c) taken steroids for more than
three months, d) early menopause – before the age of 45, e) low body
weight.
Diabetes
We have set up special clinics for patients who have diabetes. They will see the nurse for 15 minutes and then the doctor for 15 minutes to have a full diabetes check. Letters have gone out to invite people to the sessions that are currently set up, enclosing blood forms and a urine sample bottle. A copy of the letter is on each patient’s notes. They have been asked to either phone to confirm attendance, or to return the slip on the bottom of the letter.
