Our practice nurse, Maureen Birdsall, manages the following conditions as well as general nursing and occasional blood taking.

To see Maureen you will need to let the receptionist know what you are coming for as we need to book the appropriate time-slot for you and it also enables the nurse to prepare any equipment she might need. The following times apply.

Cervical Smear	30 minutes
Diabetic Annual Review	20 minutes
Health checks (well man, well woman, 40-74 and over 75	20 minutes
Heart disease and BP annual review	15 minutes
Annual asthma review	20 minutes
Annual COPD review	30 minutes
Contraception	15 minutes
Baby immunisations	20 minutes
Smoking cessation – 1st clinic	30 minutes
Smoking cessation follow up	15 minutes
Travel vaccinations	20 minutes

Healthcare Assistant Clinics (Monday and Tuesday)

Sue Aisbitt is our Healthcare Assistant. Sue was the community midwife so has years of nursing experience.

Sue will perform phlebotomy (blood letting), blood pressure checks, simple health checks including well man/woman, NHS health checks, Over 75 health checks, ECG's and pre diabetic clinic checks.

District Nurse Clinics

The district nurses work between Wooler and Belford and mainly visit patients in their own homes but they also carry out some clinics in the surgery. Appointments are made via the district nursing team.

Clinics

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 12 – 12.30pm

eg dressings, removal of stitches, B12 injections.

Normally Thursday once or twice a month

ear syringing (ON HOLD DURING COVID)

Wednesday afternoon

Leg ulcer clinic

The District Nursing Team can be contacted on 01668 280040/41.

Child Health

The practice nurse carries out the immunisations on babies and children under 5 during her normal clinics, the doctors carry out the 6 week baby check during normal surgery hours.

The health visitor and nursery nurse hold routine child health checks in their clinics which are held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month between 9.30am and 11.30am in the Health Education Room on the first floor. These days and times may change during Covid.

If you have any queries about your child’s health, please contact the surgery or the Health Visitor, Heather Bruce on 01668 280042.

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) is an important programme to tackle obesity in the population. As part of this programme, children in reception year (aged 4–5 years) and Year 6 (10–11 years) have their heights and weights measured during the school year. Each child’s result is based on a BMI centile, which provides information as to whether a child is a healthy weight for their height, age and sex. It is not a perfect measure, but it is one of the best ways to tell if a child is a healthy weight.

Change4Life is a programme which promotes positive lifestyle changes to children and families. To learn more, click on the link to their website http://www.nhs.uk/change4life

Midwifery

Midwifery services are provided by Northumbria who provide care from early pregnancy until your baby is approximately 10 days old.

At antenatal appointments during pregnancy, the midwife plans your care with you, discussing your choices and arranges scans and consultant referrals as needed. She advises on all aspects on pregnancy, labour, delivery and postnatal care.

She also provides antenatal classes as a group or on a one-to-one basis with yourself or with family members. covering topics such as labour and pain relief, delivery of baby, infant feeding and caring for your new baby.

As soon as you think you are pregnant and would like an appointment, please leave a message at reception and the midwife will get in touch with you to arrange a suitable time.

If you are just at the pregnancy planning stage, they are also happy to discuss any queries you may have and give advice.

Minor Surgery (may be suspended during Covid)

The doctors perform minor surgical procedures in the surgery for the removal of warts, cysts, skin tags and some skin lesions and suturing following injury. Cryotherapy (freezing) is used to remove skin tags and warts and a pre-clinic appointment should be made with Dr Miller to examine the lesion and decide if cryotherapy is suitable.

You will need to see the doctor for an initial consultation prior to surgery. An appointment will then be made with the doctor and the Practice Nurse to carry out the procedure.

Results are normally back within 2 weeks and you will be informed as soon as possible.

Counselling

Counselling provides a one-to-one service in the practice with a trained counsellor. Patients can talk about their problems in a relaxed and confidential environment.

The doctors normally offer counselling to patients who they think might benefit from talking to someone or patients can ask to be referred when they see the doctor.

Smoking Cessation

Smoking is one of the main risk factors of heart disease. We are here to help you give up and can offer a range of products to help reduce the craving for nicotine you experience when trying to give up smoking. Please make an appointment with the practice nurse.

Weight Reduction

If you are obese or overweight, you have an increased risk of developing various health problems. Even a modest amount of weight loss can help to reduce your increased health risks. The best chance of losing weight, and keeping the weight off, is to be committed to a change in lifestyle. This includes eating a healthy diet and doing some regular physical activity, walking is a great way to keep fit, and we have some of the most beautiful walks in and around Wooler.

How can I lose weight?

Some people lose weight by strict dieting for a short period. However, as soon as their diet is over, they often go back to their old eating habits, and the weight goes straight back on. Losing weight, and then keeping it off, needs a change in your lifestyle for life. For advice visit the Change4Life website

The practice nurse will offer advice on weight reduction and exercise and can help with monitoring your weight. We also have the Northumberland Health Trainers in the surgery on a weekly basis who can advise on health matters.

Travel Vaccinations global air travel

If you require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you need to make an appointment with the practice nurse to discuss your travel arrangements. This will include which countries and areas within countries that you are visiting to determine what vaccinations are required. We may not be able to give all the vaccines required here in the surgery and you may need to go to a private travel clinic.

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

It is important to make this initial appointment as early as possible - at least 6 weeks before you travel - as a second appointment will be required with the practice nurse to actually receive the vaccinations. These vaccines have to be ordered as they are not a stock vaccine. Your second appointment needs to be at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow the vaccines to work.

Some travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge. This is because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS.

Travel Health Questionnaire

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

Travelling in Europe

If you are travelling to Europe the EU has published useful information for travellers on the European website.

Non-NHS Services

Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore attract charges. Examples include the following:

Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)

Insurance claim forms

Passport signing

Prescriptions for taking medication abroad

Private sick notes

Vaccination certificates

The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and our reception staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability.

We offer a range of contraceptive services, including emergency contraception. For the contraceptive pill you can see any of the doctors but for C-Card, Implants and Removals and Coil fitting. Dr Clare Bromly will continue to carry out family planning clinics for the practice following her retirement as a partner here.

Free Condoms – If you’re aged between 13-24 you can pick up free condoms with a C-Card. All you need to do is make an appointment with Dr Clare Bromly who will show you how to use a condom and give you the opportunity to talk about any questions you might have about your sexual health. This is completely confidential so you can talk about anything you want! You will be given a card and all you need to do is show your card and you’ll be issued with more condoms. Only when your card runs out will we ask you to come in for a review and then you’ll get a new card.

Contraceptive Implants & Removals – An initial consultation is required to discuss the process with Dr Bromly. The initial consultation will be via telephone during Covid. The procedures themselves will be arranged at that appointment.

Coils – Coil fitting is now available. Again, an initial consultation with Dr Bromly is needed to discuss this followed by a fitting appointment.

Coil removal can also be carried out by our practice nurse.

Both coils and implants and removals are available to patients from other practices.

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

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