Respiratory Clinic

These are run regularly both at the main surgery and the Healthy Living Centre.. Patients with asthma (including children) and chronic chest problems can make their own appointments through nurse reception (0844 477 8961 StPauls,  01242 548299 Healthy Living Centre). We also regularly recall patients with chest problems by sending written appointments. If you recieve a suggested appointment time but are unable to keep it, please contact reception so a more convenient time can be arranged.

Clinics are run by our practice nurses, with special training in chest problems, supported by a doctor. We have specialised diagnistic equipment and a range of theraputic devices so we can accurately diagnose problems and supply medication / devices suited to individual needs. Visit the National Asthma Campaign's website.

Diabetes Clinic

4 out of 5 diabetic patients on St Catherines list are now cared for by our surgery diabetic clinic. Open the link above to learn more about our services. Visit the Diabetes UK (formally the British diabetic Association) website.

Hearthealth Clinic

Patients known to have ischaemic heart disease (angina and/or previous heart attack)are invited to attend this clinic. Regular sessions are run at both St Pauls and Hesters Way Surgeries.If you feel you suffer from ischaemic heart disease and have not received an invitation to attend please contact the nurse receptionist on 0844 477 8961

The clinic is run by a practice nurse, specialist heart nurse and doctor. Patients are sent an appointment with a form to have a blood test, including cholesterol level, prior to the clinic so we have the maximum information on which to look at treatment options with. We will shortly publish the protocol used in this clinic along with our latest audit / performance report. For further information on ischaemic heart disease and over heart conditions use the link to the British Heart Foundation ...

Maternity Services

Carolyn Plumb, our midwife, provides Antenatal care, Antenatal parentcraft classes and she visits mothers in their homes after delivery of their babies.  She will also come and see you at home during early pregnancy.

We offer a shared care maternity service with our midwife Carolyn Plumb, who can be contacted on 01242 272318. 

Other services

In addition to these services, the Primary Health Care Team undertake many other health related activities and have access to modern diagnostic equipment such as audiometer, ECG, spirometer, 24 hour blood pressure monitor, sonic-aid etc., please ask any member of the team for help.

HEALTH VISITORS

Our Health Visitors provide health care advice and children's development checks. They visit new mothers and babies at home and attend the weekly baby clinics. They are also available to advise all families with children under 5 with a range of issues including behavioral managemnt, eczema, constipation, bed wetting and challenges to parenting and step-parenting.  They can be contacted on weekdays by telephoning 08456 598645.

Baby Clinic

On Monday morning between 10.00am - 11.30am at St Catherine's Surgery and Friday 10.00am - 11.00 am at the Healthy Living Centre.  The baby clinic provides development checks, weighing, immunisations and advice from Health Visitors, doctors and nurses.  This is an informal clinic where all babies and pre-school children are welcome without appointment. 

Flu Vaccinations

We are now able to offer Flu vaccinations to all those patients who are over 65 or under 65 ho suffer from a long term illnessm such as COPD or Diabetes.  We are also able to offer Flu vaccinations to Pregnant ladies, and carers.  If you are one of these people you will have been sent a letter from the surgery inviting you to attend the surgery to have a flu jab.  If you suffer from Asthma you may not have received a letter, however, to check you eligability please contact the practice.

You can attend one of our Saturday morning clinics that are being held on October 8th and 15th and November 5th.  These are drop in clinics which take place from 9am to 11.30am on these staurday monrings. You do not need to make an appointment, if you have been sent a letter then just turn up.  These are quite social occasions, and these will be tea and coffee available as well as a raffle for Winstons Wish.

If you are unable to attend one of these clinics , then please phone and make an appointment with the practice nurse at either the Healthy Living Centre or at St Catherine's. Alternatively, if you already have an appointment booked with one of the doctors or nurses please remind them to give you a flu jab during your next appointment.

If you are house bound then please let us or the District Nurses know.

Travel Clinic

Trips to far away destinations are increasingly popular and the lower costs plus faster transport make it feasible for the many. The variety of differenct adventurous type trips are also on the increase.

This is all good news, however, with such diversity, the risk of travel to your health is increased and this makes the appointment with the nurse more complex. For example, we need to know about your travel itinery and any significant aspects of your health in the past.

These are typical questions we will be asking:-

• When are you departing and how long for?
• where are you going including the destinations within a country?
• Have you taken out travel insurance and have you informed the company if you have any medical condition?
• If female and of child bearing age, is there any possibility you could be pregnant? If we ned to give you any injections?
• Do you have any medical conditions - these can interfere for example with the type of malaria tablets that can be chosen if you were travelling to a country that has malaria?

We need to perform a risk assessment (The Travel Risk Assessment form is below)before deciding which vaccines are recommended and the advice that will best address your needs.

For this reason the appointment could take 20 minutes or even a little longer. Within this surgery we plan to give you the necessary injections wihtin the appointment time to save you having to come back.

Modern vaccines areexcellent today, so if you do feel nervous, please try not to worry - people are always surprised at how easy the injections are and unlike experiences remembered from the past!

It would help us greatly if you had some awareness of the travel health problems that you may be of risk from on your trip before you come for your appointment. Before you attend you appointment please go to the website (link below, print off and read the information for the country you are visiting and bring it to the appointment with you.

We are also a Yellow Fever Immunisation Centre. Please contact the Nurse reception on 0844 477 8961

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

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.

Most travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge.  This is because travel vaccination is not included in the services provided by the NHS and therefore is a chargeable service.

Travel Health Questionnaire

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

Travel Questionnaire

Travelling in Europe

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)

Been Off Work?

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

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.