Lyme Valley Practice

read moreThe more you know about your pregnancy and your options, the more you are likely to feel in control. The information given here is based on The Pregnancy Book, which your midwife should give you at your first appointment. Here's a checklist of the vaccines that are routinely offered to everyone in the UK for free on the NHS, and the age at which you should ideally have them. Having an ill child can be a very scary experience for parents. If you understand more about the illness it can help you to feel more in control.

read morePlease do not be offended if you are asked the reason for your appointment. This is to ensure you are booked in with the most appropriate clinician. A GP appointment is not always necessary and you may be seen earlier by another member of our experienced team. Of course if you would prefer the reason for attendance to be kept personal just inform the receptionist of this when asked. Your appointment will be confirmed by text message (if you have registered a mobile number with us) if you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else.

read moreWe have a qualified minor illness nurse and pharmacist at our practice who can prescribe medication if necessary. This is often quicker than having to wait for a doctor's appointment. Most minor illness can be self-treated. The community pharmacists are also trained in this area and can give advice on any medication. The nurse or doctors are always happy to give telephone advice, or see you in the surgery if symptoms persist or worsen. Breast screening and bowel care screening is also available to all registered patients within a certain age range and patients will receive an invitation by post when their screening is due.

read moreUnder the Extended Hours Primary Care Services programme, there is a requirement for patients to be able to access 1 hours additional appointments after 6.30pm each week day and an effective weekend service based on the local needs of the area. All practices must be able to direct patients to the service and offer a choice of evening or weekend appointments on an equal footing to core hours appointments.

read moreIf you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know. Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff. We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice. However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint.

read moreThere is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had. Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed. This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.