Family Planning

Family planning services are carried out at the Surgery, either by the Doctors or the Nursing Team, at any time during normal surgery hours. However, patients wishing to take contraception for the first time, will need to request an appointment to see a doctor.

Long Acting Reversible Contraception

We have two GP’s who specialise in the fitting of coils and implants. If you are interested in this service, please make an appointment with either Dr Sagar or Dr Muellar to discuss it further.

Smoking Cessation

We have three qualified Level 2 Smoking Cessation Advisors at the Practice. If you want to quit smoking, why not request an appointment? They can give you advice and information regarding Nicotine Replacement Therapy, coping with cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

You are statistically four times more likely to succeed in your quit attempt with support.

Nobody says giving up smoking is easy, but it’s not impossible. Our Smoking Cessation Advisors will help you to kick the habit.

Flu Injections

Seasonal flu occurs every year, usually in the winter. It’s a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. The most likely viruses that will cause flu each year are identified in advance and vaccines are then produced that closely match them.

These are available from October each year for all patients aged over 65 and for those patients at increased risk from influenza, such as diabetics or those with respiratory or heart problems. The practice will contact all those at risk from influenza, inviting them to attend a flu clinic.

The vaccination will help your body to fight flu viruses. Your body starts making antibodies against the viruses about a week to ten days after the injection. These antibodies help to protect you for a whole year against similar seasonal flu viruses that you may come into contact with.

There are some fairly common but mild side effects. Some people get a slight temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days afterwards, and your arm may feel a bit sore where you were injected. Any other reactions are very rare.

It is recommended that all pregnant women should have the flu vaccine, whatever stage of pregnancy they’re in. This is because there is good evidence that pregnant women have an increased risk of developing complications if they get flu, particularly from the H1N1 strain.

Studies have shown that the flu vaccine can be safely and effectively given during any trimester of pregnancy. The vaccine does not carry risks for either the mother or baby. In fact, studies have shown that mothers who have had the vaccine while pregnant pass some protection to their babies, which lasts for the first few months of their lives.

NHS Healthcheck

UK guidelines recommend that all people aged 40 and over should have a routine cardiovascular risk assessment. It is helping to prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease by using a ‘risk factor calculator’ to assess the risk of you developing a cardiovascular disease. The health check will include a blood test to check glucose and cholesterol with a follow up review appointment where your ‘risk’ will be calculated and appropriate advice provided.

If you already have a cardiovascular disease or diabetes then you do not need to be screened. This is because you are already known to be in the high-risk group.

Please contact the Surgery to arrange your NHS Healthcheck with our nursing team if appropriate.

Weight Management

According to the British Heart Foundation figures over half of all adults in the UK are now overweight. You are at an increased risk of developing health problems like coronary heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and some cancers if you are overweight.

If you are concerned about your weight you can request to see one of the nursing team to discuss a weight loss plan including food groups, portion control and keeping active. You can follow up with regular weight monitoring.

We can refer you to a Dietician who has a fortnightly clinic if appropriate.

If you require medical treatments to help with weight loss then you need to see a GP.

Sexual Health

The Surgery is able to offer Chlamydia testing kits to all people aged between 16 and 24. Instructions are included in the pack which is discretely packaged. If you are interested in this service please contact reception or ask to speak to one of the Practice Nurses if you would prefer.

We also provide free condoms to all adults. If you are under 16 years old you will need to see the Practice Nurse to access this service.

Travel Abroad

Submit information about upcoming travel before booking an appointment, by completing our Travel Risk Assessment Form

Children’s Immunisations

Immunisations are performed at the Surgery, by one of the Practice Nurses. The Health Authority will send you a letter when your child’s immunisations are due. Please contact the Surgery to arrange an appointment.

If you have any queries about your child’s immunisation status, you can use our ask reception a question form and a Nurse will get back to you.

Chronic Disease Management

It is important that patients with a chronic disease have regular reviews of their condition. Our chronic disease management clinics are generally held by the Practice Nurses, in conjunction with the Lead Doctor for that disease group. You will be contacted by text/letter or phone to invite you to attend when your review is due.

Minor Illness Clinic

Our Practice Nurses run Minor Illness Clinics daily. The Minor Illness appointments are Book on the Day only appointments and are for patients who have a ‘new’ condition/problem that the patient feels needs to be treated the same day. It is important to remember that if you are already seeing a Doctor with a problem, it is not appropriate to make an appointment to see the Nurse, at the Minor Illness Clinic, for the same problem.

Conditions the Nurse can treat in this clinic are:

• Upper Respiritory Conditions – coughs/colds/flu, sore throat, sinusitis, earache, hayfever
• Ophthalmic Conditions – conjunctivitis, styes/sore eyes/swollen eyelids
• Musculoskeletal Conditions – minor injuries, back/neck pain, sprains
• Gynaecological Conditions – thrush, vaginal discharge
• Urological Conditions – urine infection
• Emergency Contraception
• Dermatological Conditions – skin rash, insect bites, eczema
• Gastrointestinal Conditions – diarrhoea/vomiting, thread worms, constipation, haemorrhoids

Anti-Coagulation Clinic

The Practice provide an INR monitoring service for patients currently taking Warfarin and whose condition is stable, as assessed by the hospital.

Physiotherapy

If you suffer from neck, back or joint pain you can now self-refer online and get advice from specialist physiotherapists. Allied Health Professionals are working in partnership with West Norfolk CCG to offer physiotherapy services to NHS patients in East Anglia. Ask at reception for further details or go online – www.ahpsuffolk.co.uk/referral