Diabetic Clinic
All our diabetic patients are seen regularly bi-annually by the GP or Clare . Insulin dependant diabetics have their care shared between the hospital and the practice GPs but those who are managed with tablets or diet alone are managed entirely by the practice.
The incidence of diabetes is increasing in our communities and it is essential that this condition is managed well in order to avoid the long-term complications of heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, eye and kidney complications.
At the clinic patients are first seen by Clare, our practice nurse, who does appropriate blood tests and checks weight, blood pressure and urine. She also checks other risk factors such as alcohol and smoking status, then it"s on to the doctor who looks at the overall control of the diabetes and weight and blood pressure, and who instigates changes in medication and encourages a healthy lifestyle. The legs are also checked carefully for diabetic problems involving the nerves and blood vessels.
It is vital that in this condition patients take responsibility for their health, and take on-board the health advice that we try and tailor to each patient. With this successful partnership we hope to give diabetic patients a better quality of life with a long lifespan.
Please Note: You need to make an appointment for your routine blood tests 2 weeks prior to your diabetic review.
Asthma Clinic
This is a clinic run by Diane who has an expertise in asthma. Patients with chronic bronchitis are also seen in this clinic and there are many patients who have a combination of both of these conditions. The aim of the clinic is to allow the patient with the aid of education and treatment to maximise their health and quality of life.
Chronic bronchitis is essentially in its purest state a disease, which is caused by smoking. The aim of treatment is to persuade and support the patient to stop smoking, as this is the only intervention, which will halt the further deterioration of this condition. Some patients also have a degree of asthma and are able to have this element of their condition treated and inhalers certainly make life more comfortable easing to an extent the main symptoms of cough, wheeze and breathlessness. We have also the ability to do within the practice, a test called Spirometry. This is an instrument, which can tell us what the severity of the chronic bronchitis is, and help us to distinguish chronic bronchitis from asthma.
Asthma is an eminently treatable condition but asthma sufferers tend to underestimate the possible impact of their disease and require regular review appointments to bring them abreast of new treatments and to encourage them to take regular preventative inhalers to control their asthma in the best possible way. We hope that with most patients they will learn how to modify their own treatment to respond to deterioration or stability so that they remain on the least strength of treatment.
Depending on the severity of your asthma, you will be seen annually or bi-annually for your reviews.
Cardiovascular Clinic
This clinic is run by a practice nurse and by the GP. It encompasses the regular review of all patients who have a range of conditions including hypertension, heart disease, strokes and poor circulation.
The National Service Framework has set many targets for the monitoring and treatment of these conditions which include blood pressure targets, and targets for smoking cessation and lowering of other risk factors which are very important to these conditions such as levels of cholesterol. Many patients have multiple risk factors which have to be addressed if we are to be successful in reducing the incidence of heart attack and stroke in our practice. Diet and exercise are other important factors and we are constantly promoting these.
You will be seen bi-annually by either the GP / Clare or Diana
We also offer clinics for:
- Child Health Surveillance
- New patient screening
- Maternity Services
- Well woman clinic
- Family Planning
- Well man clinic
- Flu immunisation programme every October/November
- Foreign Travel and Immunisation (we are a Yellow Fever Centre, charges apply)
- Smoking cessation
- Emergency contraception (please advise reception you need to be seen on day)
- Podiatry from September 08 ( PRIVATE – Fees Apply)
Download our leaflet regarding contraception