There are a number of common requests made of the practice that are not a part of our NHS service to you.

• We run a Health Heart Clinic. This is a well person clinic aimed at assessing individual risk of developing vascular disease such as heart disease, stroke and artery occlusion and offering help to lower this risk where needed. Other routine screening  programs are also run by the PCT and the practice such as smear testing, bowel cancer  screening and breast cancer screening.

• The Health Heart Clinic is a structured service aimed at healthy patients between 40 years old and 75 years old to help reduce their heart disease risk.

• • Administration staff will invite patients who have no existing vascular disease and are between 40y – 75y to attend a nurse assessment.
  • An initial appointment is arranged to see the practice nurse. She will take a history including existing conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, family history and smoking history. She will the perform relevant investigations such as blood tests for cholesterol and diabetes screening, urine testing , and will measure blood pressure readings, weight height etc.
  • The nurse will give general advice about diet and exercise. She will give pointers on cholesterol and will advise on clinics available to help smoking cessation where relevant. Written advice will be provided from the British Heart Foundation via their heart disease prevention booklet.
  • When the blood results return from the laboratory, one of our doctors will take all of the information obtained in the clinic appointment and with the results will calculate an individual personalised risk score for each patient. This risk score will estimate the risk of the patient developing heart disease in the next 10 years.
  • Risk scores can be categorised into low risk (lower than 10% chance of the patient developing heart disease in the next 10 years), moderate risk (10- 20 % risk of the patient developing heart disease in the next 10 years) and high risk (greater than 20% risk of the patient developing heart disease in the next 10 years).
  • The patient will then be sent a letter informing them of their results and their own risk score.
  • If any medical condition is identified such as hypertension or diabetes the patient will be asked to see a doctor for further assessment and management.

• Any patient who has a high risk score risk (over 20% risk of the patient developing heart disease in the next 10 years) will be advised to see a doctor to discuss the options of active management of their risks. This will include measures they can take themselves such as weight loss, exercise, smoking cessation and dietary changes; it will also involve a discussion about medical interventions such as medication for blood pressure or cholesterol lowering etc. A review assessment is advised annually for these patients.

• Patients with moderate risk scores (10- 20 % risk of the patient developing heart disease in the next 10 years) will already have been given advice about weight loss, smoking, exercise and diet where relevant by the nurse. No medication would be routinely indicated but a review assessment is advised after 3 years.

• Patients who have a low risk will already have been given advice about weight loss, smoking, exercise and diet where relevant by the nurse. No medication would be routinely indicated but a review assessment is advised after 5 years

Further information about heart disease is available from The British Heart Foundation

• Travel Vaccination
  • Whilst travel vaccination is not a core NHS facility, at Whitworth Medical Centre we have elected to provide our services free of charge. Some of the non-standard vaccinations are not available through NHS prescriptions and as such you may be charged for these by the pharmacist.
  • Our nurses are trained in vaccination issues and have up to date information on requirements for travel.
  • We are currently able to provide all routine travel vaccinations except for Yellow Fever. Yellow fever vaccinations must be arranged at a registered yellow fever vaccination site and we can direct you to local providers if needed. Yellow fever centres will require a charge for this service.
  • Contact reception to arrange a practice nurse appointment for a pre-travel health assessment and vaccination(s). Ideally arrange an appointments at least 8 weeks before travelling. Vaccinations take time to become optimally effective.
  • If you have less notice than 8 weeks before travelling abroad, please ask to talk to the nurse so that your individual needs can be addressed.

• Malaria
  • Malaria is mainly found in tropical areas such as Africa, Central and South America, South East Asia and the Pacific islands.
  • It is a life threatening condition which is transmitted through mosquito bites.
  • Prevention of contracting malaria involves avoiding mosquito bites as well as use of anti-malarial medications.
  • Our nurses can give advice about malaria prevention however if you need medication you may be asked to see a doctor for an appropriate prescription. Some anti-malarial treatments are available over the counter at the pharmacy. Malaria preventive medication is not covered by routine NHS services, whilst as a practice we will not charge you for issuing private prescriptions relating to malaria prevention, it should be noted that anti-malarial medication cannot be issued on NHS prescriptions. As such the pharmacy dispensing private prescriptions will charge the appropriate cost of the medication (not the NHS prescription charge), even for patients who do not usually pay for prescriptions or who pre-pay for NHS prescriptions.

• Other Travel Advice
  • Any of our clinical staff can give you general travel advice when needed.

• Further information about travel health is available at:
  • NHS Choices- Travel

East Lancashire Teaching Hospitals offer a direct access service to patients with unwanted pregnancies. There is no need to see your GP .

To arrange a fast, convenient, free appointment for you to talk through your options, including abortion please call 01282 803767; 8 am to 6 pm  Monday to Thursday; 8 am to 5 pm Friday.

• We have regular smoking cessation clinics at the surgery on Thursday afternoons.

• Appropriate medications can be arranged and monitored through these one-to-one clinics.

• There are several other local smoking cessation clinics accessible at different times of day such as in evenings and at the weekend.

• To arrange a suitable appointment for any of these clinics call freephone 0800 328 6297 or to reach the smoking cessation co-ordinator call 01254 283370.

• For further information about smoking cessation click here, NHS Direct – Quit Smoking

Good Luck!

• All of our nurses and doctors have been trained and keep up to date with management of airways diseases such as asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (also often referred to as COPD, emphysema or chronic bronchitis).

• We run a structured respiratory condition management service for routine monitoring of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  • Administration staff arrange appointments and reminders where necessary.
  • Appointments are arranged for the nurse led clinic . In this clinic appropriate respiratory tests are done, such as peak flow monitoring or spirometry and examination is undertaken.
  • Advice and information is given and alteration of treatment is arranged where necessary.
  • If a patient’s condition necessitates assessment by a doctor this is arranged.
  • Where necessary smoking clinic referrals, further investigations such as chest X-ray or specialist referral is arranged.

• If at any time a patient’s condition requires medical input outside of the routine clinics, this can be arranged in the usual way through surgery appointments or home visits.

• Appointments for these monitoring clinics are allocated throughout the week between 10am and 5pm. Appointments are sent through the post when scheduled or can be booked via reception.

• Further Information about Asthma and COPD can be found at:

  • Asthma UK

  • NHS Choices – Asthma
  • NHS Choices – COPD

• Whitworth Medical Centre is provided with two sessions of physiotherapy per week at the surgery by Rochdale Infirmary’s physiotherapy department – appointments are organised by the physiotherapy department at the Infirmary following a referral by your GP. These clinics run on Wednesday morning and Wednesday afternoon.

• We also have a session provided by a physiotherpist  from our Primary Care network to offer advice on diagnosis and management of new symptoms. These appointments can be booked via our recpetion.

• Further general information about physiotherapy can be found at NHS Direct-Physiotherapy

MINOR EYE CONDITIONS SERVICE The following conditions are seen under the MECS;

• Watery eyes

• In-growing lashes (trichiasis) – feels like they have something in their eye

• Superficial foreign bodies

• Inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis – red, flaky and itchy lids)

• Dry eye (gritty / itchy / stinging / burning)

• Red eye (with normal vision and no pain)

• Flashing lights and ‘’floaters’’

• Styes and lid lumps (chalazion / hordeolum)

This a free service, even for those who would pay for normal eye tests. The patient can contact the optician directly and ask for a MECS appointment

Document

 Near Patient Testing Guidelines