Clinics & Services

Chronic Disease management

We offer regular reviews for all chronic health problems. They include the following:

• Asthma and chronic lung disease clinics
• Diabetes clinics
• Heart disease clinics
• Annual epilepsy/depression/dementia/mental health reviews

Clinics for women

Women’s health issues like cervical screening tests, breast examinations, menstrual irregularities, hormone replacement therapy and menopausal problems can be dealt with at the surgeries.

Contraception & Sexual Health

The full range of contraceptive methods is available including barrier, pills, injections, subcutaneous implants, coils and the IUS.

Confidential chlamydia screening is also available.

Antenatal / Baby Clinics

• Antenatal midwife led clinic Thursday mornings at Croft House and Tuesday mornings at Marsden

Minor Surgery

Including joint injection, removal of lumps, lesions, in-growing nails, cysts and moles. You need to see a doctor first to ensure the procedure can be carried out at the surgery.

Vaccinations / Immunisations

• Routine baby and children's vaccinations, flu immunisation and vaccination against pneumococcal infection to name but a few
• Specific flu clinics are held in September/October each year

Smoking Cessation / Obesity Clinic

• Smoking cessation - we have clinicians trained on all aspects of smoking cessation
• Obesity management - need help with losing weight? Book with our nursing team.

District Nursing Team

The District Nurses see patients in their own home or in Clinics/Health Centres. They work closely with other professionals in order to meet an individual's health needs.

District Nurses work with people of all ages to improve or maintain their health and to provide skilled nursing care to those who are ill or are recovering from an illness.

Chiropodist

The Chiropodist sees patients on Tuesdays at Marsden surgery.

Blood tests can be taken every morning at the surgeries

Teenage Health

We offer a variety of health advice to our teenagers including contraception, alcohol/smoking advice as well as psychological support. Please be reassured that all the services we offer are strictly confidential. You are free to attend with your parents or friends or simply come on your own if you think you are big enough! If you need more privacy when you are speaking to receptionist, please ask.

NHS Health Checks

We are currently offering patients aged between 45 and 70 free health checks which include detailed history taking, height, weight and Body Mass Index measurement, diet/weight/smoking/alcohol advice and screening for diabetes, high cholesterol etc. Please ask for a health check appointment with a practice nurse. You will have a blood sample taken during this appointment and you will be required not to eat or drink at least eight hours prior to this appointment.

You will be followed up either by doctor or nurse depending on the results and sometimes you will be asked to book a telephone consultation to speak to your doctor.

Non-NHS Services

It is important to understand that the completion by doctors of forms/reports is not core NHS work. It is private work undertaken by your GPs in their own time and not their usual surgery NHS time. Please try to be patient - NHS work does and must always take priority over private work.

1. Forms or reports such as private medical insurance claims, holiday cancellations, sickness or accident reports should be brought or sent to the surgery. It will then be given to your doctor for completion. There will be a charge for this, payable on collection of the completed form.

2. Insurance forms are reports compiled from your medical records for purposes such as life assurance, mortgages etc. These forms may appear to take some time to complete, as it is not uncommon for it to take up to one month between you signing the consent form/request for information and the surgery receiving the documentation. Further delays can occur if a doctor is on holiday. Please be patient.

The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and our reception staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability for any medical examinations required.
 

Sickness Certificates

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)

Travel Vaccinations

Under some circumstances we can offer travel vaccinations at the surgeries.  Please check with reception.  If your travel is more than 8 weeks away you will be asked to call into reception to complete a travel assessment form.  This form will help the nurse decide which vaccinations, if any, we can offer and contact you to discuss.

If your travel is less than 8 weeks away or you are travelling for more than 3 months you need to make an appointment at a local travel clinic to discuss your travel arrangements.

The travel assessment form must include which countries and also the areas within those countries that you are visiting to be able to determine what vaccinations are required.

The travel clinics in our area are:

Boots in Huddersfield offer a travel vaccination service (01484 452757).  All injections are chargeable.  There are also travel clinics in Leeds and Manchester.  Useful websites include Fit for Travel and MASTA.  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 seek advice as early as possible - a minimum of 6 weeks before you travel - to allow the vaccines to work.

Some travel vaccines incur a charge because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS.

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)