West Pottergate Health Centre - The clinics and other services offered by our doctors surgery

Health Charities

Marie Curie Cancer Care is a UK charity dedicated to the care of people with terminal cancer and other illnesses. Over the financial year 2010/11, we reached a total of 31,799 patients

01 Dec - 28 Feb
YouthHealthTalk

Youthhealthtalk enables young people, their family and friends, and professionals such as doctors and teachers to understand young people's experiences of health, illness and life in general. The website feature real-life accounts of issues such as effect on work and education, social life and relationships, consulting health professionals and treatment.

03 Sep - 28 Feb
Macmillan Cancer Support

One in three of us will get cancer and it’s the toughest thing most of us will ever face. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, or a loved one has, you’ll want a team of people in your corner supporting you every step of the way. Macmillan provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care.

BBC Health

Time link to sudden cardiac death

How the time of day can increase the risk of dying from an irregular heartbeat has been identified by researchers.

NHS 'will be Cameron's poll tax'

Labour leader Ed Miliband tells David Cameron he risks making NHS reform "his poll tax" - in noisy Commons clashes over the health bill.

Male extinction theory challenged

A new study comparing chromosomes in humans and rhesus monkeys suggests genetic decay of the male sex chromosome has all but ended.

Heart symptoms 'differ in women'

Fewer women than men suffering from a heart attack appear to experience chest pain symptoms, according to a study in the US.

Nurses 'should sign Dignity Code'

Nurses and care workers should sign a Dignity Code guaranteeing that elderly patients are treated with respect, say a group of politicians and charities.

Baby P duo made 'serious errors'

Two of Baby Peter's social workers committed a "serious error of judgement" during an incident which saw him "disappear" for 12 days, a tribunal hears.

US record kidney donor chain ends

The world's largest chain of organ transplants ends in the US after 30 patients received kidneys from living donors.

Diabetes patients miss key tests

More than 1.3 million diabetes patients could be missing out on vital and potentially life-saving health checks, the BBC learns.

Fatal fungal probe awarded £5.1m

Aberdeen researchers are awarded £5.1m to lead an investigation into fungal infections which cause death.

Government 'not trusted on NHS'

Over two-thirds of people do not trust the government's handling of the NHS, a poll commissioned for BBC Radio 5 live suggests.

Health Protection Agency

Update on measles outbreak declared on Merseyside

A measles outbreak has been declared on Merseyside. There are 13 confirmed and 16 suspected cases ranging in age from nine months to adults aged in their 20s. Six people, four children and two adults, required treatment in hospital. This compares to just one confirmed case on Merseyside in the first six weeks of 2011 and one in the corresponding period of 2010.

Measles outbreak declared on Merseyside

Update on Legionnaires’ Cluster Associated with a Hotel in Spain

10 February 2012, 1400hrs. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has this week been alerted by the Spanish public health authorities about a further case of Legionnaires’ Disease in a UK resident who stayed at the Diamante Beach Hotel in Calpe, Costa Blanca, as well as two French cases. This brings the total number of UK residents associated with this cluster to 12, with three deaths.

Development made in breakdown of a Meningitis B vaccine component

Scientists from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) are a step closer to ensuring the stability of a component of a vaccine that may one day be used to protect against Meningitis B. The research is published today (Tuesday) in Vaccine.

Update on Legionnaires’ Cluster Associated with a Hotel in Spain

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is aware of nine cases of Legionnaires’ disease in English holiday makers associated with the Diamante Beach Hotel in Calpe, Costa Blanca since January 2012, in addition to four Spanish cases so far reported. Subsequently two of the English patients are reported to have died from their illness.

Outbreak of Salmonella Newport

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is investigating an outbreak of a strain of Salmonella Newport infection among 30 people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the beginning of December 2011. Cases of illness caused by the same strain have been confirmed in Scotland, Ireland and Germany.

Health Protection Agency confirms new incinerator study

A new study to further extend the evidence base as to whether emissions from modern well run Municipal Waste Incinerators affect human health has been approved by the Health Protection Agency.

HPA helps solve radon problems in West Oxfordshire homes

Hundreds of homes across West Oxfordshire have been found to have high levels of radioactive gas radon. Last summer, the Health Protection Agency invited about 9,000 householders across West Oxfordshire to apply for a free test for radon, a naturally occurring gas present in all homes.

HPA helps solve radon problems in Orkney homes

Hundreds of householders across Orkney are being advised to act to protect their health, after HPA tests detected high levels of radioactive gas radon.

Cornish radon hotspot targeted

Thousands of households in a part of Cornwall with historic radon problems are being offered a free test for levels of the radioactive gas radon.

Clinics

Test Results

Immunisations

Non-NHS Services

Find Services

Clinics

Clinic	Description	Time

Antenatal Care	Routine antenatal check-ups by our qualified midwife.	Wednesday from 2pm
Mother and Baby	A drop-in clinic for advice and weight checking with the Health Visitors. Vaccinations for all children up to age 5.	Wednesday 9.30am - 12.00pm
Minor Illnesses	Information, advice and treatment for people suffering from conditions as stated in the 'Other Information' section.	Monday, Wednesday and Thursday
Children's Health	Our Health Visitors are available to give advice on all aspects of your child's health, development and behaviour.	Wednesday 9:30-12.00pm
Elderly and Disabled	Our Health Visitors are available to give support to the elderly and those with special needs.	Wednesday 9:30-12.00pm
Smoking Cessation	Advice on giving up smoking with Sarah Day.	Wednesday 1.00pm - 6.00pm

Services provided by our Nurses

Appointments may be made to see a Nurse for a wide range of services, including:

Well person checks and health advice
Cervical smears
Travel immunisations
Wound dressings
Removal of sutures
Ear syringing
Blood tests
Childhood immunisations
Information, advice and treatment regarding 'minor illnesses', examples of which are listed in the section below.

Phlebotomy Clinics (blood samples) are held on a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday morning between 08:30 and 12.20.

Minor Illness Clinic

Certain conditions can be effectively and efficiently treated using our Minor Illness Clinic. Here are some examples of illnesses that we treat:

Sore throats
Coughs
Ear aches
Rashes
Cuts, sprains and bruises
Sore eyes
Painful or heavy periods
Sinusitis
Athlete's foot
Diarrhoea and/or vomiting
Nose bleeds
Cystitis
Headaches
Hay fever
Thrush or vaginal discharge
Head lice, threadworms or scabies
Fever
Back ache

We also offer Emergency Contraception in our Minor Illness Clinic.

Family Planning and Antenatal Clinic

baby_and_pregnant_mum Our GPs are on the Obstetric list and have a certificate in Family Planning. They are subsequently well qualified and able to provide a full range of contraception advice and treatments, inclusing coils and implants.

If you would prefer to see a female GP then please ask.

Patients requiring TheMorning After contraception will be seen as soon as possible in the next available surgery.

If you think you may be pregnant, please let the GP know before any treatment commences or an X-ray is arranged.

As a general rule, it is best to start Folic Acid supplements as early as possible in the pregnancy, and avoid smoking, alcohol and non-prescribed medications.

Travel vaccinations and holiday immunisations

If you are going abroad, your travel agency should inform you of any vaccines you may require. Up-to-date information may be obtained by telephoning NHS Direct on 0845 46 47, or by visiting http://www.masta.org/. You can also use the World Health Organisation website at www.who.int/ith/. Please make an appointment with the Practice Nurse at least 2 months before travelling and bring and previous vaccination cards or details with you.

Smoking cessation

There is an active initiative and plenty of support provided by this surgery and other organisations to help individuals to stop smoking. Leaflets, information and access to help is available from the Practice. For some useful phone numbers and websites, please refer to the 'Useful telephone numbers' section at the bottom of this page.

Counselling service

A qualified and highly experienced counselling service is provided by the Primary Care Trust (NHS Norfolk), called Managed Therapy Service. This provides a confidential service to our patients. The GP will arrange referrals as appropriate.

Test Results

test_sample Since our telephones are very busy in the early morning, we ask you to telephone for test results (eg blood, urine, x-ray) between 10.00 and 5:00pm each day.

Note that the practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection and we will only release test results to the person to whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission for the release of this data or they are not capable of understanding the results.

When you take your test you will be told how long it will be before the results are returned to the practice.

It is your responsibility to check your results and to make an appointment to discuss them with your doctor if your are advised to do so.

Children's Immunisations

These are best provided at regular intervals. They stimulate the immune system to protect children against illnesses that in the past led to high childhood mortality and morbidity.

Immunisation reminders are sent by the Health Authority and are usually due at 2, 3, 4 and 14 months with boosters at 4 and 15 years. Please make sure that you bring your child's red book to appointments.

Flu Immunisations

Flu vaccine is available free of charge to those patients who are either over 65 years or who are considered at risk, i.e. with diabetes, asthma, kidney or renal failure, splenectomy, heart or chronic lung conditions.

The service is provided usually between October and January. This immunisation helps protect against several strains of the flu virus. If you are not entitled to a free flu vaccine but would like to arrange one, you can ask for a prescription to present at your local chemist, and then book an appointment to have the vaccine given by the Nurse.

Pneumococcal Immunisations

If you are over 65 years of age or are considered at risk, (refer to conditions stated for flu vaccine above), and you would like a pneumoccocal vaccine which helps protect against pneumonia, please book an appointment with the Nurse. This immunisation covers you for 10 years.

Non-NHS services

lady_stethoscope The NHS does not pay for some of the services we provide. These include private sick notes, insurance forms, holiday cancellation forms, medical reports, fitness to travel certificates, private prescriptions, passport signing and some vaccination services.