Community Pharmacy Minor Ailment Scheme

Most people know that their local community pharmacy is a good source of advice on minor illnesses and can supply an over-the-counter medicine to treat the problem if required. You can access this service by simply walking into a pharmacy involved in the scheme, during their normal opening hours, and asking to speak to the pharmacist.

Amongst the minor illnesses covered by the scheme are:

Cystitis Impetigo Hayfever Thrush Athlete's Foot Ringworm

Earache Headaches Fever Cough Sore Throat

Please ask for a leaflet from reception or from your pharmacy.

Children And The Waiting Room

We have a small unsupervised play area in the downstairs waiting room. We do try to keep a selection of toys available which all are welcome to use. Please help us by ensuring that these are put back after use. We also keep a small selection of toys in our upstairs waiting room.

A child gate is in use at the top of the stairs to prevent accidents and we would ask parents not to let their children play on the gate.

Antenatal Care

When it has been confirmed that you are pregnant, the receptionist will take your name, address and telephone number and the midwife will contact you to arrange a convenient time for her to visit you. This is so that the various forms can be completed at leisure in your own home and you will have time to ask the midwife any questions.

The midwife will then arrange an appointment for you to attend the antenatal clinic at the surgery.

HEALTH VISITING SERVICE

PETER HOLMES ANNEXE
WAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
BURNHAM ON SEA TA8 1ED
TELEPHONE NO: 01278 773186 (ANSWERPHONE)

ANTE-NATAL VISIT By arrangement with family at approximately 34-36 weeks. NEW BIRTH VISIT By arrangement following discharge from midwife. 6 WEEK POST NATAL Home visit by member of health Visiting Team (2nd time mothers may be asked to attend clinic). Additional visits may be offered according to individual family needs and requests WEIGHING & HEALTH ADVICE The Burnham on Sea Wall Baby Clinic is held at the Baptist Church Hall, College Street, between 1.00pm - 3.00pm The Highbridge Clinic is held on Monday's at the Highbridge Children centre, Coronation Road, Highbridge between 1.00pm - 3.00pm Weight will be measured at 4,6,8,12,16 weeks and at 12 months. Most babies will be seen at home at 6 weeks by the health Visitor. However, there will be a set of spare scales available to self weigh your baby if you want to weigh more regularly. GROUPS STORK CLUB Get together with other new mums. Wednesday mornings 11.00am - 1.15pm Held at the BAY Club, Cassis Close, Burnham on Sea. HEALTH VISITING TEAM Christine Arnold Health Visitor Jo Stevens Community Nurse Deborah Clark Community Nursey Nurse Sharon Storey Clerical Assistant If you have any comments about the Health Visiting Service, please contact: Somerset Community Health, Charter House, Bartec 4, Lynx West Trading Estate, Yeovil, BA20 2SU Telephone: 01935 848220

Family Planning Clinics

These are held weekly and are by appointment only, apart from every third Wednesday of the month when we have a drop-in clinic from 5.30-7.00pm. If you are unable to attend the clinics, all of the doctors are happy to give contraceptive advice in their routine surgeries. We regret, however, that it is not possible to fit coils during ordinary surgery times - please ask your own doctor about fitting if you cannot attend the clinic times.

The family planning clinics are open to ALL women, not just our own patients, so please feel free to tell your friends about this service. Cervical smears, however, are only available to patients registered with us.

Family Planning Clinics Monday am Wednesday pm Third Wednesday of each month 5.00-5.30pm 5.30-7.00pm All by appointment (except Drop-In Clinic) Coil clinic - doctor and nurse Nurse only - pills/caps/injections Nurse only - pills/caps/injections Nurse only - pills/caps/injections Coil clinic - doctor and nurse Drop-in clinic - doctor and nurse (all types of family planning) PLEASE NOTE: DEPOVERA INJECTIONS To ensure that you secure an appointment and maintain your contraceptive cover, if you require a Depovera injection, please contact us 3 – 4 weeks before the due date.

Emergency Contraception (Post-Coital Pill/IUD)

The post-coital pill has to be given within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse (the earlier the better).

1. The sooner you take emergency contraception after unprotected sexual intercourse the more effective it is.
   
   

   Within first 24 hours	95%
   Within 48 hours	85%
   Within 72 hours	58%



2. If you are givenemergency contraception pills these will be called Levonelle if you request them from a pharmacy, or Levonelle 2 if you receive them from a surgery or young people's clinic.
3. If you have left it more than 72 hours, you can still have a coil (IUD) fitted up to five days after unprotected sexual intercourse. Contact either your own doctor or the young adult clinic (if you are under 20 years of age, as soon as possible to make arrangements).
4. It is important to see a health professional (doctor or nurse) for family planning advice as soon as possible after taking emergency contraception to arrange a method of regular contraception.

NB - IF DO NOT HAVE A PERIOD WITHIN TWO TO THREE WEEKS AFTER TAKING EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION YOU MUST SEE A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL (DOCTOR OR NURSE) AS YOU MAY BE PREGNANT

Young Adult Drop-In Clinic (Aged under 20)

BMC YAC provides a confidential service for young people up to the age of 20, including under 16s. This means that you can tell others about your visit, but we won’t.

Our Drop-In Clinic is committed to providing a safe and confidential environment for ALL young people up to the age of 20 to discuss their health issues such as:
bullying, sexual health, depression, sexual identity, disability, abuse, smoking, eating, relationships –ANY issues that cause YOU concern.

Worries about confidentiality? Feel free to talk to a member of the Team.

The only reason why we might have to consider passing on confidential information without your permission, would be to protect you or someone else from very serious harm. We would always try to discuss this with you first.

Cervical Smears

The doctors recommend that women between the ages of 25 and 49 have a cervical smear at three yearly intervals and between the ages of 50 and 64 every five years in order to prevent cancer of the neck of the womb. We operate an automatic recall system for women whose smears are due. If you are aged between 25 and 64 and have never had a cervical smear, please make an appointment with the practice nurse in the cervical smear clinic.

Breast Screening

This service is offered to all ladies between the ages of 50 and 64 by The Somerset Breast Screening Service every three years and is available on the NHS. Appointments will be sent to you from the service. Please contact them direct on (01823) 342425 if you have any queries. All women of screening age, even those new to the area, are automatically called for screening when due (even if this means coming to the hospital). Ladies aged over 65, ie above routine screening age, are entitled to FREE screening three yearly on request, but will not automatically be recalled. Please ask at reception or contact The Breast Screening Service on (01823) 342425 for further information or to make a convenient appointment.

Bowel Screening

The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme offers screening every two years to all men and women aged 60 to 69. People over 70 can request a screening kit by calling a freephone helpline when the programme reaches their area. GPs are not directly involved in the delivery of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme but they will be notified when invitations for bowel cancer screening are being sent out in their area. They will also receive a copy of the results letters sent to their patients
About one in 20 people in the UK will develop bowel cancer during their lifetime. It is the third most common cancer in the UK, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths, with over 16,000 people dying from it each year. Regular bowel cancer screening has been shown to reduce the risk of dying from bowel cancer by 16 per cent.

Bowel cancer screening aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage (in people with no symptoms), when treatment is more likely to be effective. Bowel cancer screening can also detect polyps. These are not cancers, but may develop into cancers over time. They can easily be removed, reducing the risk of bowel cancer developing.

Other Services Available

Asthma Clinic

This clinic encourages asthmatic patients to be responsible for their own condition and it will assist with information on self-management. Please ask for further details at reception. We will recall patients to attend this clinic. If you have only mild asthma and have not been seen for over a year you may receive a questionnaire that asks you about your condition. Once completed, we can use this tool to assess your need to be seen by one of the asthma nurses and will send an appointment if necessary.

Child Development Clinic

Contact the health visitors who will advise when your child is due for a development check.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Clinic

Patients who are found to be suffering from COPD and not simple asthma are advised to attend this clinic. The respiratory nurse will advise you if you need to attend.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) Clinic

This clinic is for patients who have coronary heart disease (previous heart attack, heart bypass operations or angina). We will recall patients to attend this clinic.

Diabetic Clinic

Run by the practice nurse to review and manage diabetic patients. If you are diagnosed as being a diabetic you will receive an appointment. Please ask at reception if you are diabetic and wish to attend the clinic. We will recall patients to attend this clinic.

Diabetic Retinopathy Screening (Diabetic Eye Test)

The Department of Health has set up a National Screening Programme for Diabetic Retinopathy. If you are aged over 11 and have diabetes you will be offered photographic screening every year.

Screening is only designed to detect diabetic retinopathy and does not always detect other eye conditions.

Hearing Tests for Children

Please contact the health visitors.

Hypertension Clinic

Run by the practice nurses for patients who have been seen by the doctor and have been found to have high blood pressure or patients already taking tablets for high blood pressure. We will not recall patients to attend this clinic and ask patients to remember their own review dates.

Immunisation for Children

This clinic is held weekly and is undertaken by one of our practice nurses. Somerset Health Authority send for all children who are due.

Minor Operations and Cryo Clinics

A GP referral will be needed for the minor operations and cryo clinic. This clinic is held weekly and there is usually a waiting list for procedures. Enquire at reception for further information.

Parenthood Classes

Please contact midwives or health visitors (fathers welcome).

Patients Aged 75 and Over

Patients are invited to make an appointment with the doctor if they have not been seen for over one year to discuss their health.

Stop Smoking Clinic

If you wish to cease smoking and would like some support from the medical centre please ask at reception for further details.

Vaccinations for Foreign Travel

If you are thinking of travelling abroad, you may require advice on vaccination.

To enable our practice nurse to compile your personal plan, please follow the hyperlink Travel risk assessment form.doc and download, complete and submit the travel risk assessment form to the surgery as soon as possible for assessment.

For your information, best clinical practice suggests that vaccinations should be completed by one clear month before your trip. Please note that if you have to go overseas unexpectedly or have left your arrangements a little late, you will still be required to complete the travel risk assessment form to enable the nurse to compile your personal plan. We must advise you, however, that in these circumstances the vaccinations might not be completely effective before your trip. In addition, we would ask that you try to accept the appointment we are able to offer wherever possible in these circumstances.

You are required to complete a fresh risk assessment form for each trip abroad.

Health Promotion

We encourage all our patients to share the responsibility for their health, both in preventing disease and in treating existing diseases. Prevention really is better than cure. Many of the serious diseases can be prevented by a healthy lifestyle and often without the need for drugs. Please feel free to discuss general health and ask for advice.

The following are some of the ways you can live, not only a longer, but also a fitter and more enjoyable life.

Smoking

This is the single, largest preventable cause of ill health in this country. It is a major cause of cancer, heart attacks, angina and chest disease. If you would like advice and help in giving up, please ask for an appointment at the stop smoking clinic.

Diet

A healthy diet not only helps control weight, but also reduces cholesterol and helps prevent heart attacks. In addition to many healthy eating leaflets and information, we also have a Weight Management Programme Consultant who regularly holds clinics for overweight patients at Burnham Hospital. Please ask the receptionist for more details.

Exercise

Regular exercise helps prevent heart disease as well as reducing weigth and making you feel better. If you are overweight or out of shape please ask for advice before starting vigorous exercise. We can refer overweight and/or patients whou would benefit from regular exercise via PROACTIVE, a Primary Care Trust Scheme, to a local leisure facility for further advice. Please contact reception for details.

Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can in the long term increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Reducing blood pressure can reduce these risks. Treatment does not always require tablets. All adults are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years. If it has been more than five years since your blood pressure was last checked, please make an appointment to see the health care assistant.