What is Bowel Cancer Screening?

• Bowel cancer screening checks if you could have bowel cancer.
• It is available to everyone aged between 60 and 74 and is offered every 2 years*
• From April 2021 the NHS in England will gradually be reducing the age range for bowel screening. This will be phased over the next 4 years to include people aged 50-59.
• Screening aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage when treatment has the best possible chance of working.
• You use a home test kit, called a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) to collect a small sample of poo and send it to a lab.

*People over the age of 74 can request a screening kit every 2 years by calling the free helpline on 0800 707 60606

How to use the screening kit

• The screening kit used in England is the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit.
• FIT looks for hidden blood in poo
• Everyone who is eligible for bowel cancer screening is automatically sent out a screening kit every 2 years, so that the test can be completed in the privacy of your own home.
• Using this kit you collect a small sample of poo on a small plastic stick and put into the sample bottle and post it to a lab for testing – instructions are including in the FIT kit.

You can also find instructions here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bowel-cancer-screening-kit-how-to-use

Your results

Your results will be posted to you within 2 weeks of sending off your kit.

There are 2 types of result:

No further test needed –

• This result means no blood was found in your poo sample, or only a tiny amount was found
• You do not ned to do anything at this time. You’ll be invited to do another routine screening test in 2 years (if you are still under 75 by then)
• This is not a guarantee that you do not have bowel cancer.
• About 98 in 100 people do not need further tests

Further tests needed –

• This result means blood was found in your poo sample
• You do not necessarily have bowel cancer (the blood could be the result of something like piles), but you will be offered an appointment to talk about have another test call a colonoscopy to look for the cause
• A colonoscopy is where a thin tube with a camera inside is passed into your bottom to look for signs of cancer.

Symptoms of bowel cancer

• Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo
• A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit
• Unexplained weight loss
• Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
• A pain or lump in your tummy

Most people with these symptoms don’t have bowel cancer. Other health problems can cause similar symptoms. But it is important that if you experience any of these symptoms you contact the surgery to speak to a GP – even if you have already done a screening kit.

Bowel cancer is often very treatable, but the earlier it is diagnosed the easier it is to treat.

If you have symptoms don’t be embarrassed and don’t ignore them.

What is cervical screening?

• Cervical screening, or a smear test, checks the health of your cervix. The cervix is the opening to your womb from your vagina.
• Screenings look for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) which can cause abnormal cells on the cervix – It is not a test for cancer it is a test to help prevent cancer.
• All women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 should be invited via letter to book an appointment.
• The first invitation is sent to eligible people at the age of 24.5 years. People aged 25 to 49 receive invitations every 3 years while people aged 50 to 64 are invited every 5 years.

What happens during the screening?

• During a screening appointment a small sample of cells will be taken from your cervix.
• This sample is checked for certain types of HPV that can cause changes to these cells – these are known as ‘high risk’ types of HPV.
  • If these are not found, you will not need any further tests and will be routinely invited again in 3 or 5 years.
  • If these types of HPV are found the sample is then checked for any changes in the cells of your cervix. These can then be treated before they get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
  • Finding high risk HPV early means you can be monitored for abnormal cell changes and these abnormal changes can be treated so they do not get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.

• The test itself should take less than 5 minutes and will always be completed by a female nurse. Before the test starts, they will explain exactly what will happen during the test and answer any questions you may have.
• You are always in control during the screening process and can ask the nurse to stop at any time.
• Do not be embarrassed or afraid to talk to the nurse – telling them how you feel will help them to understand the kind of support you might need.

There are several different results you can receive after a cervical screening:

No HPV found – this means you don’t have high risk HPV. You will be invited back for a routine screening test in 3 or 5 years depending on age

HPV found with no cell changes – this means you have high-risk HPV, but you do not have changes to your cervical cells. You will be invited for more regular screening test to check the HPV has gone, this usually happens within 12 months

HPV found with cell changes – this means you have HPV and cervical cell changes You will be invited to go for a colposcopy and further tests

• Sometimes you may be asked to come back in 3 months to have the test again. This does not mean there is anything wrong, it is because the results were unclear.
• Try not to worry if it is taking a long time to get your results letter. It does not mean anything is wrong, and most people will have a normal result.

It is your choice if you want to attend a cervical screening, but it is one of the best ways to protect you from cervical cancer. If you do not want to be invited for screening you can contact the surgery and we can remove you from the recall list.

If you would like any more information, you can visit Cervical screening – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Dr MacDonald and Dr Dale hold post natal and 6-8 week baby check by appointment only on Tuesday mornings. Appointments are sent out automatically for when you and your baby are due your check. 

Please contact the practice if you haven’t received a child health appointment.

Child health clinics

The health visiting team our located:

• Stanlaw Abbey Children’s Centre, Alnwick Drive, Ellesmere Port, CH65 9HE
  Phone: 0151 337 6425

This covers the whole of Ellesmere Port.

Child Immunisations

The surgery hold immunisation clinics in the mornings during the week. The health authority send the practice an up to date list of children who are due their immunisations. The practice then send out appointments with the time, date and relevant information needed. The admin the team will contact you to confirm you will be attending the appointment. You need to reminder to bring the signed consent from which is on the bottom of the letter  to your appointment. Due to Covid-19 there are other procedures in place, but the information is in the letter.

There are a number of services that are not part of our NHS contract. We therefore make a charge for these as private work. The fee reflects the Doctors time and professional opinion, secretarial support and stationary consumables).

E-Referrals (was called Choose and book)

E-Referrals is a service that lets you choose your hospital or clinic and book your first appointment.

When you and your GP agree that you need an appointment, you can choose which hospital or clinic you go to. You will also be able to choose the date and time of your appointment.

What does E-Referrals mean for me?

As well as giving you a choice of hospital, date and time for your appointment, E-Referrals will also give you the ability to:

• plan and manage around your existing appointments, if you are currently undergoing treatment
• fit your treatment in with your other commitments, at home and at work
• choose appointments that fit with your carer’s schedule
• check the status of your referral and to change or cancel your appointments easily over the phone or on the internet.

How does E-Referrals work?

When you and your GP agree that you need an appointment with a specialist, E-Referrals shows your GP which hospitals or clinics are available for your treatment. Your GP discusses with you the clinically appropriate options that are available for treating your medical condition.

If you know where and when you would like to be seen, you may be able to book your appointment before you leave the surgery. You will be given confirmation of the place, date and time of your appointment.

You may want more time to consider your choices. If so, you can take the Appointment Request letter away with you and book your appointment later. Your Appointment Request letter lists your unique booking reference number, your NHS number and a list of hospital or clinic options for you to choose from. Your GP practice will also give you a password with your Appointment Request letter.

You can then decide how you wish to book your appointment; via the telephone, using the national number on the letter or via the internet. Please note that whilst the vast majority of appointments can be booked this way, in some cases you will need to telephone your chosen hospital directly to make your appointment. This is because the hospital computer does not link to E-Referrals. This will change over time as the old hospital computers are replaced with new ones.

The benefits of E-Referrals:

• You can choose any hospital in England funded by the NHS (this includes NHS hospitals and some independent hospitals). More information about hospitals is available on the NHS Choices website.
• You can choose the date and time of your appointment.
• You experience greater convenience and certainty. With E-Referals, the choice is yours.
• There is less chance that information will get lost in the post because more correspondence takes place through computers.

The surgery offers free NHS health checks for patients who are aged between 40 – 74 with no chronic conditions. If you are eligible you will receive a letter of the practice, or you can call the surgery to check if you are entitled to one.

Seasonal Influenza Vaccinations
We normally start flu vaccinations from September and these are available due to your age or those patients who fit the medical criteria for vaccination.

Pneumococcal Vaccination
You are eligible for a pneumonia vaccine if you are over 65 years old, anyone aged 2-64 years with a underlying health condition. Normally this vaccine is one in a life time vaccination.You can have a pneumonia vaccine all year round.

Shingles Vaccination
A vaccine to prevent shingles, a common, painful skin disease is available on the NHS to people in their 70s. You’re eligible for the shingles vaccine if you are aged 70 or 78 years old.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diseases passed on through intimate sexual contact. They can be passed on during vaginal, anal and oral sex, as well as through genital contact with an infected partner.

The most common STs include:

• Chlamydia • Genital warts • Genital herpes • Gonorrhoea
• Syphilis • HIV • Trichomoniasis • Pubic lice • Scabies
• Balanitis • Non-specific urethritis

Contraception

If you have any questions or problems regarding contraception or planned pregnancy please do not hesitate to book an appointment.

Our Nursing Team offers all forms of contraception including Pills, injections. Dr O’Brien and Dr Probert have regular contraception clinics at practice for Implant and coil fit and removals.

Sexual Health testing

If you are wanting to get tested for a STI you can either go to a local sexual health clinic in your area or you can order a home test kit which will come to your home discreetly. Both of these services are free.

Emergency contraception

You can obtain free Emergency contraceptive pill up to 72 hours after unprotected sex from any of the following:

• Local Pharmacies
• Any sexual health clinic

Local Sexual Health Clinics

Find Sexual Health Advice & Clinics Near You | HCRG Care Group (thesexualhealthhub.co.uk)

Or you can contact the centralised booking number via calling 0300 247 0020.

Our Wellbeing co-ordinator Angela works out of the practice every Tuesday and Thursday. If you would like to speak to Angela, call the surgery and the admin team will arrange an telephone consultation with her.

The Well being co-Ordinator can help with any of the following:

• Finance Issues
• Leisure and social contact
• Managing long term health conditions
• Social care
• Information of equipment which will prolong independence
• Exercise classes
• Behavioural change
• Housing and home maintenance