Services

If you require any vaccination relating to foreign travel you will need to complete an online consultation via patchs at least 6 weeks before you travel. (Please insert link) Within that form it is important that you include:

• Dates of travel
• Length of travel plans
• All places travelling to, all countries (any rual area/package holiday etc.)
• Activities you will be doing at each destination: backpacking, working as an aid worker, contact with animals, youth hostelling, or visiting off the beaten track.
• Details of previous vaccines

After you have submitted the online consultation request one of our admin team members will contact you to organise a telephone consultation with our practice nurse. The practice nurse will then ring you discuss your foreign travel and organise the appropriate vaccinations.

The following vaccinations are available on the NHS:

• The Practice only provide Tetanus, Polio, Hep A and Typhoid. Patients wishing more  complex travel vaccines will need to book with the local Pharmacy or travel vaccine clinics

Not all vaccinations are provided on the NHS

• Hepatitis B
• Japanese encephalitis
• Meningitis
• Rabies
• Tick borne encephalitis
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Yellow Fever
• Malaria medication

For these vaccines you will need to book an appointment with a private travel clinic or local pharmacy offering travel health services. Available local Travel Clinics:

• Boots
• Superdrug
• Liverpool school of tropical medicine

What is breast screening?

• Breast screening checks or mammograms, use X-rays to look for cancers that are too small to see or feel
• These checks are done by female health specialists called mammographers
• Anyone registered with a GP as female will be invited via letter to attend a screening every 3 years between the ages of 50 and 71
• The first invitation is automatically sent out to those eligible between the ages of 50 and 53. You will then be invited every 3 years from that point on until you turn 71

If you have not been invited by the time you are 53 and think you should have been, or are over 71 and want to continue to be screened you can contact your local breast screening service:

Chester Breast Screening Unit, Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust

Tel: 01244 365136

How appointments work

You invitation letter will ask you to book an appointment by phone, email or online. Try to book your appointment as soon as you get invited.

It may be important to provide the screening service with additional information to ensure your appointment works best for you.

To help them plan your appointment please tell the service if you:

• need additional support to attend screening – for example, if you have a learning disability or difficulties with your mobility
• have breast implants – you may need an extra X-ray to get a clearer picture around the implant
• have a pacemaker or another medical device implanted
• are pregnant, think you could be pregnant or breast feeding
• are under the care of a breast consultant
• have had a mammogram in the last 6 months
• have had a Covid-19 vaccine within the past 5 days – some people may have swollen glands in their armpit which can be picked up by the X-rays

What happens during the screening?

• During breast screening you’ll have 4 breast X-rays (mammograms), 2 for each breast
• The mammograms only take a few minutes. The whole appointment should take about 30 minutes
• The mammographer will explain what will happen during the screening and answer any questions you have
• Breast screening can be uncomfortable or painful for some people. You can talk to the mammographer, who is trained to give you support. You can also ask to stop at any time.
• Any discomfort or pain you may have during a mammogram should go away very soon, if your pain persists for more than a couple of days, please contact the surgery to speak with a GP

Your results

• Your results will be sent to you in the post, usually within 2 weeks of your appointment. The surgery will also receive a copy of the results
• On rare occasions you may be required to have another mammogram to get a clearer picture of your breasts. In this case your results would be sent to you after the second screening.

No sign of breast cancer – You breast screening result letter may say that your mammogram shows no sign of breast cancer. You will not need further tests and will be routinely invited again in 3 years.

Need further tests – Your results may say further tests are needed and you will be given an appointment.

These tests can include:

• An examination of your breast
• More mammograms
• Ultrasound of your breasts
• Taking a small sample (biopsy) from your breast using a needle

Most people who need further tests will not be diagnosed with breast cancer.

You may feel anxious about having further tests and what this means. Your letter will tell you how to contact a breast care nurse if you have any questions or would like to discuss the process.

Try not to worry if your results take a little longer to arrive – it does not mean anything is wrong, and most people will have a normal result.

You can call the breast screening service on the above number to see if they have any updates.

• Regular breast screening is one of the best ways to spot a cancer that is too small to feel or see
• As well as going for regular breast screenings it is important you know how your breasts normally look and feel

See here for more information: How should I check my breasts? – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

If you have symptoms of breast cancer or you notice any changes in your breasts that are not normal for you, you should book an appointment with your GP, even if you have recently had a clear breast screening – Do not wait for your next screening appointment.

Macmillan Cancer Support has a free helpline that’s open every day from 8am to 8pm and are there to listen if you have anything you want to talk about.

Call: 0808 808 0000

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:

Bowel Cancer Screening Kit (GOV)

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.

Your results

• After the test has been completed the nurse will tell you when you can expect your results letter.

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).

EMPLOYMENT ITEMS

Private sick note £15.00

Private Prescription £17.00

Freedom from infection cert £30.00

PRIVATE MEDICALS

Driving Licence examination £113.00

Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) medical £113.00

Pre-Employment medical £113.00

Mental Health (forma & medical) £113.00

Sports examination (scuba diving, car racing etc) £113.00

Taxi Hire Medical £113.00

TRAVEL ITEMS

GPs no longer complete Passport forms

Fitness to travel form £30.00

Holiday Cancellation certificate £28.00

Holiday Cancellation detailed report £30.00 Short/£50.00 Long

Private Prescription for Malaria £17.00

Vaccination Certificate £17.00

Travel Vaccinations. The Practice only provide Tetanus, Polio, Hep A and Typhoid , Patients wishing more  complex travel vaccines will need to book with the local Pharmacy or travel vaccine clinics.

• Cholera (private Px) £17.00
• Hepatitis A  (2 injection course) No charge
• Meningitis ACWY vac £70.00

PRIVATE FORMS

Driving Licence (Photo) £29.50

Employment Report without Exam £40.00

Fitness to attend school £25.00

Fitness to attend university (without exam) £30.00short/£50.00 Long

Fitness to join/ attend gym or health club £30.00short/£50.00 Long

Insurance claim forms £30.00 short/£45 Long

Lasting Power of Attorney/court of protection £60.00

PRIVATE TESTS

DNA testing £90.00

Hair sampling for drugs £90.00

Blood Group testing £39.00

Blood tests £19.50

PRIVATE PATIENT CONSULTATION – OVERSEAS VISITORS

Private patient consultation (£137.00 per hour), £63.50 for a 20 minute consultation

Private ANP consultation £39.75 for a 20 minute consultation

Private Prescription £17.00

Private Sick note £15.00

Blood testing £19.50

Private ECG £80.00

INSURANCE REPORTS

GP report for applicants £104.00

GP supplementary report £27.00

DVLA

GP fee for driver licensing (GP cert) £12.50

GP2 Series £40.00

GP Examination £89.00

Blood test only  £39.00

CREMATION FEES

Mileage allowance   57.5p per mile

Form 4 £82.00

Form 5 £82.00

MEDICAL RECORDS ACCESS AND COPYING FEES

Health records on computer £10.00

Health records part comp & part manual £50.00 max

Health records held manually £50.00

PATIENT ACCESS TO RECORDS

Health records held totally on computer £10.00

Health Records part computer & part manual £10.00  (added prior to 40 days)

Access to health records free if added in last 40 days

DWP

Department of Work and Pensions DLA £33.50
Department of Work and Pensions DLA £17.00

MOD £65.00 + photocopying fees

First contact physiotherapist can help patients with musculoskeletal issues such as back, neck and joint pain.

As part of our Primary care network (PCN) we have 4 first contact physiotherapists working across all 6 GP practices in Ellesmere Port offering face to face appointments.

Appointments can be booked either here at the practice or across the other 6 GP practices in the PCN or at Stanney Lane clinic.

Local dental providers offer NHS Urgent Dental Clinics across Cheshire and Merseyside, with appointments for patients who need urgent treatment, advice and support on dental queries or referral to other services.

If you need help with an urgent dental problem, call our Helpline, available from 9am to 9.30pmevery day, including weekends and Bank Holidays. Call 0161 476 9651 (LOCAL RATE). Find out more by reading this leaflet.

Please note this an appointment system only.

Our service is provided by Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) for patients following a hospital procedure who need removal of sutures or change of dressings.

To access an appointment at the local dressings clinic please telephone 0151 488 8467. It is now located at Hope Farm Clinic.

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.

Healthwatch is a website with useful advice and support about the health and social care services in our local area and nationally.

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.

We will be providing useful information from the Cheshire West Local Authority:

• Live Well : Advice on many different subjects from housing to transport

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 Well-being co-ordinator Kathryn 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

Online patient access to records

Patients can access their medical records online. You will be able to view your repeat prescriptions, allergies, laboratory test results, documents, immunisations, problems and consultations. You can choose whether you would like full access to your medical records, or certain aspects you would like to have access to.

If you would like to sign up to view your medical records on-line you will need to register to do this at the surgery in order to be allocated your login and password.

• You will be required to bring in a physical form of photographic ID into the practice
• Complete the registration form

If you care for someone who needs help ordering their repeat prescriptions online or would like to access your child medical records online, you can register as a proxy user. You will need to have access to your own account, but the proxy user can be added onto your profile. Both parties, (the proxy and the representative) will need to come into practice to show photographic ID and sign the form.

Summary Care Record

This is the National database, the record will be available to authorised healthcare staff providing your care anywhere in England, but they will ask your permission before they look at it.

Children under 16 will automatically have a summary care record unless a parent or guardian chooses to opt them out.

Cheshire Health Record

The Cheshire Health Record is a system designed locally to enable authorised doctors, nurses and other trained healthcare professionals to access a summary of your GP patient record. This could happen in hospital or unplanned care settings such as A&E or Out of Hours Centres. The system will provide essential medical information which can be used to make informed clinical decisions about the treatment provided to you.

Opting out of the schemes

You can choose not to have a Summary Care Record or Cheshire Health record by completing an “opt out” form. Please ask at reception. We will then enter a code into your records so your data cannot be shared. Your records will stay as they are now with information being shared by letter, email, fax or phone

If you change your mind you can opt back in at any time.

For further information:

Please contact the Customer Solution Centre (formally PALS) 01244 650368 or the practice.

How we use your medical records – Important information for patients

• This practice handles medical records in-line with laws on data protection and confidentiality.
• We share medical records with those who are involved in providing you with care and treatment
• In some circumstances we will also share medical records for medical research, for example to find out more about why people get ill.
• We share information when the law requires us to do so, for example, to prevent infectious diseases from spreading or to check the care being provided to you is safe.
• You have the right to be given a copy of your medical record.
• You have the right to object to your medical records being shared with those who provide you with care.
• You have the right to object to your information being used for medical research and to plan health services.
• You have the right to have any mistakes corrected and to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Please see the practice privacy notice on the website or speak to a member of staff for more information about your rights.
• For more information ask at reception for a leaflet

The NHS is dedicated to protecting your information

Everyone working for the NHS has a responsibility and a legal duty to protect your personal information, so that it is not disclosed to unauthorised bodies or people.

Your information is recorded on paper and in computer files. It is treated with strict confidential care.
We sometimes need to move electronic information about you from one computer system to another, by extracting the data and modifying it ready to be passed on. Tests are made regularly on the data to check that it is getting transferred correctly.

Why we ask for personal information

In order to provide the best possible healthcare, we need to maintain proper records of your health and make sure that it is available to the relevant people whenever and wherever possible.

The doctor needs to make notes about any diagnosis, test result; treatments including drug prescriptions and other information that you provide that are relevant to the treatment of your condition.

Nurses and other health professionals will have access to these records, and will add their own notes, as part of your overall healthcare.

Secretaries, receptionists and other clerical staff need access to some of your records in order to complete administrative tasks such as booking appointments and for communicating with you and health care professionals.

The practice complies with General Data Protection Regulations and Access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. District Nurse & hospital services
• When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases / Vulnerable adults
• To help you get other services e.g. Social work department. This requires your consent
• When you request us to complete insurance or solicitors forms – this requires your consent
• Anonymous patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Primary Care Trust and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care. If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

We may use some of the information for other reasons

Anyone who receives information from us about you is under a legal duty to keep it confidential.

You may be receiving care from another organisation as well as the NHS. To enable us to work together for your benefit, we may share information.

We may use some of the information for other reasons, such as to help us protect the health of the public generally, e.g. Notification of infectious diseases. Reports will extract the information from your records. This in turn enables the NHS to run efficiently by making plans for the future, using the figures passed to them, and looking at ways the numbers can be reduced.  Training the staff, enabling them to carry out a review so that the care they provide is always of the highest standard.

Information may also be needed to carry out medical and other health research for the benefit of everyone.  Research projects are always approved by a local research ethics committee.  If anything to do with research involved you personally, you will be contacted to see if you are willing to take part.

Improvements and advances in medical care and treatment can only occur by monitoring current practices.  Sometimes managers and planners as well as researchers may need to examine records to assist in this process.  All data that could identify you personally is removed.

In addition, the NHS maintains a number of registers for diseases such as cancer, to allow the NHS to plan the services it provides. These registers are used to monitor the effectiveness of treatments, therefore over time improve the outcomes for specific conditions. Tests and the transferring of your data is carried out under secure and carefully controlled conditions. The law controls the sharing of very sensitive personal types of data. We continually review ways in which confidentiality improvements can be made. It is important for us to know and understand the views of our patients and users of our service including carers. If you provide consent your friends, relatives and carers can be kept up to date with the progress of your treatment.

Who to contact for further information

If at any time you would like to know more about how we use your information and how it is maintained, handled and looked after, you can speak to the person in charge of your care or to the Caldicott Guardian here in the Practice.

Here at York Road your Caldicott Guardian is Dr C J MacDonald & Mrs Bedford or visit the NHS web site on www.NHS.uk

Freedom of Information Act

All health bodies are covered by the Freedom of Information Act which gives all interested parties a general right of access to all types of recorded information.
If you have any questions please ask for an information leaflet at reception.

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.