SERVICES WE PROVIDE

All three practices offer a wide range of medical services, including health promotion and screening as well as diagnosis and treatment of illness. Hopefully you will find them friendly and sympathetic to your needs. They have well-trained teams of nursing and administration staff to help provide a high standard of care. Below, in alphabetical order, are some of the services offered:

Antenatal Clinics. Some of the GPs run antenatal clinics with the community midwife, to ensure the best possible outcome for mother and baby. Our midwife and health visitors hold parent-craft classes at the Health Centre.

Asthma Clinic / COPD. Run by the practice nurse and doctor with a special interest in asthma. Asthma treatment is constantly improving. We offer regular review of treatment, and instruction in inhaler use and self help. Your doctor or nurse will advise which patients should attend.

Cervical Smears. Women aged between 20 and 65 will be invited by letter to have a smear test every three years.

Child Health Clinics. These are run by health visitors (see below under 'Health Visitors'). You may attend any time the clinic is open. An appointment is not needed. A health visitor is available to weigh your baby and discuss baby’s progress and any problems you may have.

Clinics are held on:

The POST-NATAL GROUP is held on:

Contraceptive Services. See below under 'Family Planning'.   TOP

Counselling. Referral is by the doctor. ; Appointments are sent directly to the patient by the Brief Intervention and Counselling Service based at Woking Community Hospital. Counsellors are here to help you to work through a wide range of personal and family difficulties. The service provided is strictly confidential between the counsellor and the client.

Diabetic Clinics / Dietician. The nurses and doctors at the Health Centre work closely with the specialist diabetic clinic at St .Peter's Hospital. All diabetics on our register are invited for annual checks. Regular review of diabetic control is encouraged as good control of diabetes helps to avoid long term complications. Appointments are by referral from the doctor.

District Nurses. The district nursing service provided by Surrey Heath and Woking Primary Care Trust is responsible for nursing care to patients in their homes or residential homes in the community. The district nursing sister is responsible for (a) assessment and review of the needs of each individual patient and carer and (b) provision of an appropriate care plan. Referrals to the district nursing service may be made either by your doctor or by a hospital.

Family Planning. A full range of services is offered during normal surgery appointments; please ask your doctor or practice nurse for advice. Emergency contraception is available after discussion with a GP or nurse.

Health Checks. These are available to all new patients on request. They include lifestyle assessment and advice. For over 75's, an annual lifestyle check is recommended. This may take place at the Health Centre or in your own home.

Health Visitors. This team takes care of children and the elderly. All team members all qualified nurses with specialist training in family health, child development and the elderly. Their primary responsibility is for the promotion of good health and prevention of ill health. They may be contacted on 01932 340411.

A health visitor is usually in the office between 9.00am and 10.00am and 4.00pm and 5.00pm; otherwise a message may be left with the health visitors secretary or receptionist.

Our health visitors work closely with our midwife in some of the parenthood classes. Their prime function is to promote good health through education and to give parents an understanding of their child's development. Apart from child health clinics (see above under 'Child Health Clinics'), they also carry out routine developmental checks on pre-school children.  TOP

Midwife. We have a fully qualified community midwife providing maternity care. She organises parenthood relaxation classes for parents-to-be. Mothers are seen at the antenatal clinics and visited at home in the early days following delivery.

Podiatry. This service is via a referral from a GP. Appointments are sent directly to the patient by the Podiatry Service at Chertsey.

Practice Nurses. Each practice has its own team of very experienced nurses, who work as part of the practice team in providing care. They run nurse-led services for Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease, Diabetes, Coronary Heart Disease and Hypertension (high blood pressure). They also provide Childhood Immunisation and Travel Health services, plus general health checks for men and women - including lifestyle advice on weight management, smoking cessation and cervical smears. The nurses can also help with minor ailments.

Appointments are made by contacting reception or referral from the doctor.

In addition our treatment rooms are available by appointment on 01932 340411 throughout the week, augmenting our Primary Care teams with such services as blood tests, ear syringing, suture removal and dressings.  TOP

Quit Smoking. If you are interested in giving up smoking, we run a support group to help. Enquire at your practice reception.

School Nurses. The school nurses are part of the Community Health Services and are based at the Health Centre. They visit local schools, monitoring children’s health and providing advice to parents and children on relevant matters.

Specialist Medical Equipment. The Health Centre is uniquely equipped with an ultra-sound machine, which enables echo-cardiography and abdominal examinations to be carried out without referral to a hospital. The running costs of the machine, as well as the consultants fees are met by The Friends of West Byfleet Health Centre.

Specialist Nurses. Macmillan, COPD, Children, Dermatology and Diabetic.

Vaccination. Adults: please ask the practice nurse for details - are you covered for tetanus and polio? Children: you will be invited by postcard to bring your child for immunisation.  TOP