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Irchester
first and foremost provides NHS general practice medicine. This
means we are willing to But do remember, GP’s don’t provide an emergency service. Use the ‘phone to consult us by all means, but don’t hesitate to dial 999 for: chest pains; stomach pain; breathlessness; and flu–like symptoms that intensify rather than abate. These could mean respectively: heart–failure; appendicitis; various severe illnesses including heart–failure; and, septicaemia (blood–poisoning). All are potentially life–threatening. Otherwise simply go to your nearest hospital accident and emergency (A&E) unit. They do provide an emergency service. However we don’t want our services to end there. The NHS is a great idea but it has limitations, particularly over what it will pay for and what it will not. Its real strength lies in funding a wide range of very expensive treatments for major illnesses, which are completely free and paid for by taxation. However, it economises on cosmetic and non–life–threatening illnesses that can still be of serious concern; it often seems to take a one size fits all approach; and it makes you queue–up a lot and wait around, which doesn’t suit everyone! So, we try to offer private services targeted at meeting what we believe to be genuine social needs, and which address these areas in a low cost practical way. Click a link to find out more! Links to: Asthma and Breathing Difficulties; Midwife;
All travel health consultations are FREE. Just call 01933 413888 for your half–hour appointment. You do not have to be one of our NHS patients to use this service. Our clinic is fully stocked for all travel related vaccines, many of which are free to our NHS patients. Less common vaccinations, such as for rabies, are not provided on the NHS. In this case, we provide the injection at a price close to what we ourselves pay. Anti–Malaria tablets can be prescribed and dispensed by nearby Woodstock Pharmacy. Some staff members are widely travelled, and able to give experienced advice about health risks in a wide range of destinations. Whether you plan to travel abroad or not, everyone should make sure their anti–tetanus status is up–to–date. This is a simple and necessary precaution against an unpleasant illness. We are an official yellow fever vaccination centre. This vaccination is an entry requirement for a number of Central and South American countries as well as many Sub-Saharan African countries. The vaccine needs to be given about 10 days before entering an area of risk, so as to allow full immunity to develop. We currently charge £35.00 for yellow fever vaccination. Yellow fever vaccine is not provided by the NHS. We carry out HGV and other medicals such as those needed to drive taxis. Our standard charge is £35.00. There are special offers from time to time that reduce this further. You do not have to be one of our NHS patients to use this service.We recognise that for many people taking their medical at a convenient time is more important than price. For this reason, we try very hard to offer a wide range of appointment time choice for medicals. We also carry out medicals for a local dive centre. We have a dive rescue qualified staff member, and can advise on some medical aspects of diving. Joint problems are sadly widespread. An injection of steroid directly into the painful joint is frequently a source of swift and surprising relief, and can be a diagnostic indication pointing to the likely effectiveness later of surgery to relieve the condition. You do not need to be one of our NHS patients to access this service. We are able to inject a wide range of joints, and the procedure typically takes about 20 minutes. This is a free NHS treatment. For information call 01933 413888, and ask for an explanatory leaflet, or make an initial appointment with a doctor to discuss it. We carry out a wide range of minor surgery, often to remove unwelcome growths and lumps. These are free NHS treatments provided that they are not simply cosmetic. NHS rules mean that purely cosmetic procedures must be carried out privately. Skin cancer, caused perhaps amongst other things by excessive exposure to sunshine, is increasing in the UK. We all need to be alert to changes in the appearance of moles, freckles, etc., and, if we notice any, to discuss this with a doctor quickly. The most effective treatment is often simply to remove the affected tissue immediately, and in many cases we can do this right away in the surgery. In other cases, growths can snag on clothing or be caught by grooming so that they bleed with an attendant risk of infection. Sometimes lumps and growths cause difficulty sleeping by being uncomfortably placed. These all represent sensible reasons for removing them. After all, growths and lumps, although common, are not a natural part of human biology. Facial marks can be removed radio surgically. This technique avoids cutting the skin and stitching the wound up afterwards. As a consequence scarring is reduced to the minimum. To find out more, call 01933 413888 for an appointment with a doctor or nurse. We plan soon to start a vasectomy service. Vasectomies are not currently available on the NHS in this region. For more information, call 01933 413888. We provide advice on all aspects of contraception and birth control. In addition to prescribing the morning after pill, we also prescribe contraceptive pills, provide contraceptive injections of depo–provera, fit coils, and carry out Implanon implants. For advice, call 01933 413888 and make an appointment with a doctor or nurse right away. We plan soon to start a varicose vein removal service. The surgical removal of varicose veins for cosmetic reasons is not currently available on the NHS in this region. For more information, call 01933 413888.
Cryosurgery is a technique for freezing warts and verrucas, which are caused by viruses. The viruses are trapped in frozen tissue that quickly dies and flakes away. Freezing is achieved by exposure to a small quantity of very cold gas from a pressurised canister. A nozzle targets this precisely to the area that needs to be frozen. This is an effective technique for removing these growths but unfortunately the NHS no longer funds it. We provide this as a free service to NHS patients meeting the cost from practice funds because we believe it to be helpful to patients. There is a charge, usually £10.00, for non–NHS patients. Treatment might need to be repeated. Treatment might not be appropriate for younger children. Please call 01933 413888 for an appointment with a nurse.
Every autumn we vaccinate over 65’s and patients in at risk groups against flu. We will write to you if you are affected. We also vaccinate on a private patient basis anyone who feels they want it for just £5.00! Flu vaccine is a short acting vaccine and provides protection only for a few months. Vaccinations are given as soon as manufacturers supply them and in the early part of the flu season. Every year international health authorities select the flu strains expected to be most prominent next winter and a vaccination is manufactured to protect against them. Each year’s flu vaccine is potentially different from its predecessor. We sell flu vaccination to non–NHS patients and the price in 2006/7 is £5.00. NHS rules do not allow us to sell flu vaccine to our own NHS patients who are not in the over 65’s or at risk categories. In the case of our own NHS patients who want to be vaccinated against flu we provide the service without charge and meet the cost from practice funds. In recent years manufacturing problems with vaccine have delayed supplies reaching all GP surgeries. These delays affect everyone equally, and there have not been overall shortages of vaccine despite press reports to the contrary. The delays experienced probably have no significance from a health point–of–view. Annual flu vaccination has nothing to do with the reported risks from a pandemic of Avian Flu. Annual flu vaccination provides no protection at all in this case.
We vaccinate people against pneumoccocal illnesses throughout the year. The NHS makes this vaccine free to over 65’s some children and at risk groups. This vaccine provides extended protection and 10 years is a reasonable expectation.
We screen female patients for cervical cancer by taking smears at the nationally recommended intervals. When due, smears need to be taken 10-14 days from the last day of your period. The purpose is to minimise contamination risks. Our nurse takes smears, and you can call her on 01933 413888 for an appointment. In addition, there is a new vaccine called gardasyl that protects against cervical cancer, which is known to be caused by the human papilloma virus. Human papilloma virus is widespread and infection can be harmless. It is estimated that about 80% of the sexually active female population will contract this virus at some time. Gardasyl is a vaccination against the most common strains of this virus and thereby protects against cervical cancer in those cases where this would develop. Protection is also provided against genital warts. The NHS does not currently pay for gardasyl. If you would like more information, please telephone us on 01933 413888 for an appointment with a doctor to discuss it.
We have a visiting diabetic specialist nurse who holds clinics regularly at the practice. In addition, Patrizia (Trish) Pasquali, one of our doctors, has a special interest in diabetes. We carry out the necessary routine checks ourselves wherever possible, and manage therapeutic treatment, which frequently starts with a single medication (often metformin) and can progress over time to multiple medications and finally self–administered insulin. Diabetes needs regular monitoring with blood tests. We try to notify patients at the appropriate time. Diabetes is a progressive illness that is known to respond positively to active management. It is particularly important to eat a healthy diet and maintain an active lifestyle. For more information call us on 01933 413888 for an appointment with the nurse or doctor.
Asthma and Breathing Difficulties
We have a specialist nurse who treats asthma and other breathing difficulties. In addition, it is quite possible that all smokers over 40 who have smoked for most of their adult life will be experiencing the irreversible degeneration of lung function identified as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). It is important that this is diagnosed and medication prescribed to reduce the effect and rate of progress of this condition. For more information, please call us on 01933 413888 for an appointment with a doctor or nurse.
Sadly, there is a wide range of illnesses requiring treatment wholly or partly by your GP. Please call us on 01933 413888 for an appointment with a doctor or nurse to discuss your concerns.
We have two health visitors attached to the practice, both of whom have served the people of the area for many years. It is the particular concern of health visitors to support young families with social and medical services. Health visitors have regular weekly clinics at the surgery. They make their own appointments directly with patients. Call them on 01933 414930 for an appointment, or call us on 01933 413888 to leave a message for them.
District Nurses provide nursing services to housebound patients. Our very experienced and caring District Nursing team can be contacted by calling us on 01933 413888 so that we can pass on your message. The District Nurses liaise with us daily but are not actually based in the surgery. Patients who are not housebound are expected to come to the Practice Nurse in the surgery. If you are housebound and need flu or pneumoccocal injections the District Nurse will arrange an appointment with you when they can be given. Our midwife, Melissa Costin–Hurley, together with our doctors provides a complete primary care pregnancy service. Melissa holds weekly clinics in the surgery. Appointments can be made through ourselves, or directly with her. Kettering General Hospital provides a foetal assessment service and aims always to have an experienced midwife available to discuss urgent problems with you by phone. The hospital can be reached on 01536 492000.
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diagnose
and treat almost all your illnesses. Of course, sometimes
we refer patients who need specialised investigation or care (often
to a local hospital); and, of course, we aren’t dentists
or opticians; but to a great extent we expect to provide, or manage
for you, your complete healthcare.