Swanage
medical PRACTICE
Clinics
Clinics and Services
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If you wish to attend any of the above clinics please telephone (01929) 475104 for details.
Other services provided at the health centre include speech therapy, dietician and psychology. Telephone: (01929) 475104.
Health Visitors
Your health visitor will remain involved with you and your baby up to school age or older, should you have a need. She will monitor your child’s growth and development and answer any concerns you may have.
Community Midwife
Your community midwife will care for all aspects of pregnancy during the antenatal
period and (following your discharge from the maternity unit) postnatally,
until you and your child are passed to the care of the health visitors. The midwife
holds an antenatal clinic at Swanage Health Centre every Wednesday. Clients may
make initial contact there or via their doctor. There is a Maternity Self Referral
service based at Poole Hospital if you are more than six weeks pregnant; please
ask at reception for details. Parentcraft classes are held throughout the year.
Times and venue are advertised on the notice board beside community reception.
Tel: (01929) 422231.
Community Mental Health Nurses
The community mental health nurses work with others in our mental health care team to provide care and a range of services to patients and carers within their own homes or at the health centre. Clients are referred via their doctor or other members of the primary health care team. To ask for further advice telephone (01929) 422231.
Community Physiotherapy
For patients unable to attend the local hospital, help in the form of treatment
or equipment can be given at home. Referral is made via your doctor or by other
members of the primary health care team.
Tel: (01929) 475136.
District Nurses
The community nursing team provides an 'in hours' nursing service to patients
and carers of all ages requiring moderate to high levels of care at home. The
nurses will provide specialist services for people too incapacitated to attend
the health centre. Referral is via the GP or by other members of the primary
health care team.
Tel: (01929) 422231.
Out of hours, ie from 6.00pm to 7.00am weekdays and throughout weekends and bank holidays, telephone 07788 925830.
Smokestop
If you wish to stop smoking, you can be helped in group advice sessions or, if you prefer, you can receive individual advice. There is no need to book an appointment. Please speak to your GP or reception for further details.
Family Planning
A family planning clinic is held every week providing advice and full contraceptive services. To make an appointment, please telephone (01929) 475104. You may, of course, consult your own GP for family planning if you prefer.
Cervical Smears
Women, normally between the ages of 24 and 65, will be invited for a routine smear test every three years. Smears are normally taken by our practice nurses but may also be taken, if considered necessary, by your doctor.
Chiropody
An NHS chiropody service is available at Swanage Community Hospital for all diabetics and those with medical conditions affecting their feet. New patients are referred by their GP and will be assessed by the chiropodist and advised of their treatment plan.
Childhood Immunisations
We feel that it is very important that all children are immunised against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, mumps, measles, German measles, Haemophilus influenzae B (Hib) and meningitis C. With modern immunisations there are almost no medical reasons why your baby cannot have them all. We give injections to babies at two, three and four months of age and again at about 13 months and 3.5 years.
Appointments are usually sent out automatically, once the child is registered with our health visitors. If you believe your child has missed any vaccinations, or is unable to attend, please phone (01929) 475104.
Occasionally babies and children get a raised temperature after an immunisation. If this occurs, it is normally during the first 48 hours but following the MMR it may happen as late as six to 11 days after the injection. Follow the instructions below:
How To Look After A Child With A Temperature
A child will develop a temperature because of an infection and will usually get over such an infection without the use of antibiotics. Most simple childhood infections are caused by viruses and these do not respond to antibiotics. The following advice is to help you bring your child’s temperature down and make them feel better.
- Always keep a supply of paracetamol syrup (Calpol, Disprol) at home.
- If your child feels hot and appears unwell, take their temperature, which would normally be 37 degrees centigrade. If your child has a temperature, try to lower it as follows:
- Give your child paracetamol syrup (Calpol, Disprol). Give the maximum dosage stated for a child of that age and repeat as often as stated on the bottle, if necessary;
- Dress your child in cool clothes eg t-shirt and shorts. Much heat is lost through a child’s head, so leave it uncovered. Cool down the room by opening doors and windows;
- Give your child plenty of cool drinks as fluid is lost with a fever. If they are reluctant to drink, encourage small amounts from a favourite cup;
- Sponging your child down, particularly the head, with a tepid flannel, will make them more comfortable as well as bringing their temperature down. Using tepid water is more effective than using cold water;
- If your child does not improve after giving paracetamol and sponging, or appears particularly ill, call the doctor for advice;
- Unwell children will always be seen as soon as possible if brought to the surgery;
- A child with a fever is likely to be restless at night. Offer cool drinks and sponge them down if they wake. Parents may have to take turns in attending the restless child to ensure the whole family do not become exhausted;
- Very rarely a child under five years will have a convulsion with a high temperature. The child suddenly shakes all over and becomes very still. If your child does have a convulsion it should subside in less than five minutes. Lie the child on its side and stay with them while it lasts. If there is another adult in the house, ask them to call the doctor or ambulance. If not, call for help when the convulsion has passed.
Non-NHS Services
Some services are not covered by the NHS and you will be asked to pay a fee. These include:
- Private Medicals and Certificates
- Pre-employment Medicals
- Fitness to Drive Medicals
- Some Holiday Vaccinations
- Taxi, HGV and PSV Medicals
- Completion of Insurance Claim Forms, etc
- Driving Licence Countersignatures
A full list of fees is displayed in the surgery. If you have any queries please ask at reception or contact the practice manager. Please note that your GP will not sign passport applications. A list of professionals who will is displayed at reception.
