Prior to travelling please allow as much time as possible to arrange your appointment for the Travel Clinic (preferably at least 6 weeks or more), which will be with the Practice Nurse. The Nurse will require to know which countries, and areas within countries, that you are visiting to determine what vaccinations are required.

It is important to make this initial appointment as early as possible, as a second appointment will be required with the Practice Nurse to actually receive the vaccinations.These vaccines have to be ordered as they are not a stock vaccine. Your second appointment needs to be at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow the vaccines to work.

Vaccines

Some travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge.This is because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS.

Please note only the undernoted vaccines are available on NHS Prescriptions:-

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Polio

Travel Form

You can also complete the online Travel form and send this to us (this must be submitted at least 6 weeks prior to travel).

Healthy Travel Leaflet

You may find the following leaflet helpful when making your travel arrangements.

A-Z of Healthy Travel

Advice on Malaria will be given.

Please download and print our useful guide below about Mosquito advice.

Mosquito Advice

Hepatitis immunisation

Immunisation against infectious Hepatitis (Hepatitis A) is available free of charge on the NHS in connection with travel abroad. However Hepatitis B is not routinely available free of charge and therefore you may be charged for this vaccination when requested in connection with travel abroad.

Private Travel Clinics

If you are unable to wait for our next available travel advice appointment, as advised by the reception staff, then you can attend any Private Travel Clinic (you can obtain these numbers in the Yellow Pages see link below i.e. type in “travel clinic” then “your area”, to display a list of clinics) charges will apply at these clinics.

• Yellow Pages

Excess quantities of regular repeat prescriptions

Under NHS legislation, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for people when they leave the United Kingdom. However, to ensure good patient care the following guidance is offered. People travelling to Europe should be advised to apply for a Global Health Insurance Card.

Medication required for a pre-existing condition should be provided in sufficient quantity to cover the journey and to allow the patient to obtain medical attention abroad. If the patient is returning within the timescale of their usual prescription, then this should be issued (the maximum duration of a prescription is recommended by the Care Trust to be two months, although it is recognised that prescription quantities are sometimes greater than this). Patients are entitled to carry prescribed medicines, even if originally classed as controlled drugs, for example, morphine sulphate tablets.

For longer visits abroad, the patient should be advised to register with a local doctor for continuing medication (this may need to be paid for by the patient).

General practitioners are not responsible for prescriptions of items required for conditions which may arise while travelling, for example travel sickness or diarrhoea. Patients should be advised to purchase these items from community pharmacies prior to travel.

Useful Links

NHS Overview – Travel Vaccinations

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Lonely Planet’s website

International Society of Travel Medicine

Health Advice for the Diabetic 

Fit for Travel

Medical Advice Services for Travellers Abroad

Travel Health Pro

UK travel health – site developed by a nurse

Travel Health Pro

The Patient Transport Service provides ambulances to patients who need support to reach their healthcare appointment, or for their admission to and discharge from hospital, due to their medical/clinical needs.

How do I organise transport to and from hospital?

Services which are outwith the NHS Contract

The National Health Service provides most healthcare to the majority of people free of charge, but there are exceptions. GPs are self-employed and are contracted to provide NHS general medical services for their patients.

Sometimes, GPs are asked to provide additional services which fall outside their contract and in these circumstances, they are entitled to make a reasonable charge for providing them.

We make a charge for services which are not covered by the NHS. These include driving medicals, certain vaccinations, occupational medicals and private sick notes. A complete list of services and charges is available at reception. Please note appointments for medicals for example HGV/Bus/Taxi will need to be booked via reception and not via the online booking service as these appointments require a longer time to be blocked off with the GP.

Your questions answered

Isn’t the NHS supposed to be free?

The National Health Service provides most healthcare to the majority people free of charge, but there are exceptions: for example, medical reports for insurance companies.

Surely the Doctor is being paid anyway?

It is important to understand that GPs are not employed by the NHS, they are self-employed and they have to cover their costs – staff, buildings, heating, lighting, etc – in the same way as any small business. The NHS covers these costs for NHS work, but for non-NHS work the fee has to cover the Doctor’s costs.

In recent years, more and more organisations have been involving Doctors in a whole range of non-medical work. Sometimes the only reason that GPs are asked to do non-medical work is because they are in a position of trust in the community, or because an insurance company or employer wants to be sure that information provided is true and accurate.

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their NHS patients are:

• accident/sickness insurance certificates
• certain travel vaccinations
• private medical insurance reports
• statements of fact relating to general health e.g. for children’s dance classes
• Letters requested by, or on behalf of, the patient
• Holiday cancellation claim forms
• Referral for private care forms

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge other institutions are:

• medical reports for an insurance company
• some reports for the DSS/Benefits Agency
• examinations of occupational health

Why does it sometimes take my GP a long time to complete my form?

Time spent completing forms and preparing reports takes the GP away from the medical care of his or her patients. Most GPs have a very heavy workload – the majority work up to 70 hours a week – and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time, so many GPs find they have to take some paperwork home at night and weekends.

I only need the Doctor’s signature – what is the problem?

When a Doctor signs a certificate or completes a report, it is a condition of remaining on the Medical Register that they only sign what they know to be true. In order to complete even the simplest of forms, therefore, the Doctor might have to check the patient’s entire medical record. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the Doctor with the General Medical Council or even the Police.

What can I do to help?

• If you have several forms requiring completion, present them all at once.
• Do not expect your GP to process forms overnight

Examples of Non-NHS Services include the following: 

• Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.) 
• Insurance Claim Forms 
• Prescriptions for taking medication abroad 
• Private Sick Notes 
• Vaccination Certificates 

The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and Practice Reception Staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability. 

The NHS offers screening, free of charge, to identify pre-existing health problems of which you may not be aware, nor be exhibiting any symptoms. The NHS screening may be as part of a national programme for specific demographic groups or may be opportunistic screening when a patient discusses a related problem with their GP.

Further information about NHS Screening Services

An interpreting service is available free of charge for patients using GP and NHS Hospital Services in England. This includes interpreting for people who are deaf or deaf/blind.

We do not allow children to act as interpreters during your treatment or appointments. 

A member of the Team from the Practice or the Hospital Department dealing with your treatment or appointment will arrange the interpreter. To make sure we can support you effectively we need you to do certain things so please do let us know you need interpreting help as soon as possible. Preferably, this should be as soon as you make an appointment with your GP.

• If you are going into Hospital, contact the Ward or Department to let them know you need an interpreter, as soon as you receive your Hospital appointment. You may need a friend or relative who speaks English to tell us that you need an interpreter, the first time.
• Be sure to let us know if you will not be coming for your appointment or treatment. If you do not tell us you might stop another patient getting the help they need.
• Be sure to tell us if you will be late for your appointment or treatment. Another patient somewhere else might need the interpreter. If you are late the next patient might miss their appointment or not get the help they need.
• Let us know if you have had any problems with communication during your appointment or treatment. This will help us improve the service.
• Tell us if communication was good. This also helps us provide a good service.

If you think an immediate home visit is required, please tell the Receptionist. In cases of major injury or critical condition, it may be more appropriate to go directly to your local Hospital Accident & Emergency Department. If an Ambulance is required, dial 999.

Our GP Practice is keen to ensure that we make the best use of our clinical staff, allowing them to provide the most appropriate care to those most in need of it. For the vast majority of patients, attending an appointment at the Practice is the best option for them and for the Practice staff. 

You may think that a home visit by a family doctor (GP) is best for patient care. However, while home visits are convenient for the patient, they actually offer a poorer standard of care compared to surgery consultations.

This is because of:

• poor facilities – for example, soft beds, poor lighting or lack of hygiene
• inefficiency – the doctor could see four to six other equally needy patients in the time taken for one home visit
• patient records, which are required to provide appropriate and safe care, are not immediately available; and
• patient chaperones, who are required to be present for some examinations, are not always available.

We have noticed that many patients are requesting visits that are inappropriate or unnecessary. This has a negative impact on other aspects of our service. Calling the doctor out unnecessarily takes the doctor away from patients who may have a greater clinical need. Most of the consultations during home visits could easily and safely be carried out in the surgery. 

Some myths about home visits

Please note this list only includes some examples, and is not exhaustive.

• Children, young people or anyone who is mobile
• Lack of money or transport. This is not a medical responsibility. It is up to the patient to organise transport
• Lack of childcare or been drinking alcohol and not able to drive. This is not a medical responsibility
• Can’t get out due to bad weather. Remember that medical staff are also affected by snow, ice or bad weather
• Timed visits between hairdressing and shopping appointments. Patients who are clearly mobile are taking doctors and nurses away from patients with greater need
• Feeling well, but need a check over to make sure everything is all right. Our priority is seeing those patients who are unwell.
• Other help may be more appropriate – for example, if you think you are having a heart attack or a stroke, please ring 999.

Where home visits are not appropriate

Where home visits are appropriate and worthwhile

• Terminally ill patients: we have no problems seeing those who are at most clinical need
• Truly bedbound patients: we have no problems seeing those who are confined to bed
• So poorly, the patient would be harmed if moved: we have no problems seeing those who are at most clinical need.

If you think you may need a home visit

If you are poorly and think you need an urgent same day visit, please call us before 11am on the day.

• If you are mobile (own legs, using walking aids, wheelchair or scooter), we kindly ask that you see us in the surgery
• The triage nurse or doctor will always consider your request and ensure you are seen by the most appropriate health care professional in the most appropriate location
• An Emergency Hospital admission may be organised for the patient via the ambulance service without first seeing the patient, in cases where their medical condition make that course of action appropriate.

If we visit you at home and feel that your request was inappropriate, we may inform you so that you use our services more appropriately in the future. Please do not be offended, as we have a duty to use our resources effectively for the safety and benefit of all patients.

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

Remember: you do not have an automatic right to a home visit

Under their terms of working, GPs are required to consider home visits for medical reasons only. If you think you require a home visit, please call the surgery before 11am. All home visit requests will be medically assessed to check if a visit is appropriate.
Always provide a current landline/mobile number so that the Doctor or Nurse can contact you.

GPs do not provide an occupational health service as part of their NHS responsibility nor can they provide this service to you even if you are willing to pay for it.

Under Health and Safety Regulations, your employer or University/College has a duty to provide a safe working environment, and should provide this vaccination.

GPs are not obliged to provide the hepatitis B vaccine on the NHS if you’re not thought to be at risk.

We advise you to contact your employer or University/College and refer them to this page on our website. They will be able to make arrangements with an occupational health provider for the provision of any immunisation which you may require following an appropriate assessment.

Further information about Hepatitis B from NHS UK

• Cervical screening (a smear test) checks the health of your cervix, which is the opening to your womb from your vagina. 
• It’s not a test for cancer, it’s a test to help prevent cancer.
• All women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 should be invited by letter. 
• During the screening appointment, a small sample of cells will be taken from your cervix. 
• The sample is tested for changes to the cells of your cervix. 
• Finding abnormal changes early means they can be monitored or treated so they do not get a chance to turn into cervical cancer. 
• Approximately 2 weeks after screening, you will get your results by letter.

To arrange a cervical screening appointment, please telephone the Practice.

Cervical screening saves 5000 lives a year. It is not a test for cervical cancer, it is a screening test to detect abnormalities in the cells of the cervix at an early stage.

When you receive an invitation to cervical screening from the Practice, please, don’t ignore it. It takes just a few minutes and could save your life.

• First time being screen, or nervous? tell the Nurse/Doctor, and try to relax and distract your mind
• Worried about discomfort? Ask the Nurse/Doctor to use a smaller speculum
• Feeling embarrassed? Wear a skirt to your appointment as you can keep this on during the procedure
• Don’t want to go alone? Take a friend with you, to keep you company in the Waiting Room, and be there for you after the screening
• Undergone FGM/cutting in the past? Tell the Nurse/Doctor
• Not sure what to expect? Go to jostrust or call 0808 802 800

Important

Try not to put off cervical screening. It’s one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer.

Further Information about cervical screening from NHS UK

An advocate is a person who speaks up for you, acts on your behalf and, where required, puts forward your case for you .

They are:

• independent of Social Services and the NHS
• not a member of your family or one of your friends

An advocate’s role includes arguing your case when you need them to, and making sure health and social care services follow the correct procedures.

They are independent, so they represent your wishes without giving their personal opinion and without representing the views of the NHS or local authority.

An advocate might help you get information or go with you to meetings or interviews to support you.

Your advocate can also write letters on your behalf, or speak for you in situations where you don’t feel able to speak for yourself.

Find an Advocate

Advocacy Services help people – particularly the most vulnerable in society – to:

• access information and services
• be involved in decisions about their lives
• explore choices and options
• defend and promote their rights and responsibilities
• speak out about issues that matter to them

Further Information available from NHS UK

The NHS Health Check is a health check-up for adults in England aged 40-74. It’s designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia. As we get older, we have a higher risk of developing one of these conditions. An NHS Health Check helps find ways to lower this risk. Please contact the Practice to arrange an appointment.

Further information about the NHS Health check from NHS UK