Clinics

FROM December 2021

The Surgery offers screening for Sexually Transmitted Infections

Please scroll down for more details

Clinics are available on the following days :-

We also provide clinics for :

• Asthma
• COPD
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Chronic Heart Disease
• Peripheral Vascular Disease
• Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening

Our Practice Nurse Ashleigh Cameron is responsible for all of these clinics. If Patients are unable to attend a clinic a separate appointment may be made at any of her surgeries – Patients should inform Reception Staff as to the nature of their appointment.

SERVICES PROVIDED WITHIN THE HEALTH CENTRE

• General illness (acute/chronic)
• Health promotion.
• Asthma Clinic /Diabetes Clinic/COPD/Osteoporosis/Peripheral Vascular Disease Monitoring
• Family Planning & Cervical Screening
• Maternity Care (ante/post natal care)
• Child Health Surveillance
• Minor Surgery (Subject to funding)
• Travel Health – (non NHS funded – charges may apply)

Special Clinics

Throughout the year Ashley Medical Centre provides specialist clinics for chronic disease management, health assessment and health education. Patients are invited to attend clinics, based on clinical information and to ensure best clinical practice and to maintain or prevent further exacerbation of disease or illness.

New Patient Health Checks

New patients registering with Ashley Medical Centre must have a Health Check. These checks are free of charge and enable the Doctors and Nurses to assess and monitor your health needs and offer appropriate treatments. Please make an appointment with our Nurses.

Family Planning/Sexual Health/Cervical Screening

Appointments may be arranged with the doctor or for factual information, advice or treatment on all aspects of family planning and sexual health (including the morning after pill), cervical smears and sexually transmitted infections.

Cervical Cytology is carried out routinely by our Practice Nurse Ashleigh

Minor Surgery (Subject to Funding)

Doctors within Ashley Medical Centre carry out a number of minor surgery procedures including the removal of skin tags, warts, cysts and moles. This is carried out in our treatment rooms assisted by our nursing staff.This service is available once a month on a Tuesday afternoon. Referrals to this clinic must be made from one of the Doctors in Ashley.

Travel Medicines

Ashley Medical Centre provides travel advice and vaccination for Patients travelling abroad.

Patients travelling should collect a Travel Questionnaire from Reception. They will be contact with a suitable appointment with the Nurse for advice and vaccination. They may be asked to collect Prescriptions for vaccination prior to their appointment with the Nurse.

NO TRAVEL ADVICE will be given over the telephone. Some vaccination programmes may last several weeks so Patients are advised to consult as early as possible. Travel vaccination is the responsibility of Patients and this includes allotting time for assessment of need, obtaining and receiving of vaccination(s) to ensure their effectiveness.

Some vaccinations are not NHS funded and may attract a fee and/or Private prescription.

A fee is payable for appointments at the Travel Clinic for administration for Non NHS vaccination. No fee is payable for NHS approved vaccinations advice or administration

Care in Pregnancy

Ante-natal and post-natal care is offered in Ashley Medical Centre on Wednesday mornings with our Midwife 

Baby Clinic

The Baby Clinic is held on Wednesday mornings is for immunisations only. The Health Visitor is not available for advice, and will visit Patients in their own home. Patients who need to speak to the Health Visitor should telephone: 02891515354 and leave a message.

Clinic times are :

• 09.30am - 11.30am 
• 8 week Assessments
• Scheduled Vaccinations

Smoking Cessation Clinics Not Available at the Moment

Ashley Medical Centre provides Smoking Cessation support, advice and counselling to Patients. Appointments are available Monday to Friday, with either our Practice Nurse or Smoking Cessation Counsellor.

As per DHSSPSNI guidance, all Patients who smoke are referred annually to the Smoking Cessation Advisor. All new Patients who smoke are automatically referred to the Smoking Cessation Counsellor.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy will not be issued by GPs unless Patients have attended the Smoking Cessation Clinics.

Screening for Sexually Transmitted Infections

Screen for STI's normally previously required Patient to attend a Hospital Based clinic. From the 1st May 2012, these tests can be carried out by our Pracitce Nurse in the Surgery. Patient should make a double appointment with the Practice Nurse and bring with them a completed questionaire by following the link provided. This service is entirely confidential but where Patients are considered to have a higher risk of infection they will be referred to on to a Hospital Clinics.

Patient_Information_Leaflet_SH.doc  Sexual_Health_Self_Check_List.doc

Test Results

Patients are requested to wait at least ten working days before telephoning the Surgery for the results of blood and other tests. This gives time for the tests to be processed by the laboratories; results viewed and interpreted by Doctors and Nurses who will make decisions about any course of treatment. Tests or results that require immediate action or treatment will be dealt with appropriately, in some instances the Doctor or Nurses may telephone the patient directly.

Cervical Smear results as well as some types of blood tests can take up to a month to process and we would ask patients to refrain from contacting the Surgery unnecessarily as this creates pressure on our telephone lines and the time taken by staff in retrieving information not yet available.

Receptionists are trained in confidentiality and authorised to report on some test results, as these have already been viewed by the Doctor, who has left instructions, however abnormal or sensitive results will not be reported by Receptionists. (e.g. Pregnancy; Smears)

Unless we have the express written permission, to ensure confidentiality, test results will only be given to Patients themselves.

Urine samples for analysis may be left in 8.30 – 1.00pm.  They are initially tested by the Nurse and if deemed necessary sent to the laboratory for analysis. Urine samples left after 1.00 cannot be tested in the treatment room and not viable for testing the next day.

Urine samples tested 8.30 -1.00pm Patients should telephone after 4.30pm for results.

Services Provided in the Treatment Room

Our Practice Nurse Ashleigh, Treatment Room Nurse Jan and Kirsty our Healthcare Assistant provide treatment room services.

• Blood Testing
• Urine Testing
• BP Monitoring
• New Patient Health Checks
• Weight Management
• INR Monitoring
• Near Patient Testing for specialist Drug Therapy
• Dressings
• Removal of sutures

The Nurses also provide:

• Travel Advice and vaccination

New Guidelines issued by CREST (2010) for the use of Laboratories by GP Practices, gives guidance on the appropriateness of testing Patients and the intervals for testing

 Due to the increased pressures on laboratories and the costs associated with inappropriate testing, GP PRactice have been issued with guidance regarding the clinical indicaiton for frequency of testing. The most frequent test performed is cholesterol. We have set out below informatino for Patient on how to have their cholesterol tested and how often.

Patients eligible for Cholesterol Testing

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  Patients with Cardio vascular Disease (CVD); Diabetes; Stroke; Chronic Kidney Disease

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  Patients at risk of CVD:

  
  
  
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    Patients > 50 who smoke

  
  
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    Patients with family history of CVD or Stroke

  
  
  

Frequency of Testing (How Often)

1. 
   

   Patients on Cholesterol Lowering drugs, whose Cholesterol is stable (i.e. last two tests within range), should have their Cholesterol tested annually - minimum

1. 
   

   All other healthy adults the recommendation is 5 yearly.

Patients who are not eligible or who are requesting tests too frequently will be referred to the Doctors. Please help us reduce the pressure on the Practice and Laboratories by adhering to this guidance. If you are in doubt, please speak with our Nurses or Healthcare Assistant who will be happy to advise you. 

Many local Pharmacies offer cholesterol testing (fee applicable)

Thank you for your cooperation.

2024 - 2025

Flu and Flu like illnesses are increasing in the community. Patients eligible for flu vaccination and who have still not received their vaccination are encourage to do so as soon as possible. This includes women who are Pregnant at any stage.

Patients eligible for immunisation against Flu and Pneumococcal are:

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  Patients over 65 years before 1st April 2024

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  Carers (Those in receipt of carers allowance; or are the main carer or carer for eldery or disabled person) NOT for Health and Social Care workers or Care workers in the Private sector. These individuals should be vaccinated by their employers.

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  All Pregnant women

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  Patient 6mths - 65 years with chronic respiratory disease; chronic heart disease chronic kidney disease; chronic neurological disease; diabetes; Immunosuppressed through illness or medication; living in long stay residential or nursing homes.

Patients should make an appointment at reception.

Doctors are frequently asked to provide Non NHS Services for Patients including :