SPLWs offer non-medical holistic support for social factors which impact health and wellbeing. Examples include isolation, financial worries, unemployment, anxiety, stress, and weight loss. SPLWs listen to people’s concerns and work with them to create a personalised care plan. The role of an SPLW is to link people to services, groups, activities, and information which may help to improve their situation

This clinic is run by the Carers Wellbeing Service once a month at our Practice, usually on the 3rd Thursday of the month. This is by appointment only. It is a wonderful service that can benefit any carer with support for various things such as practical issues and perhaps financial help or making emergency plans. Please enquire with our reception team if you are interested in this.

Annual Reviews /Chronic Disease Management

The management of patients with Chronic Diseases involves GPs, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Practice Nurses and Healthcare Assistants.

If you are diagnosed with any of the following conditions,you are offered a structured review annually by appointment (usually with a practice nurse – unless arranged otherwise with your GP). You will need to make this routine appointment with reception:

‘Vascular’ diseases:

Ischaemic (coronary) heart disease  eg. angina, or post heart attack.

Hypertension (raised blood pressure)

Peripheral vascular (arterial) disease

Stroke or TIA

‘Respiratory’ diseases:

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

Asthma

COPD

We have made some changes:

1.    Your review will be carried out by the Advanced Nurse Practitioner or Practice Nurse, followed by blood testing on the same visit ( if indicated).

2.     You may not need to have blood testing every year e.g. lipids (cholesterol)*

3.     All relevant reviews (e.g. asthma and hypertension) will be carried out at the same visit.

4.     Abnormal blood results (only) will be communicated to you, preferably by text. You are welcome to telephone us for results if you wish, in addition. 

Why have we made these changes?

1.     To reduce unnecessary visits to surgery for you  (and us)

2.     To reduce unnecessary blood testing (for you and the NHS)

3.    To ensure our practice meets with current clinical guidelines

4.     To ensure a clear review date is in place for yourselves and us

If you are Diabetic –you will be invited to Diabetes clinic in the usual way by post.  The Nurse will carry out any other relevant reviews at this appointment eg. COPD.

*Note: why have we reduced some blood testing ?

In some stable chronic disease e.g. hypertension, peripheral artery disease (but not if you already have a diagnosis of heart disease or stroke), we are interested in looking at future cardio-vascular disease risk for prevention purposes. We use a computerised tool called QRISK. This looks at several parameters  including, age, sex, blood pressure, Body Mass Index, cholesterol readings, family history etc. The result indicates the percentage risk of developing a vascular problem such as heart attack or stroke over the next 10 ears.

This is more useful than looking at e.g. a cholesterol result in isolation. Year on year, QRISK results do not alter dramatically. Therefore, checking cholesterol annually may be excessive and not needed. NICE asks us to advise you when your QRISK result is equal or higher than 10%, so that we can offer statin treatment. We also screen for diabetes in vascular at risk patients every 2 years. Some drug treatments eg. Ramipril (ACE Inhibitor) or Indapamide, Bendroflumethazide (diuretic) require monitoring of kidney function every year. We will tailor your annual review plan to your own requirements. Respiratory conditions do not require blood testing.

The doctors and nurses.

Brig Royd  Surgery.

All patients requiring travel advice must initially fill out our travel vaccinations form. This will need to be completed and returned to us as soon as possible for assessment of what if any vaccinations are required. An appointment will make an appointment with the practice nurse if needed prior to travel. The nurse will advise you of the schedule of recommended vaccinations and the costs involved.

Travel Risk Assessment Form

Further support and information

• You can speak to your local pharmacist, GP or practice nurse

• NHS Choices provides advice about all vaccines (including travel) https://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/category.aspx?CategoryID=67

• The Patients Association can also offer support and advice: https://www.patients-association.org.uk/ or call 020 8423 8999

Find out more about the medicines that are being stopped or reduced: https://www.england.nhs.uk/medicines/items-which-should-not-be-routinelyprescribed/

Some services are not included in the NHS contract and so there will be a charge for those.

Most forms for insurance companies, private sick notes and private health claims forms are in this category.

We do not do Certification of fitness to swim channel etc or Taxi medicals

Payment may be made by cash or BACS. The surgery does not accept card payments. All reports will be completed within a 4-6 week timescale and payment must be made in advance. The work will not be allocated until payment has been made. If the work is required urgently (within 7 days) an additional fee of £60.00 will be charged.

Patients should access the specialist Yorkshire Smokefree service on 0800 612 0011 or 0330 660 1166.

The doctor or nurse may need to examine you. In accordance with NHS Calderdale policy, a chaperone is available if required. Please ask if you would prefer a chaperone to be present during an examination.

For patients aged 16 to 75 years who have not attended within three years (or for over 75s, within one year) the practice offers an appropriate health check on request. Appointments for all health checks can be made with the practice nurses who are trained in health promotion and will concentrate on blood pressure, diet, weight, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, urine testing and blood tests for cholesterol where appropriate.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm screening   

As part of the AAA screening programme  for men over 65 we host the Aortic Aneurysm screening service.

Some doctors in the practice carry out minor surgical procedures in the surgery in line with the NHS Contract. Patients must be assessed in a GP appointment initially to see if it is suitable to go ahead.

If the procedure is authorised, you will be added to a waiting list and usually contacted within 12 weeks with an appointment.