Clinics and Services

The following clinics are run, by appointment, at both surgeries unless otherwise stated.

Asthma Clinic

Arrange an appointment via the receptionist.

Cervical Smear Clinic

If you are aged between 25 and 65 then please arrange an appointment via the receptionist.

Childhood Immunisation Clinic

You will normally receive written advice from the Health Authority when routine immunisations are due.

• Broadstone Surgery - arrange an appointment via the receptionist
• Merley Surgery - arrange an appointment via the receptionist.

Contraception Services

This can be discussed on a case by case basis and your GP should be able to offer you advice.  We have GPs trained to fit both coils and implants for contraceptive purposes. 

Diabetic Clinic

Arrange an appointment with the Diabetic Nurse via the receptionist.

NHS Health Checks

Patients aged over 40 and under 75 will be invited to have a Health Check by the practice.  You will be invited to attend for one of these every 5 years. 

Please arrange an appointment via the reception.

Hearing Aid Batteries & Repair

Hearing aid batteries can be obtained from the receptionist during our normal opening hours. For simple repairs please contact the following:

Wimborne Hospital: for simple repairs on NHS hearing aids, please telephone 01202 841101 for an appointment.

Maternity Clinics

Arrange an appointment in your doctor's normal surgery, or with the midwife.

In House Services

The Practice provides a variety of services for its patients which would normally only be provided at a hospital. These include:

Physiotherapy, Psychology, Counselling, Dermatology and Chiropody.

Access to these services is by referral from your GP, with the exception of chiropody. For accessing chiropody an application form, obtainable from reception, must be completed and returned to the Practice to ensure that patients meet the criteria under which we are able to offer chiropody treatment.

Travel Advice / Immunisation

By appointment with the nurse. See the above tab for further details.

Social Prescription: Take Control of your Health & Wellbeing

Many things effect how well you feel and not all can be easily fixed by seeing a doctor or with medicines.

People often benefit from a different sort of prescription – one which helps them access support from different organisations, support groups and by getting involved in activities in the local community.

Social prescribing starts with a conversation between you and a social prescriber, someone trained to listen who will get to know you and understand your needs. Everybody is different, so your social prescriber will find and signpost you to the people and organisations which are right for you. This is what we call a social prescription.

For example, they will signpost you to services to help with:

• Social isolation and loneliness
• Emotional wellbeing
• Making healthy lifestyle choices
• Managing long-term health conditions
• Housing and financial problems impacting health
• Access to volunteering, training or employment.

The service is free and open to anyone over 13 years.

How do I contact a social prescriber?

It is simple. You can talk to your GP or other healthcare professional or speak to surgery reception staff. We will take care of the rest and contact you with an appointment.

Travel Vaccinations

If you require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you need to make an appointment with the practice nurse to discuss your travel arrangements. This will include which countries and areas within countries that you are visiting to determine what vaccinations are required.

There is further information about countries and vaccinations required on the links below

Europe & Russia	North America
Central America	South America
Caribbean	Africa
Middle East	Central Asia
East Asia	Australasia and Pacific

It is important to make this initial appointment as early as possible - at least 6 weeks before you travel - 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.

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.

Travelling in Europe

If you are travelling to Europe the EU has published useful information for travellers on the European website.

Non-NHS Services

Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore attract charges. Examples include the following:

• Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
• Insurance claim forms
• Passport signing
• Prescriptions for taking medication abroad
• Private sick notes
• Vaccination certificates
• Verification letters requested by patients

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

Test Results

You may telephone the surgery for the results of tests but please remember the following points:

1. Results will only be given to the specific patient to whom they apply. In the interest of confidentiality please be prepared to identify yourself. Please do not telephone for results of friends or relatives without prior arrangement (written consent may be required).
2. The surgery tends to be at its quietest after 13:00 and the receptionist will have more time to deal with your enquiry. Checking results is time consuming and requests at other times may result in you being asked to call back after 13:00.
3. You will need to know the specific test results that you require. Some tests take longer than others to process. If you have had several tests then the receptionist will not necessarily know whether all the results are back unless you identify them.
4. Please do not expect the receptionist to have any medical knowledge. They are instructed only to tell you if the test is normal. If any test is abnormal or you require further discussion or interpretation then please refer to your doctor.

Blood Tests

A blood test is when a sample is taken for testing in a laboratory. Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of diagnostic test. For example, a blood test can be used to:

• assess your general state of health;
• confirm the presence of a bacterial or viral infection;
• see how well certain organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are functioning.

A blood test usually involves the phlebotomist taking a blood sample from a blood vessel in your arm, the usual place for a sample is the inside of the elbow or wrist, where the veins are relatively close to the surface.

You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.

X-Ray

An X-ray is a widely used diagnostic test to examine the inside of the body. X-rays are a very effective way of detecting problems with bones, such as fractures. They can also often identify problems with soft tissue, such as pneumonia or breast cancer.

If you have a X-ray, you will be asked to lie on a table or stand against a surface so that the part of your body being X-rayed is between the X-ray tube and the photographic plate.

An X-ray is usually carried out by a radiographer, a healthcare professional who specialises in using imaging technology, such as X-rays and ultrasound scanners.

You can find out more about x-ray tests, how they are performed, their function and the risks by visiting the NHS Choices website.