St Johns Medical Centre

St Johns Medical Centre St Johns Road, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 2NW Tel: 0161 928 5522 Fax: 0161 929 8550 www.stjohnsmedicalcentre.co.uk

Welcome To INTRODUCTION This booklet tells you about the practice and the services that we offer. We hope that you find it both helpful and informative and we suggest that you keep it in a safe place for future reference. Our aim is to provide an efficient service, delivered by a team of dedicated professionals. The practice is fully computerised and we are registered under the Data Protection Act 1984. This booklet lists the services we provide and the procedures we ask you to follow to ensure the smooth running of the practice. SURGERY OPENING HOURS Monday - Friday 8.00am - 6.30pm Reception staff will be available during this time to deal with your queries either face to face at the reception desk or via the phone system. The surgery can offer extended hours, early morning and late evening appointments. THE DOCTORS Dr Christopher J Davies BSc BMedSci BM BS DRCOG MRCP MRCGP (Qualified Nottingham 1981) Dr Deborah J Marsh MB ChB DRCOG MRCGP DFFP (Qualified Leeds 1989) Dr Jane P Allred MB ChB MRCGP DRCOG DFFP (Qualified Manchester 1978) Dr Marik Sangha MB ChB MRCGP (Qualified Manchester 1992) Dr Nigel P Lord MB ChB MRCGP (Qualified Sheffield 1991) Dr Rebecca V Bell MB ChB MRCGP DRCOG DFSRH (Qualified Sheffield 2003) Dr Scott Pearson MB ChB BSC MRCGP (Qualified Warwick 2007) Dr Thomas Earnshaw MB ChB MRCGP DRCOG (Qualified Sheffield 1998)

PRACTICE STAFF Practice Manager Assistant Practice Manager Practice Nurses Healthcare Assistant Head Receptionist Reception Team Ian Sadler Sandra Walton Sister Ann Tracey Sister Eileen Wiggins Sister Janice Kreissl Deborah Davies Laura Russell Amanda Window Anne Taylor Beverley Reilly Katie Russell Linda Humphreys Lindsey Franklin Lynn Steele Sue Thorniley Grazia Norris Marlies Armstrong Secretaries Administration Alison Bayliff Lyn Nurse Tracey Varley Lynnette Johnson Wendy Roberts APPOINTMENTS During normal surgery hours appointments can be made by ringing the surgery number and choosing option 1. Routine Appointments can be booked up to six weeks in advance by telephoning the normal surgery number. All the doctors hold surgeries by appointment; urgent cases will be seen on the same day by the duty doctor, but to offer this service, you will need to be flexible regarding the appointment time; otherwise you will be offered the first available appointment. Please arrive promptly to avoid inconvenience to other patients. Patients who do arrive late may be asked to re-book their appointment. We lose a great deal of appointment time each week to patients who don't cancel their appointments, or do not attend at all. If you need to cancel your appointment please give us at least 1 hours notice if possible. This means your appointment time can be offered to another patient. Appointments can be cancelled by pressing option 3. We also offer 5 minute telephone consultations, which can be booked with a doctor.

MESSAGES/EMAIL Messages can be left for GP's (if they are urgent) via the secretaries using option 2. Please note that our secretaries are only available between 10am 3pm. Urgent messages for the practice nurses and other staff can be left via reception using option 1. If the matter is not urgent, please either write or email the practice. Our email address is: admin.stjohns@nhs.net THE PRACTICE NURSES/HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT The practice nurses can be seen from 8.30am to 6.15pm by appointment Monday to Friday and are able to provide the following services. They have all undertaken specialist training in chronic disease management (i.e. diabetes, asthma, COPD and CHD, injections (including holiday vaccinations), well person checks, stop smoking advice, smears, dietary advice (including weight loss and cholesterol lowering), general advice on minor health problems and blood pressure checks. Patients who arrive late may be asked to re-book their appointment. THE PRACTICE MANAGER Ian Sadler Ian Sadler is responsible for the management of the practice. He is happy to discuss any difficulties you may have and welcomes your comments on the service we provide. RECEPTION STAFF Our receptionists are trained to take essential details sympathetically and in complete confidence. They are able to help with appointments and give information on the facilities available. HOME VISITS The doctors do home visits under certain circumstances. Please telephone before 10.00am if possible. When requesting a home visit please indicate the nature of your request (this information is strictly confidential) as this allows the doctor to judge the urgency and the appropriateness of the planned visits. The doctor may ring you back before visiting. If you can come to the surgery, this helps you as we have better facilities for examination and treatment.

REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS Your doctor may wish to give you a computerised repeat prescription slip, which enables you to obtain repeat medication for a specific period. Or you can fill in one of the Repeat Prescription slips on our reception area. Please return your request to us using the letter box by the surgeries main front door. Repeat prescriptions can also be ordered via Email. Please send your request to: prescriptions.stjohns@nhs.net stating your name, date of birth, first line of your address and telephone number along with your request. Prescriptions can be sent to, and collected from local pharmacies by arrangement with the pharmacy. You can also arrange with the pharmacy to deliver your prescription to your home. DISTRICT NURSES AND HEALTH VISITORS Community District Nurses are attached to the practice and are available to help patients who need nursing assistance at home. Visits are arranged in liaison with hospitals and your doctor. The Health Visitors may give advice on health care, particularly for expectant and nursing mothers, small children, the elderly and the handicapped. The district nurses and health visitors may be contacted through the medical centre and District Nurses - Phone: 0300 323 0303 Health Visitors, Sale Waterside - Phone: 912 4044 MIDWIVES We hold a Clinic on Wednesday mornings at the surgery. Please phone the surgery or ask our receptionist for an appointment. The community midwives provide antenatal and postnatal care and can be contacted directly on - Phone: 291 2942. SOCIAL SERVICES Social Workers will consider requests for home care, meals on wheels and re-housing. Social Services Trafford MBC Waterside House Sale Waterside M33 7ZF Phone: 912 5199 or 912 5770

FOR ADVICE Our secretaries can assist with referral enquiries, letters and test results between 10.00am and 3.00pm, Monday to Friday. PRACTICE BOUNDARY NEW PATIENTS New patients registering with the practice must live within the practice boundary. South: West: North: East: River Bollin - Ashley Road to A556 A556 - River Bollin to Regent Road Regent Road, Railway Street, Lloyd Street, Stamford New Road, Moss Lane, Westminster Road, Hale Road to Delahays/Park Road Park Road, Bankhall Lane to Ashley Road FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED Facilities are available for disabled patients with disabled toilets and parking at the rear of the building. Wheelchair access to the building is through the main entrance. Should any further assistance be required, a member of our reception team will be happy to help wherever possible. LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATORS The team at the practice are English speaking. Translators can be arranged with advance notice if required. Please phone the surgery or advise our receptionist when booking your appointment. The surgery offers a range of clinics: WHAT THE PRACTICE OFFERS Family Planning We offer a comprehensive family planning service which is run by the doctors in conjunction with our practice nurses. Pregnancy Antenatal care is provided by all doctors at the medical centre. The midwife runs the routine antenatal clinics. Care is shared with a local hospital although most of your visits will be to the midwife. Diabetic, Asthma, Cardiac, COPD And Hypertension Clinics These are run by our practice nurse specialists.

Minor Surgery The practice is equipped to carry out some minor surgery procedures at the discretion of the doctor. Over 75 Reviews Patients are welcome to attend for health checks carried out by our practice nurses. Well Person Clinics Patients are welcome to attend for health checks carried out by our practice nurses. Stop Smoking Clinics Patients wishing to stop smoking can make an appointment to discuss options with our practice nurse. Flu Vaccination This is offered in the autumn to those with chest, heart or other chronic illnesses and particularly the elderly. We also offer pneumonia vaccinations for the over 65s or those with chest, heart and other chronic diseases. This vaccination can be given at anytime of the year. Holiday Vaccinations If you are travelling abroad, please see a practice nurse about the need for special vaccinations e.g. typhoid, hepatitis, malaria etc. A charge will be made for some vaccinations. Please enquire at the surgery. Please ensure you contact the surgery in good time - some vaccinations do take time to become active. St Johns Medical Centre is a registered Yellow Fever Centre. However, If we are unable to accommodate the timescale for your injections, you can contact: Travel Health Clinic 66-68 Bridge Street Manchester M3 2RJ Phone: 832 2134 Immunisations Baby and pre-school immunisation clinics are held each Thursday between 9.00 and 10.30am at the surgery. Adult immunisation is also available by appointment with one of our practice nurses. Medical Examinations and Private Certificates/Forms etc For medical examinations not covered by the NHS, such as those for pilots, elderly drivers, taxi drivers, HGV licences, forms, exemption certificates, private health insurance forms and medical insurance etc, please telephone our secretaries who will be able to inform you of the fees for non-nhs work and can arrange an appointment. Sickness Certificates The first week of an illness or hospital admission is covered by a Self Certification Certificate (Form SC1 or SC2) obtainable from your employer. If you need further time off work please contact reception for a DSS certificate. You may need to see your doctor.

HOW TO REGISTER You can register with St Johns by attending the surgery and completing a new patient registration form. You have the right to register with the individual doctor of your choice. You should bring along your medical card/nhs Number, Driving Licence or Passport (for photo ID) and a bill with your name and address that you are registering with us. Patients in the EU who are not permanent residents within the UK, require an E111 in order to receive treatment, If you have any issues regarding registering at the surgery please contact the Practice Manager. If you have any other issues, you can contact the Patient Data Department at LASCA on 01772 221 444 or www.lasca.nhs.uk WHAT TO DO WHEN THE SURGERY IS CLOSED If you need a doctor when the surgery is closed, please phone our normal phone number 928 5522. You will be given 2 options. Phone NHS 111 Service by dialing 111 for further advice. or for an EMERGENCY press Option 1 where you will be directed to Mastercall Healthcare Ltd. NHS 111 Service (Previously known as NHS Direct) NHS Direct has now changed to NHS 111 Service. You can contact this service by dialling 111 from your phone. LOCAL WALK-IN CENTRES Walk-in Centres have been set up to provide instant access to treatment for ailments such as strains, sprains, bites and minor burns etc. Our nearest Walk-in Centre is at: Trafford General Hospital Moorside Road, Urmston, M41 7BD 8am - 8pm

PLEASE BE PATIENT All the staff in the practice try to provide care for the patients as efficiently as possible. However, as a large practice, the unexpected and the emergency may occasionally cause disruption or delay. Please try to be considerate to the other patients, doctors and our staff: The next emergency may be you! POLICY ON VIOLENT AND AGGRESSIVE PATIENTS The doctors and staff at St Johns will not tolerate violent and aggressive patients, or verbal abuse. Such patients will be asked to leave the practice. CHANGE OF ADDRESS Please notify us immediately of any change of name, address or telephone number. Patients who move out of the practice area will be asked to find an alternative surgery. PATIENT ADVICE AND LIAISON SERVICE PALS has been set up by NHS Englsnd to help patients when you need CONFIDENTIAL advice, have concerns or do not know where to turn. They provide a confidential listening service, help to resolve any concerns patients, their families and friends may have, information about health services and the best way to access them along with details of other organisations and information about complaints procedures. Trafford Patient Advice & Liaison, Trafford General Hospital, Moorside Road, Urmston, M41 7BD Phone: 0161 746 2019

PATIENT COMMENTS If you have any queries about our arrangements or services, the practice will be only too pleased to help. Please contact the Practice Manager with any concerns or issues. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE We will always try to resolve any complaint you might have about a doctor, any practice staff or the services provided by us. In the first instance please ask our receptionist for a Complaints procedure pack. This will give you details of how to contact our Practice Manager. If you remain dissatisfied, you may telephone or write to: The Health Care Commission, Complaints Team, Peter House, Oxford Street, Manchester. M1 5AN. Phone: 0207 7448 9200. ACCESS TO INFORMATION All patients have the right to have access to their patient records. If you do wish to see your records, a form is available from reception which will explain the procedure. If copies of the notes are required, a charge will be made. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION - PUBLICATION SCHEME The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a publication scheme. A publication scheme is a guide to the 'classes' of information the practice intends to routinely make available. Please ask at reception for a copy of the relevant documents. PATIENT CHARTER The practice has a patient charter. If you would like a copy please ask at reception. We are continually reviewing our procedures and trying to improve that standard of care delivered to our patients. You can also play a part in helping us to provide an efficient service by: advising us in good time if you are unable to keep your appointment. giving the doctor all relevant information. letting us know when you move address. keeping your medical card in a safe place. calling out the doctor (out of hours) only in an emergency and not for routine treatment or advice. remembering that if you need to book a home visit, please ring before 10.00am, if at all possible.

PRIVATE FEES FOR NON-NHS WORK Certain patient requests involve work to the Medical Centre which is outside of our NHS terms of service. Although we have no duty to provide this extra work to our patients, we do so for their benefit. This extra private work, however, involves the time of reception, administration and secretarial staff as well as the time of the doctors. This time and expertise is not funded by the NHS and therefore invites a fee. The increased volume of this work has resulted in a practice policy of charging for private work in all cases. A list of fees is available at reception and is based on the fee structure set out by the British Medical Association. It is the same as that used in most GP surgeries in the United Kingdom and is structured to reflect not only the time of the doctor and their staff but also the clinical responsibility taken by a doctor on signing any form for a patient. The fees are very favourable when compared with other professional groups. Examples of such private work include: private health insurance claim forms e.g. BUPA, PPP. private medicals e.g. HGV, scuba diving, motor racing etc. travel cancellation forms. driving licence verification. private certificates relating to fitness to travel. private certificates regarding inability to attend work or school due to illness e.g. illness around exams etc. Should you have any further queries, please feel free to address them to the Practice Manager.

SELF TREATMENT OF COMMON ILLNESSES AND ACCIDENTS Many minor illnesses get better on their own or can be treated by medicines easily available over the counter at the chemist. Pharmacists can give advice or will tell you to contact your doctor if they feel it is necessary. Back Pain This is usually caused by over-use or bad posture. Initially, take paracetamol and rest but if the pain persists more than a few days it is advisable to consult a doctor. Sore Throats, Colds and Influenza These are often caused by a virus for which there is no need for antibiotics. Most symptoms get better on their own with rest and plenty of fluids. Some relief can be gained by using throat lozenges and soothing drinks. Soluble aspirin gargles can ease the pain of a sore throat. (Aspirin is NOT suitable for children.) Diarrhoea and Vomiting This is a common complaint for which patients ring the surgery for advice. It is usually due to food poisoning or a virus. Both usually settle within 24-36 hours. Drink small quantities of fluid like glucose water (Lucozade) frequently and starve for 24 hours. If symptoms persist for more than 24 hours or are accompanied by severe pain, consult your doctor. Burns Apply running cold water to the affected area as soon as possible and leave it running for 10 minutes. This will ease the pain. If the skin is unbroken apply a loose dressing. If the burn is large or if the skin is broken consult your doctor or the casualty department. Do not try to remove clothing which is stuck to the skin.

Accident & Emergency (A&E) USEFUL CONTACTS Always dial 999 if you have a severe injury or have had a serious accident. Wythenshawe Hospital 998 7070 Trafford General Hospital 748 4022 Manchester Royal Infirmary 276 1234 Manchester Children's Hospital 701 9101 Minor Injuries Altrincham General Hospital 928 6111 Other Hospitals Stretford Memorial 881 5353 Wythenshawe 998 7070 Withington 434 5555 Hope 789 7373 Central Manchester 276 1234 Christies 446 3000 St Mary's 276 1234 Advice NHS 111 Service 111 PALS 746 2019 Community Contacts Evening & Weekends District Nurses 973 1329 Community Drugs Team 912 3170 One Stop Resource Centre 283 4626 Social Services Trafford Community Action Team 912 5199 Trafford Out-Of-Hours 912 2020 (Duty Social Worker) Trafford MBC Trafford Direct 912 2000 Trafford Carers Line 861 0101 First Aid St John Ambulance 020 7324 4000 Giving Blood National Blood Service 0845 7711 711

LOCAL CHEMISTS Barry Bladon, Hale 928 1233 Boots, Altrincham 928 4471 Boots, Retail Park 9285024 Bowdon Pharmacy, Bowdon 929 9005 Broomwood Pharmacy, Timperley 980 0869 Cohens, Hale 928 1662 Co-op, Timperley 980 8880 Helgasons Pharmacy, Altrincham 928 1384 John Hugall Ltd, Sale 973 1056 Lloyds Chemist, Hale Barns 980 5247 Lloyds Chemist, Hale 980 2424 Oldfield Pharmacy, Oldfield Brow 942 9701 Pelican Pharmacy, West Timperley 962 4255 Riddings Pharmacy, Timperley 973 2951 Rowlands Pharmacy 928 2114 Sainsburys 941 3185 Station Pharmacy, Timperley 973 1238 Terrys Chemist, Broadheath 928 1275 Tesco's Pharmacy, Altrincham 252 7447 April 2013