Clinics & Services

Child Health Clinics

The health and wellbeing of the babies and pre-school children in our practice is monitored jointly by the doctor and the health visitor. Children will be checked at regular intervals during their first five years and you will be advised when your child is due for examination. Arrangements will be made for your child to receive all the necessary immunisations at the appropriate times. The health visitor is contactable on 01522 308800.

Immunisations and Vaccinations

These can be done by the practice nurse and we are always happy to give the relevant advice. If you are travelling abroad you may well require special immunisations or antimalarial tablets. Most immunisations for travelling abroad are free under the NHS but a charge is made for some injections, including Hepatitis B injections and for anti-malarial tablets, which are not available under the NHS.

Family Planning

We provide a full range of contraceptive services and advice. For contraceptive advice, please book a routine appointment with the doctor or practice nurse. The doctor and practice nurse are also happy to give advice on prenatal care if you are planning to become pregnant.

CARERS FIRST LINCOLNSHIRE

Carers FIRST delivers the Lincolnshire Carers Service in partnership with the Lincolnshire County Council's Customer Service Centre.  Together they provide a wide range of services to carers across the county.

You can find information on their website about financial support, working carers, practical help and looking after yourself.

Visit their website for full details.

Did you know?

If you are an unpaid carer and the person you care for is admitted into hospital (Lincoln, Grantham or Boston), you can visit the PALS office who will take some details from you and issue you with a carer's badge and lanyard.  This will allow you to be clearly seen on the ward as a carer and enable you FREE access during the day and not be restricted at visiting times. 

Ask at the hospital reception for directions to the PALS office.

Lincolnshire Carers Emergency Response Card

Should something happen to you, e.g. YOU were suddenly admitted to hospital, and you are a carer, you can request a FREE Carers Emergency Response Card.  This will alert people that you are a carer for someone and arrangements can be made for short-term care for that person until you can make appropriate arrangements.

The contact number to request a Carers Emergency Response card is the Lincolnshire Carer's Service on 01522 782224.

KEY CONTACTS

EMERGENCY DUTY TEAM (out of hours)
01522 782333

Lincolnshire County Council Carers Service
01522 782224
Website: CLICK HERE
Email: CarersService@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Carers First
0300 303 1555
Website: CLICK HERE
Email: info@carersfirst.org.uk

Lincolnshire Young Carers
01522 553275
Website: CLICK HERE
Email: youngcarers@lincolnshire.gcsx.gov.uk

Every-One
01522 811582
Website: CLICK HERE
Email: hello@every-one.org.uk

FLU INFORMATION 2018-2019

This year there are 2 different types of flu vaccine.  One for the 65's and over, and a different vaccination for the under 65's in the at-risk groups or with a long-term condition. It is never too late to have your flu jab - call the surgery to book an appointment.

If you have any questions regarding the flu vaccine please call the surgery on 01522 263444.

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
• Prescriptions for taking medication abroad
• Private sick notes
• Vaccination certificates

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.

Requests for non-NHS services are completed in addition to the doctors' NHS responsibilities, as such these usually take a minimum of 2 weeks for completion and are treated as "private work".  

CONNECT TO SUPPORT LINCOLNSHIRE

Lincolnshire County Council Adult Care and Community Wellbeing, together with Lincolnshire NHS have now launched their partnership online Library of Information and Services called Connect to Support Lincolnshire.  This is being provided in conjunction with Lincs2Advice. 

Connect to Support Lincolnshire will provide people with a range of options on how care, support, health and community services can be accessed.  Alongside the website, it will offer remote support by telephone, email, and web chat.  Live operators will be available Monday to Friday 2.00pm to 7.00pm and Saturday 10.00am to 2.00pm.

The site will provide an online directory of providers and services, alongside information and advice content pages.

Visit their website Connect to Support Lincolnshire

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service offers confidential advice, support and information on health related matters. They provide a point of contact for patients, families and their carers. 

They can:

• help you with health related questions
• help resolve concerns or problems when you're using the NHS
• tell you how to get more involved in your own healthcare

PALS can also give you information about:

• the NHS
• the NHS complaints procedure, including how to get independent help if you want to make a complaint
• support groups outside the NHS

You can find your nearest PALS office by clicking HERE. Enter in the name of the town where the hospital/ clinic is located that relates to your query, e.g. Lincoln, Gainsborough etc.

Steps 2 Change
NHS Talking Therapies for Lincolnshire

1 in 4 of us experience common mental health problems at some point in our lives.  If you feel that your daily life is being affected by conditions such as stress, anxiety or depression then they are here to help.

Steps 2 Change are part of Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and offer a range of talking therapies tailored to meet your individual needs. They are FREE of charge, proven to be effective and helpful and provided by experienced and qualified professionals. You can SELF-REFER if you do not want to see your GP.  Visit their website for more information:

steps2change

British Tinnitus Association

Tinnitus is the perception of noises in the head and/ or ear which have no external source, it is often described as buzzing or ringing in the ears.  The British Tinnitus Association's vision is a world where no one suffers from tinnitus.  Access their website for information, ways to help and their latest news.

British Tinnitus Association

NHS 111 British Sign Language Interpreter Service

Using your computer and webcam, or the InterpreterNow app on your smartphone or tablet, you make a video call to a BSL interpreter.

The interpreter telephones an NHS 111 adviser and relays your conversation with them. The NHS 111 adviser will ask you questions to assess your symptoms, then give you the healthcare advice you need or direct you straightaway to the local service that can help you best.

Where possible the NHS 111 team will book you an appointment or transfer you directly to the people you need to speak to.

If NHS 111 advisers think you need an ambulance they will immediately arrange one for you.  Interpreter Now

STAYING SAFE

The Staying Safe website is a potentially life-saving resource developed by 4 Mental Health, with invaluable input from international academics, mental health practitioners, people who have survived suicidal thoughts and those personally affected by suicide through bereavement.

They offer compassion, kindness and easy ways to help keep people safer from thoughts of harm and suicide, seek support and discover hope of recovery through powerful videos from people with personal experience.

The website provides vital ‘Safety Plan' guidance tools jointly funded by NHS England, with easy to print / online templates and guidance video tutorials purposefully designed to help people through the process of writing their own Safety Plan. A Safety Plan helps to build hope, identify actions and strategies to resist suicidal thoughts and develop positive ways to cope with stress and emotional distress.

Visit their WEBSITE

BRITISH LUNG FOUNDATION

If you have been diagnosed with COPD or Asthma the British Lung Foundation can provide you with a wealth of information and advice.  They also have advice on children, as well as advice on quitting smoking and living with a lung condition.

You can find help and guidance on the British Lung Foundation website.

Lincolnshire Integrated Sexual Health Service (LiSH)

A confidential, free, non-judgemental sexual health service.

• Sexual health advice & information
• Contraception including Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) - sub dermal implants and Intra-uterine devices/ coils
• C-Card scheme (free condoms ages 13-19)
• STI diagnosis and treatment
• HIV diagnosis and treatment
• Post-exposure prophylaxis
• Genitourinary medicine
• Emergency hormonal contraception
• Pregnancy testing
• Counselling and referral for termination
• Free condoms
• Psychosexual counselling
• Training and conferences

Contact number for patients seeking to book an appointment: 01522 309309
8 am to 7.30 pm Monday-Thursday. 
8 am to 4.30 pm Friday

Online booking: https://lincolnonline.blithecloud.co.uk

Website: www.lincolnshiresexualhealth.nhs.uk

Centres are located in Boston, Grantham, Sleaford, Lincoln, Skegness, Gainsborough, Spalding and Louth

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

Your employer can ask you to confirm that you've been ill.You can do this by filling in a form yourself when you return to work. This is called self-certification.

If you're sick and off work for more than seven days, your employer will probably ask for proof of your illness. Most employers ask for a fit note from your GP.

However, this will also depend on your employer's company policy on sick leave (or sickness absence). This policy should tell you how many days you can be off sick before you need to provide proof of illness or a fit note.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

Examinations and sickness certificates

It should be noted that GPs do not provide sick notes for schoolchildren. When children are absent from school owing to illness, schools may request a letter from a parent or guardian, and this is no different during an exam period. However, children who have missed exams due to illness are frequently told by schools that a note from a doctor is required; but this cannot be provided by a GP. Aside from the fact that parents/guardians are responsible for excusing their children from school, GPs cannot provide retrospective sickness certification. When a child suffers from a long-term condition, any certification will be provided by the responsible specialist.

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.

Travel Health Questionnaire

To help us offer the appropriate advice, please fill out the online form before coming to see the nurse.

Travel Questionnaire

Travelling in Europe

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

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