The Avenue Surgery - The clinics and other services offered by our doctors surgery

Noticeboard

MORE EVENING AND SATURDAY & SUNDAY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE

Click on link for further information :

Evening appointments

There are now extra routine appointments available in the evening, making it easier for you to get an appointment at a time to suit you.

A virtual clinical pharmacist service. This is a telephone appointment for patients who: need to speak to a pharmacist regarding a medication issue; but don’t need to come to the surgery. The pharmacists are able to prescribe and organise prescriptions electronically.

A virtual musculoskeletal (MSK) service This is a telephone appointment for patients who need to speak to an advanced physiotherapist regarding muscle and joint problems. They will issue advice and where appropriate arrange a follow

A virtual mental health support service (Healthy Minds) This is a telephone appointment for patients aged 18 and over who would like help with emotional wellbeing. It will provide a 20minute telephone consultation with Healthy Minds Practitioners who will be able to offer support for patients experiencing low mood, stress or anxiety. They will offer support, explore and develop coping strategies and offer signposting and recommend other support services. Please speak to the Reception team for further information on how to book an appointment.

For any of the above please speak to the reception team for further information on how to book one of these appointments.

Saturday & Sunday morning face to face appointments

There are now routine appointments available on Saturday and Sunday morning from 9am-12pm available through our extended access service at:

Rutland Lodge Medical Practice, Scott Hall Road, Leeds, LS7 3DR

This increased availability is an extension of the services offered by your practice and is provided by a range of local clinicians including GPs, nurses and health care assistants.

Please note, this is not a walk-in service – you still need to make an appointment. Appointments can be made either via your own GP practice or by calling the extended access team on 0113 221 3540 between 9am and 12pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Extended Access appointments are for routine general practice issues and not for urgent care. If your practice is closed and you are unwell please call NHS 111.

Clinics & Services

Nurse Clinics

pregnant3 They can help you in many ways:

Advice on life style and diet
Teaching breast awareness
Immunisation and travel advice
Advice on family planning and cervical smears
Blood pressure and urine testing
Smoking cessation - referral available to clinics
Monitoring patients with asthma, COPD, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease
NHS Health Check (Age 40 – 74)

Ante-Natal Clinic

Clinics are held on a Thursday by a midwife at The Avenue. Please make an appointment.

Baby Clinic

The Avenue Surgery – Second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 9.30 to 10.15am.

The baby clinics are held by a doctor, nurse and one of our patient support team for child developmental checks, immunisations and weighing. No appointments necessary. Please do not bring children to Baby Clinic if they are ill.

Asthma & Diabetes Clinic

Clinics are held by the practice nurses – please make an appointment. Please note – if you are attending the Asthma Clinic you should bring your inhalers with you.

Family Planning Advice

We are happy to discuss all aspects of family planning and carry out cervical smears etc including contraceptive implants. Young people can be absolutely sure that anything they discuss with members of the practice team will stay confidential and nothing will be said to their parents, teachers etc without their permission.

Smoking Cessation Advice

Over 100,000 people die in the UK annually from smoking related illness. Advice and support are available. Please make an appointment with the practice nurses who can refer you to a local smoking cessation clinic. You can also self refer by visiting http://oneyouleeds.co.uk/ or telephone 08001694219.

Travel Immunisation And Vaccinations

The practice nurses offer a wide range of vaccinations and travel advice. Please make an appointment, preferably twelve weeks in advance of your holiday, to ensure adequate protection. Further advice can be found at https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.net

FLU And Pneumonia Immunisation

An influenza vaccination is particularly recommended for patients aged over 65 and those younger patients who have heart, lung or kidney disease, diabetes and also residents of nursing and rest homes and Carers. Eligible patients will be contacted in September annually with details.

Other Services Available

Service	Who to see
Cervical smears	Practice Nurse
Immunisation (children, adults and for travel)	Practice Nurse
Emergency Contraception	Doctor
General health advice including diet, Smoking cessation, exercise etc	Doctor or Practice Nurse
Appliances for the disabled or Home Care	Community nurse or Social Services
Health advice for foreign travel	Practice Nurse

Minor Injuries

minor_injury10 NHS Leeds has chosen not to commission a Minor Injury service from GPs. Therefore, any patient with a minor injury must attend a hospital A&E Department or a Minor Injuries Unit for further care and advice.

Wharfedale Minor Injuries Unit

Newall Carr Road
Otley
LS21 2LY

Telephone: 0113 392 1647

A&E units can be found at Leeds General Infirmary and St James's Hospital and also Harrogate District Hospital. (There is no Emergency Department for children under 16 years old at St James's University Hospital)

When should your child be immunised?

Children’s’ immunisations are performed by the nurses during the Baby Clinics – no appointment necessary. More information about child health can be found in our Live Well section .

Attached Services

DistrictNurses

home_visit3 The district nurses provide a wide range of nursing care.

Tel: 0113 8433355(during office hours plus weekends and bank holidays) Out of hours number is 0113 8431758.

Health Visitors

Health Visitors can give advice on health care for mothers, babies and children up to school age.

They can be contacted on:

0113 8435683

Midwife

The midwife runs our ante-natal clinics at The Avenue Surgery and gives advice on all aspects of health for mothers-to-be and on the care and feeding of newborn babies. She can be contacted via our reception staff or during ante-natal clinics.

Overseas Travel

departure_board Travelling abroad is so common these days that it is often easy to forget the necessary precautions. Consult our practice nurses at least three months before departure. They will advise you what vaccinations and medicines you may need.

Make sure that you have adequate health insurance. If you are visiting an EEC country you will need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Application forms are available at Post Offices or apply by telephone to the NHSBSA EHIC Line on 0845 606 2030 or you can complete your application ‘on-line’ at http://www.ehic.org.uk/ .

Take a small first-aid kit with you and beware of bites from insects and animals as many diseases are insect-borne and rabies is widespread. Be careful with raw vegetables, salads, fruit, shellfish and ice-cubes.

Respect the power of the sun! Use suncreams regularly (at least Factor 25 for children) and wear a hat.

Sexually transmitted diseases (including AIDS) are a major health threat throughout the world. Condoms offer some protection.

If your doctor advises you to take anti-malarial tablets remember that you need to start taking them one or two weeks before departure and continue until four weeks after your return. These tablets are available from a Pharmacy and are essential if you are traveling to areas where malaria is present. Please note that any medications prescribed for holiday use are only available on private prescription.

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

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 a very useful booklet has been published with advice and guidance to help you get the most out of your holiday. To visit please click:- http://ec.europa.eu/publications/booklets/eu_glance/86/en.pdf (this is a large document and may take a minute or two to view)

Non-NHS/Private Services

Some services are not available on the NHS. Private medicals (for employment, elderly drivers, sports and some types of insurances) must be paid for by the patient.

There are notices at reception to inform patients of the current charges. If you are unsure – please ask!

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

Sickness Certificates 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).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

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)