We offer a range of clinics and services at the surgery. There are some tasks you can do, such as health reviews, using our online forms.
Health screening
We offer free NHS health checks to 40-75 year olds. Over 75s are offered blood pressure, urine, height and weight checks.
We advise that patients make an appointment every three years, so you can have your NHS health check. If you are over 75 we recommend that you have annual checks with the nurse.
A routine check is offered to you when you first register with the practice. These can be carried out at home if you are housebound.
It is advisable for women to accept offers of health screening from the surgery, such as cervical smears and breast check advice. Men should check their testicles once a month and women should check their breasts regularly.
Cervical screening for women
We recommend that all women between the ages of 25 and 65 should have regular cervical smear tests, unless advised by your doctor. Smear tests are carried out by our practice nurses and sometimes by our doctors. You will receive a reminder when your test is due, but if you have any doubt please ask.
The smear test is very important, so even if you do not wish to have a smear, which is your right, please come and discuss the matter with the doctor and don’t ignore our letter. Smear tests are performed every 3 years for those between ages 25 and 50, and every 5 years for those over the age of 50.
Family planning
The practice offers a full range of family planning advice and services, including the prescription of oral contraceptive, ‘morning after’ pills, depo injections and nexplanon implants.
Patients are asked to make an appointment with their doctor to discuss individual needs.
Emergency contraception
When emergency contraception is needed (e.g no contraception, condom failure) or for any other reason, the ‘morning after pill’ will work in most cases if taken up to 72 hours after sexual intercourse. However, we do recommend that it is taken as soon as possible.
If you wish to obtain ‘morning after’ pills, please contact the surgery for an initial consultation with the nurse to provide this. It should not be necessary to contact the emergency (out of hours) doctor service for this.
The ‘morning after’ pill is also available over the counter now from local pharmacies.
Emergency coil insertion for delayed emergency contraception (within 5 days of intercourse) is only available from family planning clinics.
Pregnancy test
The pregnancy tests available at the chemist are very accurate and will give you the answer immediately. It is very unusual that we need to confirm a pregnancy in the surgery. Please make an appointment with your doctor if your home pregnancy test is positive.
Antenatal clinic
Antenatal clinics are held at Halesworth Midwifery Hub on Tuesday, 1:30pm to 3:30pm.
If you are planning a pregnancy, we strongly recommend that you take folic acid 400 micrograms daily for three months prior to conception and until you are 12 weeks pregnant, as it is now known that this reduces the incidence of certain birth defects.
We also recommend that any woman who may be thinking of having children should consider having a blood test to check that she is still protected against German measles (rubella). When you become pregnant please make your initial appointment with your doctor.
Long-term conditions
It is very important that patients with the below conditions are seen regularly:
- Asthma – If your symptoms are deteriorating or you are having any concerns, please make an appointment with our nurse.
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- Epilepsy
- Hypertension (raised blood pressure)
- Thyroid disease
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease
Most long-term monitoring of these conditions is carried out by the nurses under the supervision of the doctors. Patients are individually advised regarding frequency of appointments, which can be made at a time convenient to each patient.
Post-natal group
Every Monday, 11am to midday, at Dragonflies Children’s Centre, a health visitor, and nursery nurse are available for weighing & advice. Milk tokens can be exchanged here each week.
Baby and toddler clinic
Held at Dragonflies Children’s Centre on the first and third Monday of every month, 2pm to 4pm, (excluding Bank Holidays). Infant formula milk and vitamin drops can be purchased between 3 to 3:30pm.
Minor injuries services
For more information, please visit our minor injuries services page.