Surgery clinics

This includes flu and travel.

We provide a high quality nurse led service for asthmatic patients. This involves medication review, patient education, ongoing advice and the monitoring of response to treatment. We recommend that patients with asthma or other chronic respiratory conditions should be reviewed at least annually. If your condition is less well controlled we may suggest more frequent review.

Smears involve a simple quick test to check for changes that occur before cancer develops. These changes can be easily treated in an outpatient clinic. It is recommended that women and people with a cervix aged between 25 and 64 years have regular smear tests, three yearly between the ages of 25-49 and every five years between the ages of 50-64.

All eligible patients will be sent a letter when their smear tests become due, but if you think you are due and have not been called, please let us know. Smear tests are carried out by our practice nurses by appointment.

This is in conjunction with the health visitors.

If you have been advised by the surgery to submit a Coronary Heart Disease review, please use the Anima service.

Including coil fitting, emergency contraception and hormonal implants.

There is a lot of information regarding the menopause and HRT out there so we have collected some useful links and advice you may wish to look at:

Menopause Matters, menopausal symptoms, remedies, advice

Rock My Menopause – Menopause Information

balance – balance app

You may also wish to read; ‘Managing hot flushes and night sweats’ by Myra Hunter and Melanie Smith. This looks at ways to support these bothersome symptoms with and without the use of HRT. 

These are the types of HRT available on the NHS:

Types of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) – NHS

If you wish to discuss anything further please make an appointment via our anima system. If you are booked into a telephone appointment please have a blood pressure reading available. 

This includes alcohol, smoking, diet and exercise.

Antenatal clinic held on Tuesday mornings with the midwife team.

Certain small minor operations can be performed at the surgery, including removal of cysts, skin lumps, warts and moles. Please make an appointment with one of our doctors who will make the initial diagnosis and you will then be given a specific appointment for your operation.

The NHS does not fund procedures carried out which do not meet commissioning guidance, such as skin tags, or those for purely cosmetic reasons.

Professor Richard Brown
DC, LL.M, FRCC, FICC – GCC Registered Chiropractor.

Professor Brown has 34 years’ experience in clinical practice, research, education, public health, medicolegal, advocacy.

He is working with the practice to support and complement existing services and is offering timely access to community and evidence-based spine care.

The GPs and practice nurses are happy to see young people in confidence to discuss problems such as diet, exercise, smoking, sexual health.

Five Valleys Medical Practice is able to provide Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Cholera vaccinations for travel, free of charge as per current NHS recommendations. This is in addition to vaccinations that fall within the routine immunisation schedule for the UK.

We are able to provide dedicated appointments for travel assessment and vaccination. These appointments will be with nurses who have completed the necessary training and have the required skills to complete a travel assessment and to administer the vaccines.

These vaccines can only be provided following a travel assessment to identify which vaccines are required for the country / counties you are travelling to. We will supply you with relevant information prior to travel to keep you safe abroad. It is the traveller’s responsibility to source any private vaccines and malaria prophylaxis prior to their trip and to read the information provided regarding safety when travelling abroad.

It is essential to contact us as soon as possible having planned your trip – and at least 6 weeks before you travel to enable us to accommodate your request. If you do not give us the required notice or we do not have the appointment capacity, you may be directed to an alternative independent travel clinic. This will mean that you will have to pay for the necessary travel vaccinations.

Please visit travelhealthpro.org.uk where you will find information and advice to help keep you safe when you travel.

You will be asked to complete our travel assessment form which we will be happy to send on to you via text or email. You can also pick a form up from the surgery or use the Anima service.

Once we receive your completed form a trained nurse will assess your requirements and will contact you to advise which vaccines you need. We will then arrange an appointment for you to receive those vaccines which are funded by the NHS (if we have capacity to do so prior to your journey). If no timely appointments are available you may be advised to contact an independent travel vaccine provider. For example, most Pharmacies offer a private travel service.

If we are able to offer you an appointment for NHS-funded vaccines but you also require vaccines that are not available on the NHS you will also need to make an appointment with an independent provider.

If you require Malaria prophylaxis (which varies depending on your destination): some medications are available ‘over the counter’ whilst others require a private prescription. You will need to contact a private provider if the latter is the case. The nursing team will be able to advise you.

Please be aware that travel vaccines are one of many services we offer, and our appointments are limited. We may not be able to offer you an appointment if there is no capacity for us to do so. Completing the assessment form does not automatically entitle you to an appointment for vaccination, this is dependent upon availability and demand on the service.

Fit to fly letter requests

We are unable to provide statements or letters that individuals are “fit to fly”.

This is not an NHS service, and the Doctors are not trained, nor indemnified to do so.

Pregnancy and fitness to fly

As maternity care is now undertaken entirely by the midwifery service with very little GP input, and as we have no access to the midwifery antenatal records, we advise pregnant ladies with any questions regarding air travel to contact their midwife and to consult with the relevant airline.

Prescribing for patients travelling abroad

By law, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for the medical care of patients when they leave the UK. In addition, GPs are not required by their terms of service to provide prescriptions for the treatment of a condition that is not present yet which may arise while the patient is abroad.

The NHS does accept responsibility for supplying ongoing medication for temporary periods abroad of up to 3 months. However, if a person is going to be abroad for more than 3 months, then they are only entitled (at NHS expense) to a sufficient supply of regular medication in order to get to their destination, where they should the find an alternative supply of that medication.

Patients residing abroad for a period of more than 3 months will be removed from the registered patient list.

Travelling out of the country for less than 3 months

For patients who inform us they will be out of the country for less than 3 months, we will provide sufficient medicines for any existing long-term conditions (e.g. asthma, diabetes) for the period while the patient is away where it is safe to do so. Drugs that require frequent monitoring may not be prescribed if there are safety concerns.

Travelling out of the country for more than 3 months

Patients who are leaving the country for more than 3 months will be prescribed sufficient medication to enable them to make alternative arrangements at their destination (up to 3 months’ supply where safe to do so).

They will also be removed from our patient list. We will be pleased to re-register patients on their return to residence in the UK. We are happy to reassure such patients that their electronic records will be kept on file for reference when they return.

Patients and relatives should not seek medication from the surgery for themselves whilst they are abroad as this may constitute NHS fraud.

Prescriptions for medicines in case of illness while abroad

GPs may provide private prescriptions if it is clinically appropriate, and they can be self-administered safely without medical assessment while abroad. These prescriptions are not issued free of charge, and it is at the discretion of the prescribing doctor as to whether they undertake this private / non-NHS work.

Patients should be aware that some drugs commonly prescribed in the UK may be illegal in certain countries and you are responsible for making the necessary checks prior to travel.

Sedation for fear of flying

We do not prescribe sedation for patients who have a fear of flying. Please refer to our “fear of flying” policy.

There are several courses available to help with anxiety related to flying:

• Flying with confidence – British Airways
• Fearless flyer – easyJet