The district nurses provide care, advice and support for people at home who are unable to attend the surgery. Most of their work is with the elderly, chronically sick and terminally ill. They also deal with minor illnesses and injuries.
 

HEALTH VISITORS AND FAMILY HEALTH (Tel: 01865 788893)

The health visitors provide advice on family health and child care issues. If you have any worries about minor illness in your children then you may wish to contact them first. The health visitors work in partnership with the doctors. There are a number of services available locally for parents and children that offer practical support, advice and counselling.

Child Health Clinic

• Tuesday afternoons between 1.30 and 3.00pm.
  This is a health visitor drop in clinic. We give help and advice about caring for your child.
  
  A child immunisation clinic is also available on Tuesday afternoons 2.00 – 3.30 with the practice nurse. Please make an appointment through reception.
  
  Appointments with the health visitors are available as well as home visits by arrangement.
   
• We also have appointments for specific health issues e.g. development, behaviour, smoking etc. Please phone the health visitors for details.
   

We provide full antenatal and postnatal care, and work closely with our own team of community midwives who hold a clinic at the surgery every Tuesday and Thursday morning. Antenatal care is shared between the midwife and your doctor. We recommend that you make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as you know that you are pregnant.

Before trying to conceive, we advise women to check if they are immune to Rubella (German measles). We also recommend they take folic acid tablets 400 micrograms daily while trying to conceive, and during the first three months of pregnancy, to help prevent the baby from developing spina-bifida. This is available from the chemist without a prescription. It is very important for the health of your unborn child that you do not smoke during your pregnancy. If you need help and support to give up smoking, please talk to one of the doctors or practice nurses.