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.
Postnatal and antenatal care
Your community midwife is at the surgery every other Tuesday. Community Midwives can be contacted through the community midwives’ office on 0151 430 1234.
First bookings
When you find out that you are pregnant, please ask the receptionist to arrange your first appointment with the community midwife here in the surgery (if you haven’t already done so). The receptionist will need to go through a few questions with you in order to complete a form for the midwife.
Please note that the community midwife clinic is held at the surgery every other Tuesday morning.
Child development and immunisation
Health visitors are registered nurses who usually have at least two years experience in nursing before undergoing their health visitor training. They are usually based in either a GP surgery, or at a health centre, working alongside GPs and other health and social care professionals.
Non-NHS Services
Foreign travel health
If you are travelling outside Europe, North America or Australia / New Zealand, you are likely to need preventive health advice specific to the countries you are visiting; this needs to be accurate and up-to-date.
Adult and social care self assessment
The St Helens council adult social care & health department are currently developing a new service for people 55 years and over who live in the borough of St Helens. This service allows you, or your representative, to complete a simple “self assessment” form to help you to consider your needs around issues that can sometimes effect older people such as benefits, housing, minor aids & adaptations, transport etc. The information and advice provided by the self assessment team can help you to self-direct your care.
Additional information on the self assessment service (PDF).
Minor eye conditions service
Find out what can be treated and who to contact on our minor eye conditions service page.
Blood pressure monitoring
Blood pressure monitoring by healthcare assistants.
This service is not routinely available for patients on medication for high blood pressure.
Our healthcare assistant is able to take your blood pressure, although she is not trained to discuss your blood pressure reading with you. She acts on the readings they take within a strict protocol devised by the GPs. Any follow-up action that may be needed is dealt with by the GP or nurse.
The reception staff will be able to tell you when your next blood pressure check is due.
You do not routinely need to see a doctor to have a blood pressure check.
The following patients are eligible to have a blood pressure check conducted by the healthcare assistant:
- Over 16, not receiving any regular medication
- Known hypertensive patients who have been referred by the GP or practice nurse
- Patients who need regular blood pressure monitoring who have been referred by the GP or practice nurse.
Contraceptive services
The practice nurse is available for advice regarding contraception. She also carries out “pill checks” for women who are taking the contraception pill and can also give depo-provera injections. Dr Helen Parr is fully trained and qualified for fitting contraceptive implants and coils.
For comprehensive information about contraception and sexual health visit the Family Planning Association website.
Emergency contraception
Emergency contraception (the ‘morning after pill’) can be obtained from St Helens Walk in Centre.
Some local pharmacists are trained to give the emergency pill, however, if they are not available that service cannot be guaranteed.
Family planning clinics
The family planning clinic for our area is:
Haydock Health Centre
Station Road
Haydock
St Helens
WA11 0JN
The clinic is open Tuesdays, 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
Phone
01744 674321
Leaflets
Community sexual health clinics (PDF)
Teenage sexual health clinics (PDF)
Exercise referral
We are keen to encourage everyone who wishes to increase their exercise to do so, especially if you have medical problems that would benefit from improved physical fitness.
We mainly refer people to Ashton Leisure Centre, Old Road, Ashton, 01942 732642. The Active Living Officer will carry out a ‘health and lifestyle assessment’ and talk to you about the types of physical activity you might enjoy.
Please ask see our referrals section for more information about an exercise referral.
Genito-urinary medicine
A free and confidential sexual health service.
Services include:
- Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections
- HIV testing
- Treatment and care of people with HIV
- Emergency contraception
- Testing for hepatitis B & C and hepatitis B vaccinations
- Information and advice on all aspects of sexual health
- Free condoms and lubrications
- Support and information following sexual assault
For an appointment call: 01744 458383.
Free NHS health check
The government have asked us to offer a free NHS health check to people who are aged between 40 and 75 years with no existing history of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke or chronic kidney disease.
Most people who qualify for this free health will receive an invitation by letter although those who are in receipt of regular medication will be offered the health check at the time of their medication review, usually during the month of their birthday. Some people will be invited opportunistically should they visit the practice for some other reason and a health check is indicated.
The health check involves completing a health questionnaire and an appointment with the health care assistant for a fasting blood test for Cholesterol and Glucose and to have some basic measurements such as height, weight, blood pressure, etc, recorded.
The results of the questionnaire, blood tests and measurements will be checked by a GP who will assess the risk of developing stroke, diabetes or heart disease and, should it be necessary, provide personalised advice and support to help reduce that risk.
Phlebotomy services
Appointment only.
The clinics run from 8am to midday. To make an appointment the number is 0800 953 0960.
Fasting bloods
Please note for some blood tests you may be required to fast. Where this is the case you should not have anything to eat for 12 hours before your blood test is due. You should however drink plenty of plain water when fasting. You must take any prescribed medication as normal, unless advised otherwise by your GP.
Podiatry (chiropody) service
There is a community podiatry service every Friday morning.
This service can only be accessed through a GP referral.
As the podiatry service pressures are increasing, the waiting time for an initial assessment appointment will be prioritised and determined by an individual’s clinical need. The current waiting list for this service is approximately 3 months. If you have been referred for podiatry and have not received an appointment within 6 weeks you should ring 0151 290 2000 between 10am and midday or 2pm and 4pm.
Please do not ring the surgery to make enquiries about podiatry appointments as we have no control over this service or over how appointments are allocated.
An NHS podiatry (chiropody) initial assessment is available to the following persons:
- Those with diabetes
- Those who are registered disabled
- Those who have a chronic medical condition (e.g. Stroke, Peripheral Vascular Disease)
- Those over the age of 65 or under 18
- Expectant mothers
Treatment room services
These are special clinics dedicated to providing treatment room services such as dressings, removal of sutures (stitches), ear-syringing, etc.