We offer a range of clinics and services at the surgery. There are some tasks you can do, such as health reviews, using AccuRx.
Nurse practitioner services
Our nurse practitioners are registered nurses, who have additional education and training in a specialty area. A nurse practitioner can:
- Document health history and perform a physical examination
- Perform tests and procedures
- Answer questions about health problems
- Treat common childhood illnesses
- Assist with management of chronic disease (where applicable)
- Educate patients about self-care and healthy lifestyle choices
- Issue prescriptions
- Order medical/diagnostic tests
Nurse practitioners maintain close working relationships with doctors and consult them as needed. Nurse practitioners can treat acute (or short-term) illnesses such as upper respiratory infections, ear infections, rashes and urinary tract infections.
Practice nurse services
The practice nurses undertake many clinical duties including:
- Dressings
- Chronic disease management, such as:
- Asthma – If you have been advised by the surgery to submit an annual review of your asthma symptoms.
- Heart disease
- Hypertension – If you have been advised by the surgery to submit a blood pressure reading,
- Diabetes
- COPD – If you have been advised by the surgery to submit a COPD assessment.
- Child immunisations – We recommend a full immunisation programme and development assessments, as indicated for all pre-school children. Parents are sent an invitation for these by child health services. Always bring the child’s red book’ to appointments.
- Flu Vaccinations – During the winter months flu vaccinations are offered to all patients over 65 and patients who fall within the NHS criteria.
- Family Planning – We have fully trained family planning practice nurses and GPs who can offer advice and provide a coil and implanon fitting service.
Healthcare assistant services
Health care assistants (HCA) support the nursing team by undertaking the following clinical duties:
- Blood tests
- Blood pressure readings
- ECGs
- H-pylori (breath) tests
- Simple dressings and wound care
Minor surgery
Westcroft Health Centre holds a minor surgery clinic. Procedures undertaken include:
- Removal of moles
- Removal of cysts
- Removal of ingrowing toe nails
- Removal of some skin lesions
- Joint injections
Please contact reception for more information.
Minor injuries
We treat minor injuries for our registered patients. The aim is to help our patients to get the care they need, as close to home as possible and reduce the demand on our vital urgent care services.
The following types of injuries can be treated at the surgery:
- Sprains to hands, arms, legs and feet
- Minor bruises
- Minor burns, scalds and blisters
- Lacerations and minor head injuries, including bumps to the head, cuts, wounds and scratches
First contact physiotherapist
Provides high level decision-making and clinical-reasoning skills to assess diagnose and triage a multitude of patients. Provides a treatment care plan for the patient which is tailored to their individual needs. As well as education of conditions and exercises. Offers patient advice how to manage pain levels.
Physicians associate
A medically trained professional who has general knowledge in all areas of medicine. Working alongside doctors to diagnose and manage patients.
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are qualified experts in medicines and can help patients in a range of ways. This includes carrying out structured medication reviews for patients with on-going health problems, advice for those on multiple medicines and improving patient safety and outcomes through a person centred approach.
Social prescriber
Social prescribing helps people connect with services, support and activities in the local community to improve their health and wellbeing. The service is open to adults over the age of 18 for whom non-medical interventions may be particularly effective in reducing demand for health services, generally where poor health is being caused by social isolation, lifestyle or other underlying issues.
Health and wellbeing coach
Provides practical tools and advice to empower individuals to take back control of their health, reducing disease in the mind and body.
- Common areas mental health
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression confidence
- Self esteem
- Resilience
- Physical health
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Inflammatory diseases born in the gut
- Digestion
- Weight loss
- Blood sugar levels
- Sleep challenges