Chorleywood Health Centre is staffed by a multi skilled team of health professionals who are able to offer a wide range of health services to its patients. Including:
- Anticoagulation
- Asthma/COPD
- Well Child Clinic and Childhood Immunisations
- Diabetes
- Well Person Clinics
- Telemedicine Services
- Travel Clinic
- Women’s Health
- Anticoagulation
Anticoagulation
Patients may require anticoagulation with the drug warfarin in the presence of illnesses including thrombosis and abnormalities of heart rhythm. The practice provides a full anticoagulation service including blood taking, receipt and interpretation of results, adjustment of warfarin dose and advising on the interval to the next test. Patients should collect their yellow book with updated instructions, or leave a stamped addressed envelope for the practice to return by post.
Asthma/COPD
Asthma is the most common chronic illness with a population prevalence of around 8%. The asthma clinic runs twice weekly and has comprehensive investigative facilities including a spirometer to assist diagnostically. Patients with asthma are advised to attend at least annually and more often if unwell or having changes to treatment. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) shares certain features with asthma and patients with this condition are encouraged to attend the same clinic for treatment and annual review.
Please click here to download or complete an annual review online questionnaire
During an Asthma Review the nurse will:
- Look at how asthma is affecting your life and advise on how to improve symptom control.
- Discuss and advise you on how & when you should take your medication, and discuss how the medication can be adjusted.
- Check your inhaler technique
- Patients are encouraged to undertake self-management of their asthma and adjust their medication according to symptoms
Please click here for useful contacts and websites
Blood Pressure Monitoring
It is recommended that all adults have their blood pressure checked every 3 years and this is done routinely in all health checks. Patients receiving medication for high blood pressure (hypertension) should have a check 6-monthly. Routine reviews may be with the nurse but if satisfactory control is not established you should make an appointment with your doctor to re-evaluate treatment. An electronic 24-hour monitor is available to evaluate borderline readings.
Childhood Immunisations –
This clinic is held on a Tuesday and Thursday. Routine childhood immunisations against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, HIB, mumps, measles and rubella are given.
Please note that if a child is accompanied by a guardian who is not a parent written consent must be provided by a parent for the child to receive immunisations. The health visitors may be contacted at the surgery for advice and will visit at home if necessary.
Chlamydia Screening
We offer Chlamydia Screening to sexually active young men and women aged 15-23 at the surgery. Appointments can be made with the Nurse for this test.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a common illness with a population prevalence of around 2.5%. Most patients with diabetes are looked after in general practice, sometimes jointly with the hospital service. The practice has a dedicated diabetic clinic each week that is nurse-led in consultation with a doctor. Patients are advised to attend at least once annually for a comprehensive review including checks on blood sugar, cholesterol, kidney function, eyes and foot care.
If you require attention for diabetes you must make two bookings at the same time; firstly for blood tests and then for the diabetic clinic about 10 days later.
Please click here for useful contacts and websites
Private / Insurance Medical Examinations
The GP team are able to conduct medical assessments for insurance, driving, fitness to attend school etc. Please make a double appointment (i.e. 20 minutes).
Insurance companies usually pay for examinations but other medicals require a fee to be paid to the practice.
Please click here for useful contacts and websites
Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease is a common illness with a population prevalence of around 3%. The practice has diagnostic facilities for patients presenting for the first time with suggestive symptoms. These include an electrocardiogram (ECG) machine, a 24-hour ECG machine, an exercise ECG machine and a tele-link to a local consultant cardiologist. Patients with established coronary heart disease are offered risk-reduction treatment particularly with respect to using aspirin, having blood pressure and cholesterol lowered and (where relevant) smoking cessation. If you are affected you are encouraged to attend the practice at least annually for such a review
Influenza ‘flu’ Immunisation
‘Flu’ immunisation is recommended annually for all patients aged 65 and over, for all who live in residential institutions (e.g. nursing homes) and for those who have:
- Asthma
- Other respiratory disease (e.g. COPD)
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Kidney disease
- Immune suppression, e.g. after splenectomy
The ‘flu’ immunisation programme takes place each autumn and is advertised in advance.
New Patient Checks
All newly-registered patients over 5 years of age are advised to make an appointment with a nurse for a new patient check. This consultation is to check the blood pressure, take a full personal and family history and advise on any health issues you wish to discuss. Please bring a urine sample. Although this health check is offered for up to a year after registering it is opportune to have it soon so that it is not overlooked.
Phlebotomy (blood test)
We have a phlebotomy service at the surgery for blood tests requested by the GP or the nurse, or if you need a test done for a hospital appointment.
Please ensure you follow up the results with either the GP or in a designated clinic with the nurse. We advise that children under the age of 12 years has the test at the paediatric clinic at Watford General Hospital, to book an appointment call 01923 217726.
NHS Health Checks
Well person screening by nurses is available for men and women. The screening includes blood pressure and urine testing, advice about diet and weight, cholesterol, smoking and alcohol, and for women education about breast examination and cervical screening. Please make an appointment if interested.
Smoking Cessation
Smoking is the commonest cause of preventable ill health and is particularly strongly implicated in cancers of the lung, throat and oesophagus, in coronary heart and other circulatory diseases and in COPD. It also worsens the symptoms of other illnesses such as asthma. If you are a smoker and are interested in quitting, advice can be sought from the doctors, nurses, local pharmacist or the local smoking cessation service (tel: 0800-3893998)
Minor Surgery
Minor surgical procedures such as wart treatment, removal of sebaceous cysts and lipomas, and drainage of abscesses are carried out by the doctors after they have assessed the condition.
Thyroid Disease
Thyroid disease affects approximately 2% of the population. If you have an either under or over active thyroid gland you are advised to have a blood test annually and then review the results with your GP.
Please click here for useful contacts and websites
Travel Clinic
A travel clinic takes place twice weekly. The nurses have received specific training for travel health & use an up to date travel health data base for current travel health advice & immunisations recommended for your chosen travel destinations .
Travel health advice & a number of travel immunisations are free under the NHS, however some do have a charge, private prescriptions for anti -malarial prophylaxis & drugs specifically required for travel are also charged for.
Some immunisations may involve a course of injections it is advisable to complete your travel immunisations 4 weeks before travelling if possible, so appointments are best planned well in advance. Travel health advice is not given over the phone.
The following websites are useful sources of information:
Please click here for useful contacts and websites
Wellbeing Service
The Wellbeing Service offers psychological help and practical support for people experiencing a wide range of very common mental health problems such as worry, low mood, insomnia and stress. We also provide support for carers and people who are struggling with the reality of living with long term physical health conditions. Our service can provide help too if you are experiencing anxiety or low mood during or after pregnancy.
If you feel that you would benefit from the service, you are over 16 years and are registered with a GP in Hertfordshire, please make a self-referral by calling the team on 0300 777 0707 or completing a referral form online here.
Alternatively you can discuss this further with your GP.
Once you a make contact with the team we aim to be in contact within a few days to book your initial assessment appointment. At this assessment appointment you will be able to discuss your problems in more detail and reach a decision about which form of treatment may be most suitable for you.
Women’s Health
The practice provides a comprehensive women’s health service that includes:
- Contraception Advice and prescription of contraception is available from the doctors, or health visitor who runs a family planning clinic weekly. Women using the contraceptive pill should have a blood pressure and smoking check before starting and annually thereafter.
- Cervical screening (smear) It is strongly recommended that cervical screening is accessed by all women aged 25 to 65 who have been sexually active. Smears are done at 3-yearly intervals unless an abnormality necessitates an earlier review. The Primary Care Trust is obliged to send reminders to patients whose smears are overdue; therefore if you wish to opt out of this service you will be asked to sign a disclaimer. The smear clinic is run by the nurses and health visitor and takes place twice weekly.
Midwife
Full antenatal and post-natal care is available. The antenatal clinic is on Thursdays from 8.30am and patients have an appointment with the midwife. .
6-week postnatal check
6-week post-natal checks are completed. Please book a triple appointment (i.e. 30 minutes).
Menopause
If you require advice on any aspect of the menopause such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or osteoporosis prevention or care please consult your doctor.
