Lake Road Practice

The nurses run a travel clinic for vaccinations. In order to get the best from the service please ask for a questionnaire as soon as possible at reception. When it is returned, the nurse will plan your vaccinations.

Vaccination plans often take many weeks to complete in time for them to give maximum protection on your holiday.

Other Services

Some services are not provided in separate clinics but the practice nurses are very happy to give you advice regarding them as part of their normal service. In order for us to allocate sufficient time for these services, appointments should be booked through reception, letting the receptionist know why you want to see the nurse.

Some of the services the nurses can offer include:

New patient checks, help to stop smoking, help to reduce alcohol intake, help with healthy eating, pre-conception advice, contraception including depo-injections, and contraceptive pill reviews when the doctor is satisfied that the situation is stable (the doctor will still wish to see you at least annually), hormone replacement therapy review when stable, cervical smears, baby immunisations and 'flu injections.

When not involved in these duties the nurses are available for:

Tests at your GP’s request, ear syringing (after the doctor has checked it is safe for your ears to be syringed), dressings, suture removal. Please note that you will have much less waiting if you book a time for these to be performed. The doctor will let the nurse know if a test needs to be done immediately.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE ASK AT RECEPTION.

Childhood and other Immunisations

It is very important that young children are protected against dangerous illnesses. Your doctor will decide with you at the 8 week examination the immunisation needed. With modern vaccines there are hardly ever any reasons not to immunise your baby fully.

8 weeks	Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Whooping Cough, Hib and Pneumococcal
12 weeks	Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Whooping Cough, Hib and Meningitis C
16 weeks	Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Whooping Cough, Hib, Meningitis C and Pneumococcal
1 year	Hib and Meningitis C
13 months	Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) and Pneumococcal
4 years	Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping Cough, MMR and Polio booster
13-18 years	Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio booster

Child immunisation clinics are held by our practice nurses on Monday or Friday morning, and you will be notified by post. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND, to avoid wasting precious vaccine and our nurses’ time.

On occasion, babies get a rise in temperature after immunisation, normally within 48 hours. After MMR it may be up to 6-11 days later. Further advice can be found in leaflets which the practice nurses can expand on.

Tetanus and Polio. After the booster done at age 13-18, further doses against tetanus and polio are not normally necessary except for those at special risk. Adults who are not sure if they have been vaccinated should discuss this with us. No-one should remain unvaccinated against Tetanus and Polio, no matter what their age.

Flu Vaccine. This is normally available from October each year for patients in high risk groups (including diabetics, lung, kidney, liver and heart disease) and particularly those over 65. Appointments can be made through reception. All those at risk are strongly advised to have this vaccination.

Pneumococcus Vaccine. The practice offers this vaccine to patients vulnerable to pneumonia. These include those without spleens, with some forms of chronic heart, lung or kidney disease and some diabetics. The vaccine is usually only required once. Doctors will invite those patients who should have the vaccine to attend at planned clinics.

Travel Vaccinations are often needed when going out of the country. We run a specialised travel clinic where these vaccinations are given and other health guidance is available. You will be asked to fill in a questionnaire when you book to ensure that everything needed is available. Please note that you should arrange anti-malarials directly through your chemist though the doctor can supply additional advice in complicated situations.

THINKING OF HAVING A CHILD?

Come and see us at least three months before you start.

If you are thinking of having a child it is best to let us know so that we can help you be in the best possible shape for an easy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

All parents want their babies to be born healthy. It is known that some things can harm a baby before birth, often before the mother knows she’s pregnant.

Getting yourself healthy before you conceive can do nothing but good. There are some points we think are particularly important:

RUBELLA IMMUNITY

You should be immune from rubella when you leave school if you have had your ‘jabs’. Unfortunately some people lose their immunity. In that case contact with rubella in early pregnancy can be serious. A simple blood test can warn us to give you a booster in good time. If you have never had a rubella jab, please let us know.

RHESUS BLOOD GROUP TESTING

This will tell us your blood group in case extra checks are needed during early pregnancy.

CERVICAL SMEAR

It is best to have had a recent smear to ensure the cervix (neck of the womb) is healthy before pregnancy. This avoids possible risky treatment in pregnancy.

WEIGHT

If you start at the right weight you will have less trouble with problems such as backache and will recover your general wellbeing and figure quicker.

ALCOHOL

Moderate your alcohol consumption to increase your chances of a healthy baby.

SMOKING

Try to give up smoking, for easier conception, safer pregnancy and a healthier baby.

FOLIC ACID

It is known that low reserves of Folic Acid in the body may cause spina bifida. You should make sure you eat more Folic Acid, and take a 400 microgram Folic Acid tablet a day, which you can get from the chemist. To minimise the risk you should do this from starting to plan a pregnancy through to the 12th week of your pregnancy.

DIET

Eat a normal balanced diet but with some precautions.

• Soft cheeses and pâtés may contain Listeria bacteria, harmful in pregnancy.
  
• Avoid raw egg products and cook egg and chicken thoroughly to avoid salmonella.
  
• Do not eat excess liver. The high levels of vitamin A stored in it may be poisonous to baby if too much is eaten.
  
• Follow the advice on cook/chill foods very carefully. Thaw foods thoroughly and microwave foods carefully, paying close attention to recommended standing times.

DRUGS AND MEDICINES

Discuss with your doctor any medicines you have taken or may be taking in the future. The golden rule is to treat all medicines as potentially dangerous until you have been specifically told by your doctor or chemist that they are appropriate in your pregnancy.

PETS AND GARDENS

Pets and animals may pass on infection. Pay strict attention to hygiene after contact with them or their waste. Infection can also be picked up from any items touched in an area where pets can roam, eg gardens and parks.