MIIUs reminder

Our Minor Injury and Illness Units (MIIUs) have a telephone triage system. We encourage patients who need to be seen in one of our MIIUs to contact us prior to attending.

Call 0300 421 7777

• Lydney and District Hospital
• Tewkesbury Community Hospital.
• Stroud – Stroud MIIU is currently operating from Stroud Community Clinic, which is located on the Maternity Unit site adjacent to Stroud General Hospital.
• Vale Community Hospital.
• Cirencester Hospital
• North Cotswolds Hospital

Minor Ailment Scheme

People who live in the city of Gloucester are being encouraged to visit their local pharmacy for expert advice and treatment on common, less serious conditions, as part of a new Pharmacy First Minor Ailments Scheme.

It means that people can get advice, medicines and other appropriate treatment on common illnesses such as flu-like symptoms, allergic rashes and headaches by simply going to a pharmacy at a time that suits them. Pharmacists can also provide treatment for babies and children for certain common conditions such as nappy rash, colic and teething.

Anything that people want to discuss will be completely confidential, and pharmacies can offer a private area to talk about symptoms.

Pharmacists are highly trained professionals and are experts in medicines and their use: they are an important part of the NHS family.

Visiting your pharmacist to discuss issues around medicines and minor illnesses will get you an expert opinion and valuable advice – please make good use of them.

Patients who normally do not pay for NHS prescriptions will receive medicines under the Pharmacy First scheme free of charge. For those who do pay for prescriptions, it is likely that purchasing medicines from the pharmacy will be less expensive than the prescription charge. Your pharmacist will advise.

Health Promotion Clinics

We encourage you to take advantage of the range of clinics we provide to help you achieve a healthy lifestyle. These include asthma, diabetes, weight reduction, well person, NHS Health Checks and heart disease prevention.

It is important that patients visit the practice at least annually if they suffer with a chronic disease. This will give us the opportunity to review your physical health and check the medication you receive is appropriate.

You may start to receive regular invites for certain conditions; please take advantage of an appointment and keep well.

If you are advised to complete an online review of your condition before your annual appointment, you can do so in our Health Review and Assessment Clinic.

All above health promotion clinics are by appointment with the practice nurse or health care assistant.

Stop Smoking Service/Weight loss/reducing alcohol intake

Your local chemist can often help with stop smoking advice however, Healthy Lifestyles Service (HLS) Gloucestershire supports patients to make small lifestyle changes that make a big difference to their health. The service launched in January and its healthy lifestyle coaches are helping hundreds of people to make achievable positive lifestyle changes such as eating healthily, losing weight, stopping smoking, reducing alcohol consumption and becoming more active.

Patients can be referred by GPs or can self-refer. Each person receives a bespoke lifestyle journey of up to 12 weeks with their personal healthy lifestyle coach. They are seen in their local community or by phone, and start with a discussion of their current health habits to agree what they want to change. Each subsequent session then focuses on helping that person achieve their goals.

The first six months have seen some great results from people who are eating five-a-day, have lost over five percent of their body weight, are walking more, running 5K, drinking within Government guidelines and quitting smoking. The service still wants to help more people achieve their healthy lifestyle goals.

Please discuss with your doctor who will be able to make the necessary referral.

Family Planning

The practice offers a full range of contraceptive services including coil fitting. Patients requesting emergency contraception will be seen on the same day. From March, Dr Wittering will be carrying out contraception implants and removals.

Practice nurses are able to undertake Pill checks for those ladies under 40 years old. There is no reason to book an appointment with a doctor unless you are asked specifically to do so. Such a check is required every 12 months.

If you have been advised by the surgery to submit a contraceptive pill review please use our online form.

Antenatal

Run in conjunction with our midwife, who provides care and advice to mothers before, during and after delivery. A student midwife may be in attendance also.

Child Health Surveillance

There is no longer a named health visitor based at Longlevens Surgery. Instead a team of health visitors are based at Stokes Hay in Churchdown, telephone 01452 859901. If you have a query that is not urgent you can call them there, however it may take a day or so for them to call you back.

More urgent medical matters will need to be dealt with by a doctor/nurse.

Other Services

Patients over 16 who have not been seen for some time – three years up to 75 years and over 12 months for over 75s – may be asked to undertake further health reviews whilst visiting the surgery for consultations.

Travel Vaccinations

If you require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you should visit our online Travel Room where you can complete our Travel Form. This will include which countries and areas within countries that you are visiting to determine what vaccinations are required.