Asthma Management Clinic
This clinic is held by Sr Laurene Patterson/Sr L McAree. Patients both adults and children, are seen at this clinic for appropriate education, advice and supervision of treatment. An appointment for this clinic can be made by contacting reception.

Minor Surgery
Dr Church and Dr Thompson run these clinics with assistance from the Practice Nurses. Many minor surgical procedures such as removal of cysts and skin lesions and joint injections can be carried out quickly and comfortably under local anaesthesia at this clinic. Appointments are by referral from your Doctor. Treatment of warts is carried out by both Dr Church and Dr Thompson.

Well Woman Clinic
Well woman clinics are held weekly by Dr Sands and Dr Paisley by appointment. Cervical screening is offered to all female patients (aged 20 – 65 years) at three yearly intervals or earlier if necessary. Cervical smears are also carried out every week by our Practice Nurses, Sr L Patterson and Sr L McAree. An appointment can be made for the same by contacting reception. Patients will be written to, informing them of the result of their smear and advising them when they should make their next appointment.

Hypertension Clinic
A hypertension clinic is held on a weekly basis at the surgery and is conducted by one of our Practice Nurses, Sr Pat Campbell.The aim of this clinic is to review all patients who suffer from the condition of high blood pressure and are on continuous treatment.

Coronary Heart Disease Clinic
This clinic is held on a weekly basis at the surgery and is conducted by one of our Practice Nurses, Sr Pat Campbell.The aim of this clinic is to review all patients who suffer from coronary heart disease. An appointment for the same can be made by contacting reception.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
A COPD clinic is held weekly in the surgery by Sr Laurene Patterson/Sr L McAree. The aim of this clinic is to assess the respiratory function of patients with chronic airways disease in order to maximise their treatment and improve their quality of life.

Diabetic Clinic
A diabetic clinic is held twice monthly in the surgery by Dr Thompson in association with the Podiatrist and the Dietician. This clinic is aimed at reviewing patients with type two diabetes who do not attend the hospital for review. Patients are referred to this clinic to obtain appropriate education and advice, to help maximise their effective control and reduce the risks of any complication with diabetes. One of our Practice Nurses, Sr Pat Campbell is also available to give patients advice if required.  Annual retinopathy screening is also offered to all diabetic patients.

Near-Patient Testing
The treatment of several diseases, particularly in the field of rheumatology, is increasingly reliant on drugs that, while clinically effective, need regular blood monitoring. These blood tests will be carried out by our Phlebotomist upon referral from your Doctor.

Anti-Coagulation Monitoring 
For the care of patients taking Warfarin, our Phlebotomist will carry out the relevant blood tests at the instruction of the Doctor. 

Adult Vaccinations

Tetanus and Polio - all adults should ensure they are adequately immunised against tetanus and polio.

Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccine – in accordance with the Department of Health guidelines, we recommend  that patients in the clinical risk categories outlined below obtain the influenza and pneumococcal vaccination:

• Chronic respiratory disease
• Chronic heart disease
• Chronic renal disease
• Chronic liver disease
• Chronic neurological disease
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Immunosuppression

Patients with cochlear implants and patients with CSF shunts are also advised to obtain the pneumococcal vaccination.

All patients aged sixty five years and over are eligible for the influenza vacination.

Patients who are in nursing homes, residential homes and other long stay facilities are also eligible to receive the influenza vaccination.

This vaccination is available to patients each autumn. Please contact Caroline at reception for further details.

H1N1 Vaccination (Swine Flu) Programme

The priority groups to be immunised with H1N1 vaccine at present are as follows:

• Individuals aged between 6 months and 65 years in the current seasonal flu clinical risk group.
• All pregnant women (see below) 
• Household contacts of immunocompromised indivuduals
• People aged 65 and over in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at risk groups. All eligible patients to receive H1N1 vaccination will be invited by the Practice to attend for vaccination.

Swine Flu Vaccination for Pregnant Women

The vaccination programme for pregnant women commences on Monday 02/11/09 at seven vaccination centres across the Southern Trust.

All pregnant women including private patients booked for delivery in Craigavon Area Hospital/Daisy Hill Hospital will receive a letter inviting you to telephone (028)37412893 to make an appointment at your preferred vaccination centre.                                                                                                    

Travel Clinic
The practice holds a weekly travel clinic (subject to demand) conducted by one of our Practice Nurses. If you are travelling abroad, it is important that you obtain a travel vaccine information leaflet  from our Practice Nurses well in advance of your journey, ideally this should be three months before you travel. This leaflet will give you detailed information in order to obtain the correct travel information and vaccination details you require in relation to your time abroad.

Childhood Vaccinations
From the summer of 2006, the proposed new vaccination schedule will be:

• 2 months - DTaP/IPV/HIB & pneumococcal vaccine
• 3 months - DTaP/IPV/HIB & Men C vaccine
• 4 months - DTaP/IPV/HIB & Men C & pneumococcal vaccine
• 12 months - HIB/Men C booster
• 15 months - MMR & 3rd pneumococcal vaccine
• Pre-school - DTaP/IPV/HIB/MMR

Baby and childhood vaccinations are carried out every week by the Practice. When these vaccinations are due you will be sent an appointment by post. If the appointment does not suit, please contact  Rebecca or one of our Practice Nurses (Tel: 028 87722137) who will be happy to arrange an alternative appointment for your child to attend.

Maternity Care
Antenatal and postnatal care is provided by all doctors in the Practice. The Practice also holds an antenatal clinic every Friday in the surgery which is led by Midwives. An appointment for this clinic can be made by contacting reception.

Family Planning
The Practice offers general advice regarding family planning and contraceptive services. .

If you require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you need to make an appointment with the Practice Nurse to discuss your travel arrangements.  This will include which countries and areas within countries that you are visiting to determine what vaccinations are required.  There is further information about countries and vaccinations required on the links below

Europe & Russia	North America
Central America	South America
Carribean	Africa
Middle East	Central Asia
East Asia	Australasia and Pacific

It is important to make this initial appointment as early as possible  - at least 12 weeks is advisable before you travel.  The reason for this is because some travel vaccinations take a period of three months to administer.

Further appointments will be required with the practice nurse to actually receive the vaccinations.  These vaccines have to be ordered as they are not a stock vaccine.  Your travel vaccination schedule needs to be completed at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow the vaccines to work.

Most travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge.  This is because travel vaccination is not included in the services provided by the NHS and therefore is a chargeable service.  Please contact  one of our Practice Nurses who will be happy to advise you of these charges.

Travel Health Questionnaire

To help us offer the appropriate advice, please fill out the online form before coming to see the nurse.

Travel Questionnaire

Many illnesses are brought about a poor lifestyle and Doctors often have to advise patients on changing their habits if they want to become well and remain well. We would recommend that you attend one of the health promotion clinics and have regular screening tests and blood pressure checks.

Smoking
Smoking is the cause of many diseases. Smoking in pregnancy affects both mother and baby and passive smoking has been shown to be harmful to others. There are various methods of helping people to stop smoking and if you cannot manage it on your own you should seek help from your Doctor, Practice Nurse or local pharmacy.

Alcohol
Moderate consumption of alcohol should not cause problems but alcohol in excess can be harmful. The recommended safe limit is 21 units a week for a men and 14 units for women, spread throughout the week. A unit is approximately one glass of wine, half a pint of beer or a single measure of spirit.

Exercise
Regular exercise is good for circulation and general wellbeing and is a good habit to maintain from youth. If you have not exercised recently, do not do anything too strenuous to begin with, but build up gradually. If in doubt about your fitness have a word with your Doctor or Practice Nurse before starting.

Diet
Healthy eating helps reduce the risks of developing many conditions such as heart disease, cancer, constipation, diabetes, obesity and tooth decay. A well balanced diet should contain a variety of foods with plenty of fruit and vegetables and foods rich in starch and fibre. Eat the right amount to be a healthy weight and avoid too much fat and sugary food. Further dietary advice is available from our Practice Nurses.