Medical services and clinics

Asthmatic patients are advised to attend on a regular basis to review their asthma, drugs and inhaler techniques.

Cervical screening is a method of preventing cervical cancer by detecting abnormal cells in the cervix. Women between the ages of 25 and 49 are invited to be screened once every three years, and women aged between 50 and 64 are invited to be screened once every 5 years. If you have have a history of abnormal smear results you will be invited for screening more regularly.

Useful External Links

NHS Cancer Screening

NHS Choices Cervical Screening

NHS Cervical Screening FACT SHEET

We send out appointments for regular checks and immunisations for pre-school children. This is to make sure that our doctors and health visitors can check that children are developing normally and that there’s nothing to worry about.

We strongly recommend that all children are fully immunised against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Whooping Cough, Measles, Mumps, German Measles (Rubella), Meningitis C and Haemophilus. All these immunisations are available at the Practice.

Sick children should not be brought to this clinic, but will be seen during normal surgery hours.

Download the Immunisation Schedule.

All of our doctors have been approved to provide contraceptive clinics and services. The nurses also undertake routine checks for those women taking the oral contraceptive pill and injection.

In addition to appointments, advice is also available for teenagers from their school nurses and there is a drop-in clinic run at the Torrington Cottage Hospital on Tuesdays from 12.30 – 1.30pm (no appointment necessary).

Find out about local counsellors and advice services. You can access these services by speaking to your GP or the surgery’s receptionist.

All diabetic patients will be invited to attend this clinic on a regular basis for monitoring and advice.

All patients with epilepsy will be invited to attend this clinic and given the opportunity to discuss treatment and provide advice etc.

We offer a wide range of health screening for men and women at our surgery.

Flu vaccination is available for all our vulnerable patients. This includes patients who are over 65 years, together with diabetics, asthmatics and patients with heart problems and anyone aged 2,3 or 4 are allowed to have a nasal flu vaccination. We recommend most strongly that if you fall into one of these groups that you have a flu vaccination each year.

The flu vaccination does not give you the flu.

Women aged between 50 and 60 are advised to attend the Breast Screening Unit every three years for a mammography. This is to make sure we can check and detect any abnormalities as soon as possible. These appointments are sent out by the local Breast Unit.

Find breast screening services on the NHS website.

Our antenatal and postnatal clinics are held at our surgery by our doctors and midwives.

We provide a minor injuries service between 8.30am and 6.00pm. We are, however, closed between 12.15 and 1.15pm. If you need help urgently during that hour, you may visit Castle Gardens Surgery where an assessment of your condition will be made. Depending on that, you might be offered immediate treatment or asked to return to us at 1.15pm.

Various procedures such as excisions, injections in to the joints, implants and abscess drainage.

Patient must be seen by a doctor prior to booking an appointment in the minor surgery clinic.

We offer routine vaccinations and general advice to our patients travelling abroad.

It may take up to eight weeks for a full course of vaccinations, so please contact us in advance to give you plenty of time if you're planning to go abroad where you need to be vaccinated.

Visit our Vaccination page for more information.

Some services available are not covered under our contract with the NHS. This means that these services need to be paid for.

The services that include charges are:

• Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements
• Insurance claim forms
• Passport signing
• Prescriptions for taking medication abroad
• Private sick notes
• Vaccination certificates.

Our reception staff and GPs will be happy to talk through the charges with you during your appointment.

Everyone over 16 years is welcome to attend for a well person check with our practice nurse every three years. This will include a blood pressure check, screening for diabetes and an assessment of their risk of heart disease including a cholesterol check if appropriate. Lifestyle, immunisation advice and cervical smear tests for women (every five years) and advice on how to self-examine breasts are given.