Travelling abroad is exciting, but with so many things to see and do when you get there, the basics of health and safety are often neglected.

Every year, people living in the UK go on more than 60 million trips abroad. Most have a safe trip, but some people get ill or have an Accident and need medical treatment while they are away.

Advice on everything from organising travel insurance and vaccinations to preventing DVT and jet lag, can be found on NHS Choices.

If you need 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 decide what vaccinations are required.  It is important to make this initial appointment as early as possible – at least 6 weeks before you travel – as a second appointment may be required with the practice nurse to actually receive the vaccinations. Vaccines have to be ordered as they are not a stocked item. Your second appointment needs to be at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow the vaccines to work.

Some travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge. This is because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS.

For guidance on travel vaccination click here.

• Flu Vaccination Clinic
• Held by: Practice Nurses Alison Thomas, Sadie Stone & Justine Bennett, HCA Nina Pogorzelski
• Additional Information: Flu (influenza) is a common infectious viral illness spread by coughs and sneezes. It can be very unpleasant. You can catch flu all year round, but it’s especially common in winter, which is why it’s also known as seasonal flu.
  
  You are eligible to book an appointment for a free flu vaccine if you are:
  
  *  65 years of age or over
  *  pregnant
  *  have certain medical conditions
  *  receive a carer’s allowance
  Or have a serious long term health condition, including:
  *  Chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD, emphysema
  *  chronic heart disease or heart failure
  *  chronic kidney failure
  *  chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
  *  chronic neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or stroke
  *  Diabetes
  *  problems with your spleen, sickle cell disease or have had a splenectomy
  *  weakened immune system as a result of a condition such as HIV or AIDS.
  
  Anyone in these risk groups are more likely to develop potentially serious complications of flu, such as pneumonia (a lung infection), so it’s recommended that they have a flu vaccine every year to help protect them.
  
  Children in Reception classes and years 1, 2, 3, 4  and 5 will be offered their vaccination via their school.
• Requires GP Referral? No

Held by: Practice Nurses Alison Thomas, Sadie Stone, Justine Bennett, Aqsaa Baano, Olivia Littlehales, Healthcare Assistant Louise Smith.

Additional Information: Helping you prevent diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and dementia.
The NHS  Health check is your chance to get your midlife MOT for adults aged 40-74 without a pre-existing condition, it checks your circulatory and vascular health and what your risk of getting a disabling vascular disease is.

Requires GP Referral?: No

Held by: Health Care Assistant Louise Smith

Additional Information: The Doctors request new patients attend a check-up appointment where all purtinent medical information and current medication is obtained whilst we await medical records from the previous Health Authority.

Requires GP Referral?: No

Immunisation Clinic

Held by: Practice Nurses Alison Thomas, Sadie Stone, Justine Bennett, Aqsaa Baano & Olivia Littlehales

Opening Times: Dordon Surgery – Tuesdays 8:45am – 13:15pm & 2:00pm – 17:30pm

Additional Information: If you have a child under the age of five you will receive appointments from the Child Health Information Service for your childs immunisations.
Please note the appointments are not allocated by the surgery but by the Child Health Information Service; if you have any queries relating to an appointment you have been allocated please contact the Child Health Information Service on the telephone number provided on the appointment letter sent to you.

Requires GP Referral?: No

• Minor Surgery
• Held by: Dr W Mobayed
• Additional Information: If after a GP appointment the GP feels you need minor surgery they will appropriately refer you to hospital or book an appointment via the administration team, in the minor surgery clinic held at Dordon surgery by Dr Mobayed.
• Requires GP Referral?: Yes

• General Clinic – Contraceptive Services
• Held by: Practice Nurse Alison Thomas, Sadie Stone and Justine Bennett
• Additional Information: Our practice nurses run a family planning clinic at both Dordon & Polesworth surgery to discuss individual contraceptive needs, to perform coil checks and administer Depo-Provera injections.
• Requires GP Referral?: No

Treatment Room clinic

Held by: Practice Nurses Alison Thomas, Sadie Stone, Justine Bennett, Aqsaa Baano, Olivia Littlehales & Healthcare Assistants Nina & Louise

Additional Information: Treatment room appointments include dressing changes, injections, suture/clip removals, swabs and ear syringing.

• Smear Clinics
• Held by: Practice Nurses: Alison Thomas & Justine Bennett
• Additional Information: Female patients aged between 25 and 64 years are strongly advised to book an appointment in one of these practice nurse led clinics.  Patients up to the age of 50 are advised to attend three yearly and over 50 years old to attend every 5 years unless indicated otherwise from previous tests or family history.  
• Requires GP Referral?: No