The Doctors

The Practice Team

Practice Manager

The practice manager is involved in the general administration and non-medical aspects of your health and treatment, including finance and staff matters. She aims to maintain the smooth running of the practice and is available by appointment to discuss any suggestions which may help to improve our service to you.

Secretary

The secretary deals with most of the correspondence between the practice and outside agencies, such as hospital outpatient departments, private consultations, solicitors and insurance companies.

If you have any enquiries regarding letters that your doctor may have written about you, please contact her between 10.00am and 12.30pm.

If you wish to have a copy of your GP referral letter please ask at reception or contact the secretary.

Receptionists

There are experienced receptionists at both surgeries. They are here to help you with patient services and will advise you on the facilities available. All receptionists are instructed to keep the contents of medical records confidential and are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the doctors and nurses. Please do not blame the receptionist if the doctor is running late for your appointment or she is unable to offer you just what you want. Remember she is trying to do a very difficult and demanding job. We would ask you to be a patient patient.

Practice Nurses

Both surgeries have attached practice nurses, full and part time. They normally see patients by appointment, but will consider a "sit and wait" basis if circumstances permit.

The nurses carry out general nursing services including ear syringing, stitch removal, ECGs, taking blood samples, dressings and wound care, treatment of minor accidents, verruca and wart treatments. Holiday vaccinations and advice are available to both registered and non-registered patients - please contact the surgery at least two months beforehand.

A variety of routine health screening services is offered including:

Health Visitors

Health visitors are registered general nurses who have undertaken extra training in child and family health at university. This, combined with their experience and knowledge, enables them to help you improve your health and feeling of wellbeing. Health visitors can offer adult health screening, give individual advice and counselling or invite you to attend a group to promote health. The Birchwood and Oakdale health visitors have particular expertise in the fields of establishing and maintaining healthy lifestyles; recovering from heart disease; stopping smoking; planning for a healthy pregnancy and coping with bereavement.

Health visitors are on hand to advise parents on child feeding, development, safety and appropriate immunisations.

The health visiting team consists of two health visitors, a community nursery nurse and a health visitor assistant. We offer a high quality professional and confidential service. Contact us on 603868.

The community nursing team consists of a nursing sister, staff nurse/team nurse and a health care assistant. Their role includes:

• Giving short- and long-term professional nursing care to the sick and disabled.


• Discussing health and social problems which may arise during illness/disability and giving help and/or advice.


• Assisting to contact other services which could help to meet your needs.


• Advice and supply of items eg wheelchairs, walking frames and commodes to meet your needs.


• Support and advice to carers.


• Care for the very ill patient/terminally ill who wish to remain at home.


• Health screening.

The service to you in the community is consumer orientated. You may contact the district nurse during surgery hours.

Maternity Care

Community Midwife

The community midwife will see patients for antenatal care on a regular basis throughout their pregnancy.

The midwife will see the patient at approximately 12 - 14 weeks' gestation to discuss:

• Plan of care, eg high or low risk


• Place of delivery, eg home, Bournemouth or Poole Hospital


• Arranging screening tests and NT scan if required


• Advice on healthy eating, eg foods to avoid the risk of toxoplasmosis, listeriosis and salmonella


• Arranging full booking at approximately 14 weeks at the patient's home

Routine antenatal checks are at four-weekly intervals starting two weeks after the 19-20 week scan. For women expecting their first baby (primigravidae) routine checks are at two weekly intervals from 30 weeks. For women who have already had a baby (multigravidae) the checks continue at four-weekly intervals.

If the patient is booked at Poole, whether primigravidae or multigravidae, and has not delivered at 40 weeks, the midwife will arrange for them to be seen at 41 weeks for assessment and to arrange induction of labour (at 42 weeks).

Following the delivery the midwife will visit the mother and baby at home for the first 10 days, as required. If all is well after this time the care of the baby will transfer to the health visitor.

GP's Role In Maternity Services

Pregnant women should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible after confirmation with a positive pregnancy test. At this visit the doctor will take a brief history to identify any medical problems. The examination should include: height, weight, blood pressure, check for heart murmurs and examination of abdomen. The GP will also advise on diet. Women should take Folic Acid supplement, 400mcg per day in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Patients will also be given an application form for prescription charge exemption.

The GP will then refer to see the midwife before 10 weeks of pregnancy.

If there are no complications during the pregnancy the care will be continued via the midwife.

Postnatal Period

A postnatal visit will be done at the request of the midwife and also a baby check within the first 48 hours if not already done before discharge from hospital. At six weeks the practice nurse will carry out a routine postnatal check and will give advice on contraception. If overdue, a cervical smear will be taken at this visit.