Clinics & Services

In addition to GP consultations the practice offers a comprehensive range of clinics and healthcare services:

Asthma Clinic

Patients with asthma are encouraged to attend for a regular review in order to optimise control and minimise any symptoms. This review should ideally be annually. Appointments should be booked with one of our specialist nurses.

Diabetic Clinic

We have two very experienced nurses within the surgery who are able to provide comprehensive care for patients with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. There are several other nurses within the nursing team qualified to see patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Patients are able to have their annual retinal screening done at the surgery and are recalled by the retinal screening programme.

Cervical Smears

The practice nurses do these unless you request otherwise. You will be invited for a smear in accordance with the national recall policy (unless the cytologist/consultant recommends repeating the smear more often).

Childhood Immunisations 

Our nurses offer a comprehensive childhood immunisation service. When your baby is due its first immunisations, you will be sent an appointment for these and for your baby’s 8 week check up. We will then ask you to book further appointments to ensure that your child is fully immunised.

Flu Clinic

Patients who are over 65 years of age or in the current “At Risk” groups are eligible for the vaccination. Click here for more details.

Contraception/ Sexual Health

Click here for further information.

Learning Difficulties

The practice maintains a register of all of its patients with learning difficulties. Everyone on the register is offered an annual health check over and above any other disease management. If you have any questions please speak to your GP.

Minor Surgery

We perform a number of in-house minor surgical procedures by appointment for our patients.

Travel Vaccinations

GP surgeries are working under increasing pressure and are prioritising the services they can provide.  Consequently, Gloucester Road Medical Centre can no longer provide a full travel clinic but is able to provide some vaccinations on the NHS that are recommended for travel purposes click here for further information.

NHS Health Checks

All eligible patients will be offered a free NHS health check at the practice, to help you prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.  

To find out more visit NHS Health Check.

Warts (Cryotherapy)

We are no longer able to offer a cryotherapy service for warts. However, the warts and verrucas information sheets provides very comprehensive information on dealing with these conditions.

Weight management

If you fit the criteria and are motivated, you can be considered for referral to Slimming World using a voucher scheme for 3 months.

Young People and 4YP

4YP is a way for young people between 13 and 24 years to find free and confidential help and advice on a variety of health issues relating to young people. You can come on your own or with a parent/friend/carer and do not have to be registered with our practice to use this service.

Exercise Referral

The practice are able to refer you to a local sports centre for specialist, supervised exercise sessions on a three-monthly basis.

Stop Smoking

Regular support-to-stop sessions are run at the practice. Please pick up a smokers pack from reception, which will assess your motivation to stop. Please then contact reception to make an appointment if you feel you are ready to quit.

Travel Vaccinations

We strongly advise you to check your requirements at least three months before travel, as sometimes a course of up to three vaccinations is needed, which will take several weeks. It is your responsibility to ascertain which vaccinations (and, if relevant, anti-malaria tablets) you need, and also to inform yourself fully of recommended safe travel precautions.

Gloucester Road Medical Centre is able to provide some vaccinations on the NHS that are recommended for travel purposes:

• Diphtheria, tetanus & polio (combined)
• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Cholera medication is also available on the NHS, but is not commonly required.

Information for travellers is available at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk.

If you think that you need any of the vaccinations provided by the NHS make an appointment at GRMC, bringing with you a printout of the relevant Fit for Travel information.

Other vaccinations may be necessary for more exotic or unusual destinations, complex travel itineraries or long stay vacations. These need to be given at a high street travel clinic (such as Nomad, Masta or STA Travel). There will be a charge for these.

Further information about countries and vaccinations required on the links below. 

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

Further information can be found here:A to Z of Healthy Travel  and here:Foreign Office Travel advice.

Blood Tests

Please note that you must consult with the doctor before booking an appointment for a blood test.

A blood test is when a sample of blood is taken for testing in a laboratory. Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of medical test. For example, a blood test can be used to:

• assess your general state of health
• confirm the presence of a bacterial or viral infection
• see how well certain organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are functioning

A blood test usually involves the phlebotomist taking a blood sample from a blood vessel in your arm. and the usual place for a sample is the inside of the elbow or wrist, where the veins are relatively close to the surface. Blood samples from children are most commonly taken from the back of the hand. The child's hand will be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.

You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.

Test Results

When you attend for a test of any kind you will be told how long you should expect to wait for the results. Please bear this in mind and only call the surgery after sufficient time has elapsed.

Our reception staff are not qualified to comment on results therefore it is your responsibility to check them and make any necessary follow-up appointment with the doctor.

Please note that we do have a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection. In this respect we will only give out results to the person they relate to unless that person has given prior permission for their release or if they are not capable of understanding them.

Specimens

If your doctor has requested that you drop in a specimen please ensure that it is clearly labelled with your name, date of birth and details of the test being requested. Bring it to reception and put it into the blue box which is labelled for specimens.

If you have any queries, please wait and speak to a nurse.

X-Ray

An X-ray is a widely used diagnostic test to examine the inside of the body. X-rays are a very effective way of detecting problems with bones, such as fractures. They can also often identify problems with soft tissue, such as pneumonia or breast cancer.

If you have a X-ray, you will be asked to lie on a table or stand against a surface so that the part of your body being X-rayed is between the X-ray tube and the photographic plate.

An X-ray is usually carried out by a radiographer, a healthcare professional who specialises in using imaging technology, such as X-rays and ultrasound scanners.

You can find out more about x-ray tests, how they are performed, their function and the risks by visiting the NHS Choices website.

Non-NHS Services

Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore attract charges. Examples include the following:

• Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
• Insurance claim forms
• Private Prescriptions
• Private sick notes

Please note that some services also attract a VAT rating, which is applied at 20. Our reception staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability.

Details of fees charged are available in the link below:

List of chargeable services that we provide at the surgery

GP Care - Private Provider of Medical Services

The Practice is a shareholder of GP Care, an organisation established in 2006 by local GPs to provide some healthcare services for patients on a private basis. Please click on the following links for individual services and connection to the GP Care Website

Minor Skin Surgery
Pregnancy Reassurance Screening:
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening 

This link will take you to a list of available  private counselling services in your local area. 

www.counselling-directory.org.uk

We do not offer dental services here.  However, there are NHS services available - details below

UH Bristol Primary Care Dental Services (PCDS)

Head of Service - Dr Petrina Wood (0117 342 2262

Operational manager - Kay Paul (0117 342 4557)

UH Bristol Primary Care Dental Service provides the following services, many of which are co-located.

The Community Dental Service (CDS) provides dental care for people, who are unable to access treatment from a general dental practitioner (GDP) because of special needs, or disabilities. This includes for example those individuals with mobility problems, learning difficulties, dental phobia, or complex medical histories and those who are housebound. The Service is provided across Bristol, Bath and Weston and referrals are welcome from GDPs, GMPs, other health care professionals such as Health Visitors, carers and relatives. Home visits are available where patients are housebound, or where the disability is such that the individual would find it too difficult to visit a clinic, but this would be at the discretion of the Service.

The Dental Access Centres (DAC) provide treatment for patients, who have experienced difficulty in being accepted by an NHS GDP. The Service gives priority to the relief of pain, but a partial, or full course of treatment may be available where clinic capacity permits. Where possible, patients will then be referred to local GDPs for continuing care.

The Dental Helpline  This service provides a single point of access telephone line providing information, advice and signposting patients to dental practices currently accepting new NHS patients. The helpline also books emergency appointments for patients into the appropriate Services for the urgent relief of pain.

Dental helpline on 08451206680 for advice for local dental services.

The Dental Out of Hours Emergency Service (OOH) operates from clinics in Bristol City Centre (City Gate), Bath City Centre (Riverside) and Weston General Hospital. The Service provides the following to all patients whether you are NHS, private, do not have access to regular dental care, or are just visiting the area:

• Call handling and dental assessment (Triage) from 6pm to 9pm Monday to Friday and 8am - 5pm Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. After these times you will be directed to NHS Direct for information.
• Experienced, qualified primary care dental nurses supported by dentists will carry out a dental assessment of your symptoms over the phone.
• Depending on the outcome of your dental assessment you will be advised of the most appropriate options for your treatment. The following are the possible options you will be offered:
  • Advice on self medication
  • Treatment within a Dental Access Centre
  • Treatment with a General Dental Practitioner
  • Treatment in the Primary Dental Care unit at Bristol Dental Hospital
  • Dedicated Out of Hours treatment centres (Currently Bristol City Gate, Bath Riverside Dental Access Centres, and Weston General Hospital on a Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday mornings).
  • Attendance at A&E (for specific problems)

To access this service, call: 0845 120 6680

The cost of treatment all services and clinics is the same as any other NHS dental practice. Unless exempt from charges for which proof is normally required, normal NHS charges apply.

The Oral Health promotion team are based at Weston General Hospital - 01934 647 262.