Surgery clinics

The NHS Health Check is a health check-up for adults in England aged 40-74. It’s designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia. As we get older, we have a higher risk of developing one of these conditions.

An NHS health check helps find ways to lower this risk. You should receive a letter inviting you to have a health check every five years, you do not need to wait for your invite letter, if you are eligible you can book one with reception.

These health checks conducted by the practice nurses are for both men and women and are for patients between the ages of 40 & 74 years of age.

What happens at an NHS Health Check?

All patients over 75 are required to have a named doctor who will have overall responsibility for the care and support that Plowright Medical Centre provides them.

Dr Sorensen-Pound will be your named GP.

All patients over 75 who do not already attend the surgery for an annual review are welcome to book a health check with the nurse or health care assistant.

We will check your blood pressure, weight, height, urine and enquire about any health needs.

Please request an appointment with the receptionist if you wish to have a health check.

People with learning disabilities often have poorer physical and mental health than other people. This doesn’t need to be the case.

The annual health check scheme is for adults and young people aged 14 or above with learning disabilities, who need more health support and who may otherwise have health conditions that go undetected.

Who will get an annual health check?

People aged 14 and over who have been assessed as having moderate, severe or profound learning disabilities, or people with a mild learning disability who have other complex health needs, are entitled to a free annual health check.

How do you get an annual health check?

Adults and young people aged 14 or above with learning disabilities who are registered with the practice, will be invited to come for an annual health check.

Not received an invite? Please speak to a receptionist about how to make an appointment.

Read more on the Livewell website.

People with mental health often have poorer physical health than other people. This doesn’t need to be the case.

The annual health check scheme is for adults and young people aged 14 or above with learning disabilities, who need more health support and who may otherwise have health conditions that go undetected.

Who will get an annual health check?

People aged 14 and over who have been assessed as having moderate, severe or profound learning disabilities, or people with a mild learning disability who have other complex health needs, are entitled to a free annual health check.

How do you get an annual health check?

Adults and young people aged 14 or above with learning disabilities who are registered with the practice, will be invited to come for an annual health check.

Not received an invite? Please speak to a receptionist about how to make an appointment.

Counselling services are available at Plowright Medical Centre for patients who are struggling with issues such as:

• Anxiety disorders
• Phobias
• Panic attacks
• Sexual abuse
• Marital discord
• Chronic fatigue
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress
• Work related stress
• Bereavement and loss
• Problems of sexual dysfunction
• Mild to moderate eating problems

Patients need to request an appointment with a doctor in the first instance to discuss the situation. If it is felt that the patient would benefit from some confidential counselling this can be arranged.

Appointments are offered at Plowright Medical Centre in Swaffham dependent on individual need and availability. This service is offered and paid for privately by the practice, a deposit will be required and you will need to be able to commit to attend 6 sessions.

All patients with diabetes are advised to have an annual review with our diabetic specialist nurses and health care assistant.

This is a detailed examination and will last approximately 30 minutes.

Often patients are seeing the doctor on a regular basis for their diabetic care but should still have this more in depth annual review with the nurse.

Clinics are run weekly at both sites, Swaffham on Wednesday mornings and Necton on Wednesday afternoons.

Further information and support can be found on NHS website.

Asthma reviews and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease reviews are carried out by our practice nurses who have undergone specialist training and can provide monitoring of your condition, advice on inhaler technique and new medications.

Patients are generally referred to this clinic by their doctor.

This clinic aims to help diagnose, treat and monitor patients with asthma and respiratory problems with an emphasis on patient education and self-management plans. The clinic has special lung function testing equipment (spirometry) available.

If you have an appointment at the respiratory clinic, please bring any inhalers or peak flow meters you have been given.

Useful links

• NHS UK – Living with Asthma
• NHS UK – Living with COPD

• asthma.org.uk
• British Lung Foundation

The clinic provides monitoring of your condition and medication, advice on risk factors and tries to help you to minimise the risk of future problems.

These clinics review your condition annually and are run at both of our sites.

We have a visiting dietician at the surgery.

Please speak to your doctor or practice nurse who can arrange a referral for you if appropriate.

The practice nurses can also give simple dietary advice and offer weight management programmes.

The dietician has a clinic at Swaffham on a regular basis.

Our chiropractor, comes from the Kings Lynn Chiropractic Clinic and uses a wide range of different techniques to treat low back pain the characteristic manipulative techniques. He also uses other techniques including mobilisation, massage, and other muscle or soft tissue techniques.

He advises on exercises, to strengthen and stabilise the involved area, posture, work related issues and other lifestyle changes. All of these are designed to provide the maximum improvement as quickly as is achievable.

The chiropractor will discuss with you what treatment approach will suit you best. If you would prefer that the chiropractor uses some techniques but not others, this can always be accommodated. For example you might prefer a gentle, non-manipulative approach, which the chiropractor is fully qualified to provide.

Your first visit will take approximately 45 minutes and subsequent visits approximately 30 minutes.

There is a clinic held every week at the surgery.

For further information and details please contact the surgery or the King’s Lynn Chiropractic Clinic on 01553 772512.

Antenatal and postnatal clinics are run by the community midwifery team who will monitor your health through pregnancy and the development of your unborn baby.

Appointments for the clinic should be made through reception.

Antenatal clinics are held on a Monday at the Swaffham surgery.

We are a part of Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which was officially formed on 1 April 2020 as a result of the NHS England approved merger between Norwich CCG, North Norfolk CCG, South Norfolk CCG, West Norfolk CCG, and Great Yarmouth and Waveney CCG.

The Norfolk and Waveney CCG are responsible for planning and buying local health services. This process is known as commissioning. They serve a population of 1.1 million people with a budget for healthcare of £1.6 billion. The CCG work with patients, healthcare professionals, local communities and councils to make sure the right services are in place.

For more information about what they do you can visit the Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) website.

If you have an NHS hearing aid, The West Norfolk Deaf Association can offer support.

Operating across our two sites in Kings Lynn and Downham Market, as well as in the community, we can:

• Maintain and service NHS hearing aids, replace tubing and dispense batteries
• Provide information on assistive equipment and make referrals for additional support to relevant organisations where necessary
• Demonstrate equipment for people with hearing loss, allowing you to trial some of the equipment available
• Give information about other organisations who may be able to provide additional support
• Carry out clinical procedures such as ear wax removal and otoscopy
• Provide empathy, support and a listening ear

The Association also runs a Chat Club on the third Monday of every month at Valentine Barker Court, Swaffham 1am to midday.

They offer servicing of NHS hearing aids, cleaning tubing, installing batteries and other general help, support and advice.

For further details please call The West Norfolk Deaf Association on 01553 773 399.

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most devastating complications of diabetes and it is essential that people with diabetes have regular eye checks, to ensure that the early signs of eye damage are spotted quickly.

Diabetic retinopathy involves changes in the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina at the back of the eye, if left untreated, can lead to serious vision problems.

Within 20 years of diagnosis, nearly everyone with type 1 diabetes and almost two thirds of people with type 2 diabetes will have some degree of retinopathy. As a result, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among UK people of working age.

We hold a diabetic eye screening clinic at the Plowright Surgery every Monday, patients will receive a letter inviting them to attend.

Read the East Anglia diabetic eye screening programme privacy notice (PDF).

What is screening and why do we use it?

Screening is the system of managing patients according to their illness or injury so they can be steered to the most appropriate source of help. This allows the doctors to give priority to those most in need. This system has enabled us to offer an increased number of routine appointments for our patients, as well as maintaining our commitment to see emergencies and urgent cases on the same day.

At Plowright Medical Centre, we have introduced a screening system to aid the efficiency of the service we provide to patients. The number of patients requesting same day appointments under the old system was rapidly increasing with demand extremely difficult to predict and the doctors were not able to keep pace.

How it works

When you call us for an urgent, same day appointment you will be asked to give some brief details regarding the reason for your request, along with a contact telephone number. This will allow clinical staff to prioritise calls. All information that you give to any of the medical centre staff will be dealt with in complete confidence.

Your call will be logged with the screening nurse, who will then call you back to assess your problem and identify how best to manage it. One of the following options will be actioned:

• Telephone advice.
• Same day appointment with doctor or nurse.
• Routine appointment with doctor or nurse.

Advantages of screening

• phone calls are responded to quickly.
• Your problem may be dealt with by the phone call saving patients a visit to the surgery.
• If an appointment is needed, you will be seen by the most appropriate healthcare professional, as quickly as possible.

We would like to advise you that, if you feel your problem is urgent and cannot wait, please inform the receptionist. If your problem is very urgent, then dialling 999 for an ambulance would be appropriate.

Routine appointments

Please note that the system for requesting routine appointments has not changed and you can usually request an appointment up to four weeks in advance. For further information please contact the surgery.

Travel Clinics and Advice

We are currently unable to provide travel advice or assessments but information about travelling to other counties and vaccinations needed can be found on the following websites:

· www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home

· www.nathnac.net

The following travel vaccines are available free on the NHS:

· Cholera

· Diphtheria/Tetanus/Polio

· Hepatitis A

· Typhoid

These vaccines are free because they protect against diseases thought to represent the greatest risk to public health if they were brought into the country.

We are not able to provide any other vaccinations for the purpose of travel.

We recommend you contact a private travel vaccination clinic or pharmacy offering travel health services for a full assessment and advice – view the following list:

· Globe Travel Clinic – 01603 667323 <tel:01603667323>

· Boots Kings Lynn – 01553 767778 <tel:01553767778>

The practice can provide you with a copy of your immunisation history if required.

Once you have had your assessment, if you require any of the immunisations offered on the NHS, please contact the practice to book an appointment with the practice nurse. We will need to know which vaccinations you require at the time of booking the appointment.

Please be aware that we cannot guarantee travel vaccination at short notice. If you inform us too late for your trip, you may need to arrange your vaccinations with an alternative travel clinic/pharmacy.

The cost of travel vaccines that aren’t available on the NHS will vary depending on the vaccine and number of doses needed. It is the responsibility of the patient to organise their own travel vaccinations. Malaria prophylaxis and advice is also the patient’s responsibility and is bought privately. These are both available through private travel clinics such as Boots High Street in Kings Lynn, The Globe Travel Clinic in Norwich.