Cytology

Cervical screening is one of the best ways of protecting yourself from Cervical Cancer.

Cervical screening (a smear test) checks the health of your cervix. The cervix is the opening to your womb from your vagina. It is not a test for cancer, it is a test to help prevent cancer.

  • All women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 should go for regular cervical screening
  • You will be invited to an appointment by letter and it is important that you attend.
  • During the screening appointment, a small sample of cells will be taken from your cervix.
  • The sample is checked for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that can cause changes to the cells of your cervix. These are called “high risk” types of HPV.
  • If these types of HPV are not found, you do not need any further tests.
  • If these types of HPV are found, the sample is then checked for any changes in the cells of your cervix. These can then be treated before they get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
  • You’ll get your results by letter, usually in about 2 weeks after your appointment.  It will explain what happens next.

Contact your GP surgery online or by phone if you think you are due to have cervical screening but have not been sent an invitation.

If you are worried about symptoms of cervical cancer such as:

  • bleeding between periods, during or after sex, or after you have been through the menopause
  • unusual vaginal discharge

Contact your surgery, do not wait for your next cervical screening appointment

You can find about more about cervical screening and watch a short video explaining the cervical screening procedure here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/

Sexual Health

You can find information and advice about sexual health, including contraception and sexually transmitted infections on the NHS website here https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/

You can also call your local sexual health clinic if you need help and advice.  You can find details of your local clinic here https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/sexual-health/find-a-sexual-health-clinic

We provide a sexual health service to patients which includes COIL fitting and removal, as well as implants. Please discuss an appointment with an ANP or GP.

Family Planning

Contraception

Contraception aims to prevent pregnancy and contraceptive and contraception are free for most people in the UK.  This includes services for people aged under 16 provided they are mature enough to understand the information and the decisions involved.  There are strict guidelines though for professionals who work with people under 16.

There are currently 15 different contraception methods to choose from so you can choose which one will suit you best.

These include:

There are also two permanent options involving female and male sterilisation.

You can get contraception for free from:

  • most GP surgeries (talk to your GP or practice nurse)
  • community contraception clinics
  • sexual health clinics (these offer contraceptive and STI testing services)
  • some young people’s services

You can read a helpful contraception guide here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/?tabname=getting-started

You can also find local sexual health services, including contraception clinics here https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-services/Sexual-health-information-and-support/LocationSearch/734  or call the national sexual health line on 0300 123 7123.

Emergency contraception

Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or if the contraception you have used has failed – for example, a condom has split or you have missed a pill.

There are 2 types of emergency contraception:

  • the emergency contraceptive pill – Levonelle or ellaOne (the “morning after” pill)
  • the intrauterine device (IUD or coil)

You need to take the emergency contraceptive pill within 3 days (Levonelle) or 5 days (ellaOne) of unprotected sex for it to be effective – the sooner you take it, the more effective it’ll be.

The IUD can be fitted up to 5 days after unprotected sex, or up to 5 days after the earliest time you could have ovulated, for it to be effective.

You can find out more about emergency contraception, possible side effects and where to get it here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/emergency-contraception/

Pregnancy

You can find out all you need to know about trying for a baby, pregnancy, labour and birth, including a due date calculator and various elements of support on this handy NHS guide here https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/

We offer a weekly “Drop-In” Family Planning Clinic at Brookside, on Wednesdays 5:00-6:00pm, with one of our Advanced Nurse Practitioner’s

e-Consult

You can now undertake an online consultation with the Practice via the e-Consult section on our Practice Website.  You can tell us about your medical problem, request a repeat sick note and all other manner of things.  You can also find information to self-help, or find out what your local Pharmacist can help with, by accessing e-Consult.  More and more patients are finding and enjoying the benefits of accessing assistance via e-Consult, which is available 24 hours a day from the comfort of your own home

Test Results

All patients need to telephone the practice to obtain information regarding test results, but you can also view them via Patient Online Services or on your NHS App.

Please allow at least a week after providing a sample for urine, smear or blood testing, before contacting us.

If we have received your results before you contact us, and the GP has any concerns we will contact you.

You can call us for test results information between 2pm and 4pm Monday to Friday. Please press option 3 for test results once your call is connected.

Community Nursing

The Community Nursing Team provide a nursing service to housebound patients only. The service they provide may include wound care, pressure area care, continence support, administration of injections and care of patients who are approaching the end of their lives.

The team are no longer based at the practice and contact for the team has now moved to St Mary’s Hospital, so please ring 01983 534323 to speak to a member of the administration team, or to leave a message.

NHS Dental Service

Patients who need information about National Health Dental Services should telephone 111.  There are no dental services provided at Brookside Health Centre.

Social Services

Our Social Prescriber can help you with Social Care Service contact and provision set up.

Well Leg Clinic

The well leg clinic aims to promote ‘healthy legs’ for those individuals who suffer from venous disease which may put them at risk of developing leg ulcers.  Follow-up care is offered to those individuals who have experienced leg ulcers in the past.  This is also provided by our practice nurses and is held weekly at the health centre.

Leg Ulcer Clinic

The leg ulcer clinic mainly specialises in compression bandaging as a form of treatment for leg ulcers.  It is run by the practice nurses and is held weekly at Brookside Health Centre.  Initial assessment is undertaken to determine whether this form of treatment is suitable for individual patients.

It is very important that you comply with the advice, guidance, and requests of the nurses, to ensure that improvement in the health of your leg is achieved.