Other Services
Minor Illness
We have been trying to improve access to health care advice for our patients and have recently introduced some minor illness nursing sessions to complement our duty doctor sessions.
Each week day, one of our doctors takes the role of emergency duty doctor working in partnership, when available, with a nurse specialist from our minor illness team. They see patients who feel that they need to be seen on that particular day because their condition cannot wait until the next available routine appointment.
If you need to use this service, please tell the receptionist that you have an urgent problem and she will give you a time to come to see either the duty doctor or a minor illness nurse. We ask that you give the receptionist a rough idea of the problem so that the medical team can ensure severe emergencies are not left waiting. The receptionist cannot offer medical advice. In view of the fact that health is not predictable, we will only give approximate times for duty doctor and minor illness appointments and apologise if you have to wait due to the treatment of a critically ill patient.
The above system ensures that you get prompt access to a medical help. However, many problems can be dealt with over the telephone with a prescription, advice or an appointment in the near future, saving doctor and patient time in unnecessary trips to the surgery. Therefore, if you would prefer to have a phone call, please ask the receptionist and a nurse or doctor will phone you back at the end of their morning or afternoon surgery.
Many of us now rely very heavily on our mobile ‘phones but, for a range of reasons, it is also very helpful to have a landline number whenever possible, whether this be a home or work number.
Clinics & Services
Adolescents and Young Adults
We want our young patients to know where to go for help. We offer confidential advice on all aspects of care and we can be approached by anyone with a problem, however big or small. Patients of all ages can be sure that their problem will be kept confidential, unless doing so would risk leaving the patient subject to harm or abuse.
We have a list of useful names, addresses, telephone numbers and websites of organisations which you may find helpful. Please ask one of the nurses or receptionists for details.
Child Health and Immunisations
In line with Department of Health guidelines, we actively encourage full immunisation for all of our pre-school children. Development and health checks are carried out by the health visitors by appointment. There are also Baby Clinics held in Leighton Buzzard for weighing and health advice as follows:
- Mondays – Bideford Green Community Centre from 12:30-14:30 hours
- Wednesdays – Astral Park Community Centre from 13:00-15:00 hours
- Fridays – Astral Park Community Centre from 09:30-11:30 hours
If you feel your child is unwell, particularly with an infectious illness, then it is more appropriate for you to make a doctors’ appointment rather than taking them to these clinics.
We ask newly registered patients with children under the age of 5 to provide us with full details of previous immunisations. It is extremely important to record these in your child’s medical notes and your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Travel Health
Arranging your travel appointment
Our practice nurses offer travel injections if you are travelling to a country where these are needed. Please complete a travel consultation form either online (see link below) or collect a paper copy via reception before we book this appointment as the nurse will need to assess your need for vaccination(s).
Once you have completed the travel form, please hand this into reception or save and email it to us via bassett.road@nhs.uk. One of our Practice Nurses will call you within 14 days to discuss your travel plans and arrange an appointment as necessary.
Travel vaccines that are free on the NHS and available at BRS are:
- Polio (given as a combined diphtheria/tetanus/polio jab)
- Typhoid
- Hepatitis A
- Cholera
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.
Other vaccinations available at local Travel Clinics (but not at BRS) are:
- Hepatitis B
- Japanese encephalitis
- Meningitis
- Rabies
- Tick-borne encephalitis
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- Yellow fever (this vaccine is only available from designated centres)
The cost of travel vaccines not available on the NHS will vary, depending on the vaccine and number of doses you need to achieve cover.
For more information please click on the link below:
CALS (Community Alcohol Liaison Service)
- A free & confidential service for adults over 18 years of age in Bedfordshire who are concerned about their drinking or who are experiencing problems with alcohol.
- Advice, support and information on how to cut down your alcohol consumption
- Ongoing appointments if required.
To make an appointment to see a CALS worker please call 07974 140235 or speak to your GP.
Family Planning
Advice on all forms of contraception (for which you do not have to be registered with the Practice) is available at the surgery. It would be very helpful if you could give the receptionist an indication of the nature of the advice you need so that we can be sure to meet your needs within necessary timescales. Your confidentiality will be respected at all times.
Health Promotion
Health promotion advice is available from doctors and nursing staff at the practice.
Our practice nurses run several health promotion clinics and are also involved in managing a variety of medical conditions for example:
- Diabetes;
- Asthma;
- Coronary Heart Disease;
- Hypertension;
- Warfarin Management;
- Smoking Cessation;
- Travel Advice.
Maternity Care
As a patient of this Practice you have a choice in where you have your baby, using facilities offered by the 3 local hospitals at Milton Keynes, Luton or Stoke Mandeville or opting for a home delivery.
Antenatal care is shared between the GP, midwife and hospital. The previous weekly antenatal clinics held at the surgery have recently been replaced by a new locality service, run by the community midwives from the Leighton Road Surgery base at Grovebury Road. This allows a more comprehensive and responsive service to our ante-natal patients whilst maintaining links with our named practice midwife, Hayley. Mothers are also invited to attend parentcraft classes organised jointly by the midwife and health visitor.
After delivery, on discharge from hospital, the midwife will visit mother and baby at home until approximately day 10, when care will be transferred to the health visitor.
Minor Surgery
If appropriate, your doctor may advise you to have minor surgery performed under local anesthetic here at the surgery in one of our well equipped treatment rooms.
Please note that there may be a prescription charge for items used during the operation.
Social Worker
We have an attached social worker, based in Leighton Buzzard, who visits and assesses those of our patients aged 65 and over in their own homes. Advice can be given on the resources available to help people to continue to manage independently, and/or on home care, residential and nursing home care, as required.
Other Social Services’ teams are based in Dunstable; they can assist and give advice to children and adults under the age of 65.
Social Prescribing
Social prescribing is a way for local agencies to refer people to a link worker. Link workers are able to give people time, focusing on ‘what matters to me’ and take a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. They connect people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. Link workers also support existing community groups to be accessible and sustainable and help people to start new groups, working together with other local partners.
Patients We Can See
- People with long-term health conditions (Diabetes, Chronic Pain, COPD)
- People with disabilities
- Carers
- People who are socially isolated
- Frequent Primary or Secondary health care service attenders
- People with social needs
- People with low-level mental health needs
- People with logistical issues (Housing, Finance, Employment)
Patients We Are Unable to See
- People with advanced dementia
- People already involved in a motivational coaching service
- People towards end of life
- People with severe drug or alcohol misuse
- People with severe mental health conditions (experiencing psychosis, not stable, suicidal ideation)
- People under the age of 18
- People who decline the service
Social prescribing link workers cannot treat medical conditions; they take a holistic overlook on peoples existing condition, by finding ways to empower and help the patient take responsibility for their health conditions by finding ways to help them manage these conditions.
Self-referral for Social Prescribing
If you feel you would benefit from social prescribing and speaking to one of our link workers, simply complete the short self-referral form.
Bedfordshire Wellbeing Service
Living well with respiratory conditions
A 5 week course for people diagnosed with chronic respiratory conditions.
- This course aims to educate and support people in coping with breathlessness and other challenges associated with a respiratory condition.
- It will help to build awareness of the practical and emotional impact it may have.
- It supports people to develop skills in managing their condition and live life to their full potential.