Surgery clinics

Once you are diagnosed with diabetes it is important to reduce the blood glucose levels and maintain a healthy lifestyle, as all the cells in the body can be damaged by high glucose levels. Diabetes can put you at higher risk of health problems such as heart disease, stroke, eye, kidneys and nerve damage.

You be will invited to attend the diabetic clinic at the surgery at least twice a year where you will have blood tests and a foot examination. All aspects of diabetes will be discussed and support will be given for you to manage your diabetes. You will have the opportunity to discuss your diet and lifestyle. You may also be prescribed tablets to help reduce the glucose levels. Some people will need insulin injections. You will also be referred to the hospital for retinal screening once a year.

If you are on warfarin you will need your INR blood level done regularly in our INR clinic. We run one-stop INR clinics twice weekly, on a Tuesday and Friday morning. Patients on warfarin will be invited to attend, have their finger pricked and the blood tested to determine their clotting (INR) level. The nurse will then alter the dose of warfarin if necessary and arrange the next appointment.

If you have been advised by the surgery to submit an annual review of your asthma symptoms, please use our Asthma review form.

Asthma remains a serious illness and if you are at all concerned that your asthma is getting worse, you should ask for an emergency appointment with your doctor or nurse. Please make it clear to one of our patient navigators that you are asthmatic.

Our practice nurses have specialist asthma qualifications. They run clinics in order that asthma may be assessed, advice offered, queries answered and correct treatment ensured.

Patients on asthma medication should be reviewed at least once a year by our specialist asthma nurses. If you have not had your asthma review in the past year please contact one of our patient navigators.

If you have been advised by the surgery to submit a COPD assessment, please use our COPD assessment form.

Once diagnosed, you will be invited to attend the surgery clinic at least once a year and for some people it may be every 6 months. Your general health will be assessed and your daily symptoms and treatments discussed. You will be asked to perform another spirometry. You may be invited to attend the ‘Pulmonary Rehabilitation group’ sessions to learn more about COPD and how to manage your condition.

If you haven’t used contraception, or your usual method of contraception has failed, please urgently contact the surgery on 01908 375 341 and let one of our patient navigators know that you need emergency contraception, and they will put your request through as an emergency. You can also contact:

• Your local pharmacist
• iCaSH Milton Keynes Clinic
• Some young people’s clinic – 0800 567123

If you have been advised by the surgery to submit a contraceptive pill review, please use our contraceptive pill review form.

If you wish to discuss starting a form of contraception, it might help to consider the options that are available to you. With so many different types of contraception out there, how do you choose the best one for you?

At Parkside, we offer free family planning clinics on a Monday and Wednesday afternoon. Please phone us on 01908 375 341 and tell our patient navigators that you would like to have an appointment for the family planning clinic. A follow up appointment will also be needed to monitor you and your contraceptive method.

You can also seek advice from the local iCaSH Milton Keynes Clinic.

If you are under 25 years old, whether male or female, you can get a free chlamydia test. It is a simple test that you can do yourself and all results are confidential. If you would like to get a free chlamydia screening test, please ask one of our patient navigators for the kit to take home.

For more information about chlamydia screening visit the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) Website.

We run a free stop smoking clinic in the surgery on a Friday afternoon, but we do try to be flexible if you cannot make those times. Our smoking cessation counsellor has one of the best smoking cessation rates in Milton Keynes.

When travelling abroad for business or pleasure, it is important to be prepared, as we are no longer offering a travel vaccination service at Parkside Medical Centre. Please contact one of the organisations below to obtain advice, or to book an appointment:

• MK Travel Clinic – 0330 100 4268
• MK Village Practice – 01908 393979
• Superdrug Heath clinic – 08450 260830
• The Clinic MK – 01908 309290

Please note this is not free on the NHS, so there will be a charge. Please ask at the time of your appointment.

If you have any concerns, or would like advice, please visit the Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes – Morelife UK service.

NHS health checks are a national preventative scheme being offered to patients between the ages of 40-74 who have not been diagnosed with coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke or kidney disease.

You will be sent an invitation letter by our surgery to ring one of our patient navigators to book an appointment for a health check.

At the appointment, a non fasting finger prick sample of blood will be taken to test for cholesterol and glucose, your blood pressure will be taken a long with your weight, height and waist measurement. We will ask you about exercise, and alcohol before you leave you will be advised of your results and if you need to make any follow up appointments.

We run a child immunisation clinic at the practice. You will get an appointment through the post, from child health, for your child at the relevant time. If you are unable to attend, please ring the surgery to cancel and your child will be reappointed by child health.

See the childhood vaccination list at NHS Choices.

Flu clinics are run every year in October/November time. We run 2 Saturday morning clinics. Please ring the surgery in September to book your appointment. If you are unable to attend these, there will other clinics arranged.

The shingles vaccine scheme is rolled out for all 70-79 year olds. The surgery will contact you about making an appointment.

Find out more about the shingles vaccination at NHS Choices.

A midwife from the hospital is attached to Parkside Medical Centre, who looks after you through your pregnancy and post natal. From time to time if the midwife is not available, you will see your own doctor for routine antenatal appointments. If you have a chronic condition then the midwife may refer you to the obstetrician or your doctor for additional care.

When you become pregnant, please inform our patient navigators team and they will get the midwife to contact you. This is usually a phone call within 2 weeks to arrange your first appointment; this is usually arranged at your home between 8 and 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Important numbers

• Antenatal Day Assessment Unit (ADAU) – 01908 243 939
• Labour Ward – 01908 243478

If you have any problems during your pregnancy, please contact your midwife, GP or the urgent care centre during out of hours.

We do not offer a minor injuries service, however you can find your nearest minor injuries clinic below:

Find your nearest minor injuries clinic.

Regular cervical screening will help to detect abnormal cell changes in the cervix (the lower part of the womb) before cancer has had a chance to develop. The NHS cervical screening program is co-ordinated by NHS public Health England. All women aged between 25 and 64 are invited for cervical screening. Women aged between 25 and 49 are invited for testing every three years, and women older than this are invited every five years.

The nurse will take a sample which is then sent for analysis and the results will be sent directly to you within three weeks. If the smear is abnormal you may be given an appointment with the nurse led smear clinic at Milton Keynes Hospital.

If you have missed your cervical screening invitation, please contact the surgery to have your smear done, sooner rather than later. Don’t be afraid, remember cervical screening is not a test for cancer; it is a test to check the health of the cells of your cervix.

Bereavement will affect people in many different ways and can cause a variety of physical and mental symptoms. Grief is a natural process but some people are quite surprised by the intensity of their feelings and thoughts in the early days of bereavement, and they worry that these feelings are not normal.

The following websites will offer more information and support:

• Samaritans
• Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
• Cruse Bereavement Care
• NHS Choices – Bereavement