Children’s Health 

At Brent House we have a continuing programme of child health surveillance.  The doctors examine all babies at eight weeks and our health visitors check their development including hearing and vision over the following four years. 

Well Baby Clinic 

This is run by our Health Visitors at Victoria Park Medical Centre on Thursdays between 10.00am and 11.30am and at Westonzoyland Surgery on the 3^rd Tuesday of each month between 10am and 11am.

Maternity Care 

All the doctors offer antenatal care, which is usually shared with the community midwife.   On confirmation of pregnancy by your GP, you will be referred to the midwife who will contact you to make an appointment to visit you at home to discuss your future care and delivery. If it is your first baby or you have had complications with pregnancy in the past or have other risk factors, you may be referred to a Consultant Obstetrician at Musgrove Park Hospital otherwise the midwife will look after you throughout your pregnancy and delivery and until ten days after delivery when care is handed over to the Health Visitors. 

A post-natal examination of you and your baby by the doctor at eight weeks after birth is also recommended; please tell the receptionist the appointment is for a post-natal examination as you will need a longer appointment for this examination. We usually arrange for your baby to have their first immunisations at the same visit.

Family Planning, Contraception and Sexual Health 

All the doctors are pleased to give family planning, contraception and sexual health advice during ordinary surgeries.  In addition, the practice nurses can also advise on these issues.  

Minor Surgery

We are equipped to carry out a range of minor surgical procedures.  Please make an appointment with Dr Upton to discuss a condition that you think might be helped by a minor operation. 

Immunisations 

Children:  Immunisations are given at the clinic held monthly on Wednesday afternoons.  Appointments are sent by the Child Health Department in Taunton at the recommended intervals.  If you think your child has missed any vaccinations, please speak to the health visitors or practice nurses.  It is important that all children are protected and we strongly recommend that all children have the vaccinations that are offered, including whooping cough and MMR. 

Adults:  All adults should be immunised against tetanus and polio and the practice nurse will be happy to arrange this for you. 

Influenza vaccinations are normally available in October and November for the over 65s and those suffering from chronic diseases: diabetes, asthma, heart disease or kidney disease or have a lowered immune system.  People living in residential homes are also advised to have a flu jab.  

You may also be eligible for a pneumonia jab if you are over 65, have no spleen or suffer from one of the conditions mentioned above. 

Asthma Clinic 

New ideas and new drugs are being used to help asthma sufferers all the time and we run a regular asthma clinic to provide the best possible care for patients suffering from this condition.  This clinic is led by one of our practice nurses, who specialises in the treatment of asthma.  Please make an appointment at reception.

Diabetic Clinic 

If you are a diabetic, regular check ups are an important part of your treatment.  The clinic is led by one of our practice nurses, Julie Ratcliffe, who specialises in the treatment of diabetes and you will normally see the practice nurse and doctor on alternate appointments.  Please make an appointment at reception. 

At two months old:

• Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) (DTaP/IPV/Hib) - one injection
• Pneumococcal infection - pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) - one injection

At three months old:

• Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) (DTaP/IPV/Hib) - one injection
• Meningitis C (meningococcal group C) (MenC) - one injection

At four months old:

• Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) (DTaP/IPV/Hib) - one injection
• Meningitis C (meningococcal group C) (MenC) - one injection
• Pneumococcal infection - pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) - one injection

At around 12 months old:

• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and meningitis C (Hib/MenC) - booster dose in one injection

At around 13 months old:

• Measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) (MMR) - one injection
• Pneumococcal infection - pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) - one injection

Three years four months to five years old (pre-school):

• Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio (dTaP/IPV or DTaP/IPV) - one injection
• Measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) (MMR) - one injection

13 to 18 years old:

• Diphtheria, tetanus and polio (Td/IPV) - one injection

Travel/holidays  

We provide up-to-date health information and advice for travellers as well as holding a stock of vaccines for patients travelling abroad.  Please contact the practice nurse, if possible at least two months prior to travel, to find out what you may need. You will be asked to complete a Travel Advice Form (download below) detailing the countries you intend to visit and the type of travel you are intending to undertake, which will help the nurse to identify the vaccines you require. Please remember that for diseases such as malaria you will need to commence tablets several weeks before you go, so early notice is essential. 

There is further information about countries and vaccinations required on the links below

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

It is important to make this initial assessment as early as possible  - at least 6 weeks before you travel - as an appointment will be required with the practice nurse to actually receive the vaccinations.  These vaccines may have to be ordered if they are not a stock vaccine.  Your second appointment needs to be at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow the vaccines to work.

Most travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge.  This is because not all travel vaccination is included in the services provided by the NHS and therefore may be a chargeable service.

To help us offer the appropriate advice, please download the travel advice form and return to the surgery - you will be contacted by a member of staff to discuss your pre-travel health requirements.

Travel Advice Form

Private Services 

It is not possible to provide all services under the National Health Service and the following table therefore shows the services for which you may have to pay.  A list of current charges is available included here.  These services are available to our registered patients only. 

If you have any concerns about the level of fee involved, please discuss this with your doctor prior to requesting the service. 

• Private sick note
• BUPA/PPP claim form
• Private prescription
• Insurance report for sickness/accident
• Holiday Cancellation Certificate
• Fitness to Travel Certificate
• Holiday Vaccination certificate
• DNA tests
• Medicals with Statement of fitness report
  - Pre-employment
  - HGV/PSV/Taxi Driver
  - Elderly Driver
  - Sports Medicals [including Diving]
   
  We do not sign passport, driving licence or shotgun applications.  

Non NHS Services

List of Charges – February 2010

Driving related items                                                                                       + VAT @ 17.5%

Exam and certificate of fitness for elderly drivers                  from                  £  80.00           £14      = £94.00

Certificate only (no medical)                                            from                 £  24.68           £4.32   =  £29.00

LGV PCV Taxi cab licence exam and report                       Employer          £125.11           £21.89 =  £147.00

                                                                                  Self                  £  66.38           £11.62=  £78.00

Holiday forms

Certificate for cancellation of holiday insurance                                           £24.68            £4.32   =  £29.00

Fitness to travel certificate                                                                      £24.68            £4.32   =  £29.00

International vaccination certificate                                                           £15.32            £2.68   =  £18.00

Insurance Reports

Exam and report                                                                                   £Agreedfee

Report no exam                                                                                    £Agreedfee

Report no exam (urgent)                                                                         £Agreedfee

Supplementary report                                                                             £Agreedfee

Extract from records                                                                               £  58.72           £10.28=  £69.00

Certificate of incapacity                                                                           £  15.32           £2.68  = £18.00

Insurance Questionnaire                                                                          £  32.34           £5.66  =  £38.00

Letter                                                                           from                £  20.43           £3.57  =  £24.00

Sickness/ accident benefit certificate                                                          £  15.32           £2.68  =  £18.00

Solicitor Items

Copy of records                                                             Upto                £  50.00

Letters                                                                          from                 £  60.00           VATexempt

Access to HealthRecords

Copies of reports per A4 side                                                                   £10 plus           48p/side

                                                                                                                        (upto £50)

Private

Private certificate (employers, schools)                                                       £  15.32           £2.68  = £18.00

BUPA/PPP Claim form                                                                          £  29.79           £5.21  =  £35.00

Exam and certificate for fitness to attend college/school                                 £100.43           £17.57 =  £118.00

Exam and certificate for fitness for parachuting, boxing,diving                        £  98.72           £17.28=  £116.00

            For charity                                                                                £  59.57           £10.43=  £70.00

Certificate for parachuting (no exam)                                                          £  15.32           £2.68  = £18.00

            For charity                                                                                £  10.21           £1.79  = £12.00

Pre-employment examination and report                                                     £175.32           £30.68 =  £206.00

Local authority pre-employment exam and report                                         £116.60           £20.40 =  £137.00

Pre-employment report (no exam)                                                             £  58.72           £10.28=  £69.00

Local authority  preemployment report (no exam)                                        £ 39.15             £6.85   = £46.00

Army health check                                                                                 £116.60           £20.40 =  £137.00

Paternity tests                                                                                       £  34.89           £6.11   = £41.00

Ofsted                                                                                                  £ 29.79             £5.21   = £35.00

CICA                                                                                                  £ 39.00                         =  £39.00

Benefit items

Exam and report for blue badge                                                                £  39.15           £6.85   = £46.00

Exam and report re disability allowance                                                     £  34.89/hr       £6.11   = £41.00

Exam and report re attendance allowance                                                    £  34.89/hr       £6.11   = £41.00

Please note that thedoctors will not sign driving licence, passport or shot gun licenceapplications.

Travel vaccinations

Rabies (available on NHS when working in high risk area)                            £105for 3 doses

Japanese B Encephalitis                                                                          £111for 2 doses

The following are available free on the NHS

• typhoid fever,
• hepatitis A,
• poliomyelitis (combined diphtheria/tetanus/polio)

Yellow fever is only available at a specialist centre

Malaria tablets. We provide a prescription, to allow patientto purchase these from the chemist

Other vaccinations will be by agreement