Clinics

We work with the health visitors to provide child health development checks. All children under school age have regular review checks. You will get a letter inviting you and your child to attend for the child development checks.

Babies have their immunisations at two, three and four months, to protect from whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria, polio, HIB meningitis and meningococcal meningitis C. They have their MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) immunisations at 12 to 14 months. We also offer booster immunisation to pre-school children. Thursdays.

The practice has a full antenatal and postnatal service provided by our midwife. Your care will be shared between the midwife, the doctors and the hospital.

All women between 20 and 65 should have a cervical smear test every three years. You will get a letter reminding you when your smear test is due. You should make your appointment to see the practice nurse about halfway between your periods.

The doctors and nurses provide advice on all types of family planning. Dr Angie Westwood specialises in hormone implants (Implanon) and IUCDs (coils). Please make an ordinary surgery appointment with Dr Potter to discuss these methods.   For emergency contraception advice, you need to see a doctor or nurse as soon as possible, and not more than 72 hours after having unprotected sex.

If you have asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), we will regularly monitor your care and help you to improve the way you manage your condition yourself. You will be offered a review every year with the practice nurse (please make an appointment). We will review treatment every three to six months for children with more severe asthma.   To make sure you are getting the best treatment, we may do tests using computerised equipment. We can then review your peak flow (how hard you can blow air out of your lungs) and inhaler techniques and give you up-to-date information about new medications. Please bring all your medicines, inhalers and anything else that you use to the clinic.

You should have your blood pressure checked: every three to five years if you are under 60: and once a year if you are over 60.   If your doctor has prescribed medication to control your blood pressure, we will ask you to come for more frequent checks. You can arrange an appointment with our practice nurse.

If you have a problem with bladder or bowel control, this clinic gives you the opportunity to have your condition assessed, treated and managed. Please make an appointment through the receptionist.

We aim to achieve good control of diabetes and prevent complications by providing education and regular check-ups. If you have diabetes, we will write to offer you an appointment for a check-up every six months. There is also a follow-up clinic if you need to be seen more often.   When you come to the clinic please bring all your medicines and records of finger-prick and urine testing with you.    You can get more information about care for diabetes from our leaflet ‘Your guide to how Skewen Medical Centre cares for people with diabetes’. The leaflet explains how we can work with you to manage your condition. It also tells you how well we are doing compared to other practices in the LHB.

If you have angina or have had a heart attack or stroke, we will offer you an appointment for a review every year. We will review your condition, give you the best treatment, and lower your ‘risk factors’ to prevent further illness.     You can get more information about care for heart disease from our leaflet ‘Your guide to how Skewen Medical Centre cares for people with coronary heart disease’. The leaflet explains how we can work with you to manage your condition. It also tells you how well the practice is doing compared to other practices in the LHB.

You should make sure you have had a tetanus and polio booster in the last 10 years. Our practice nurses can advise you.   Flu vaccinations and pneumococcal vaccines (protection against pneumonia)   These are available each autumn for people over 65 and people with certain medical conditions such as chronic chest problems, diabetes and heart disease.

If the doctor asks you to have a blood test, we have a  blood-testing clinic from 8.00am to 11am, Monday to Friday.   This clinic also monitors patients on certain medication such as warfarin, thyroxine and drugs for rheumatoid arthritis.

This service includes removal of skin lesions such as moles.

The practice nurses can give you advice on immunisations for travel abroad. Please arrange an appointment well before your travel date.