Bowel Cancer

Bowel cancer is a term used to describe cancer in the colon, rectum or the small bowel.

The symptoms of bowel cancer can include:

• Bleeding from the back passage (rectum) or blood in your stools
• A change in normal bowel habits to diarrhoea or looser stools, lasting longer than 4 to 6 weeks
• A lump that your doctor can feel in your back passage or abdomen (more commonly on the right side)
• A feeling of needing to strain in your back passage (as if you needed to pass a bowel motion)
• Losing weight
• Pain in your abdomen or back passage
• A lower than normal level of red blood cells (anaemia)

Because bowel tumours can bleed, cancer of the bowel often causes a shortage of red blood cells. This is called anaemia and may cause tiredness and sometimes breathlessness.

Bowel cancer screening

How do I get a screening kit?

If you are aged 60-69 years, you will be sent your screening invitation automatically through the post. All you need to do is make sure that your GP has your correct address.

People aged 70 years and over or under the age of 60, who wish to be screened, should request a kit. Simply telephone the free helpline on 0800 707 60 60.

Macmillan Cancer Support

Have questions about cancer? Visit Macmillan or call 0808 808 000 free (Monday to Friday 9am – 8pm).

Breast Screening

The National Breast Screening Programme was introduced in 1988 as an early detection service for breast cancer. It states that all women who are aged between 50 – 70 years of age will be routinely invited for free breast screening every three years. The programme is very successful and currently saves around 1,400 lives per year.

Breast screening aims to find breast cancer at an early stage, often before there are any symptoms. To do this, an x-ray is taken of each breast (mammogram). Early detection may often mean simpler and more successful treatment. When women are invited for their mammogram depends on which GP they are registered with, not when their birthday is.

The screening office runs a rolling programme which invites women by area. The requirement is that all women will receive their first invitation before their 53rd birthday, but ideally when they are 50.  If you are under 50 and concerned about any aspect of breast care, please contact the surgery to make an appointment with your GP.

Cervical screening test

Cervical screening, or smear test, is a method of detecting abnormal (pre-cancerous) cells in the cervix in order to prevent cervical cancer. The cervix is the entrance to the womb from the vagina. Cervical screening is recommended every three years for women aged 25 to 49 and every five years for women aged 50 to 64 or more frequently if smear results indicates abnormal changes.

Cervical screening is not a test for cancer; it is a test to check the health of the cells of the cervix. Most women’s test results show that everything is normal, but for 1 in 20 women the test will show some abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix.

Most of these changes will not lead to cervical cancer and the cells may go back to normal on their own. However, in some cases, the abnormal cells need to be treated to prevent them becoming cancerous.

Our nurses are qualified to carry out cervical screening and tests in the form of cervical smears. In order to have a cervical smear the patient must have received a letter requesting that they have a cervical smear and the appointment must please be made for when the patient is not menstruating.

These appointments typically take around 15 minutes. For any further information or to book an appointment, please call the surgery.

Useful links

• NHS – Cervical Screening

Every woman over 25 years of age will be invited for a smear test once every three years.

Women over the age of 49 years are invited every five years.

Please make an appointment with the practice nurse.

Patients needing smears for a medical problem should make an appointment with the doctor.

Childhood and Teenage Mental Health

While it is commonly believed that depression only effects adults, around 10% of children in Great Britain aged between 5 and 16 have a recognisable mental disorder; with about 4% of children suffering from an emotional disorder such as anxiety or depression.

The problem for many is that depression is difficult to spot and often regarded as teenage mood swings. However, if your child is appearing to have an extreme emotional response to a life event or has lost interest in activities which previously interested them they may be suffering from an emotional disorder.

If you are worried about your child’s mental health please visit your GP, who will be able to offer a range of support to help both you and your child. There are a range of talking therapies which are highly effective in dealing with both short term and long term depression, for more information on these therapies please view the NHS Talking Therapy Guide.

Useful links

Barnardo’s Mental Health Support for children and adolescents
Mind- Mental Health Charity
Sane – Mental Health Support
Rethink Mental Illness

Childhood Immunisations

One of the most important things that a parent can do for their child is to make sure that they have all their routine childhood vaccinations. It’s the most effective way of keeping them protected against infectious diseases.

Ideally, children should have their jabs at the right age to protect them as early as possible and minimise the risk of infection.

Find out which jabs your child needs, when they need them, and what the benefits of each jab are.

Please call the surgery to make an appointment.

For more information please visit the websites below:

Useful links

NHS – Vaccinations

Neo-natal Checks

Some newborn babies are released from hospital without a detailed examination. If this is the case, our GPs are happy to perform the relevant checks, either in the surgery, or in the comfort of your own home, depending on which is easier for you.

In most cases, the Practice will contact new mums to arrange for this to happen, on rare occasions where we are unaware of the birth, please feel free to give us a call and arrange an appointment or visit.

Health visitors provide clinics at the surgery for developmental checks, weighing and general advice.

Doctors provide medical examinations for new babies and children aged two years old.

The practice nurse will give children their vaccinations.

Please enquire at reception for times of this dedicated clinic.

Please make an appointment with the doctor of your choice.

All of the doctors are prepared to prescribe emergency contraception.

The ‘morning after pill’ can be given within 72 hours.

Coils can be fitted within five days.

Patients over the age of 75 – once a year unless you are being seen regularly.

All patients – every three years if you have not been seen for another reason.

It is better for you to be seen at the surgery where there are better diagnostic tools and better facilities to properly assess you.

If you require a home visit please contact your surgery as soon as possible in the morning and give the receptionist your details.

If you are over 18 years of age and have a BMI recorded in the last 2 years of over 30 or If black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) then a BMI of over 27.5, you are invited to be part of the Healthier Living Hub.

The hub will give patients access to a Dietitian, Health & well-being coach and information on community support to assist with dietary and lifestyle changes needed to help reduce obesity.

There are 6 one-hour group sessions in total from May-January, with a session taking place every 6 weeks on a Thursday. These sessions can be virtual or face to face.

Expected session dates are:

• 30th May 2024
• 11th July 2024
• 22nd August  2024
• 3rd October 2024
• 14th November 2024
• 2nd January 2025 

For each session we focus on:

• Diet & nutrition
• Lifestyle changes to form good habits
• Getting active
• Open discussion about challenges and setting goals

If you are interested in being part of the hub then do get in touch by completing this survey Healthier Living Hub survey  You can also get in contact via email or contact your practice.

Once the survey is completed, our hub team will be in contact to onboard you.

Everyone is at risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and some forms of dementia. The good news is that these conditions can often be prevented – even if you have a history of them in your family. Have your free NHS Health Check and you will be better prepared for the future and be able to take steps to maintain or improve your health.

Visit NHS – Health Checks for further information.

You are usually referred because your GP wants a specialist’s help in deciding how best to treat your condition or they do not have the equipment at the surgery for the required tests and investigations.

If your GP needs to refer you to a consultant-led service for a physical or mental health condition, in most cases you have the right to choose which hospital you go to.

If you do not express a preference, your GP will tend to refer you to a local hospital near where you live that is part of the local healthcare system.

View more information on referrals

Please complete a form and make an appointment between four and six weeks before you intend to travel.

There is a charge for some injections or prescriptions – please see the notice board in reception or ask a member of staff.