Clinics & Services
We aim to provide high quality care delivered by our highly trained diverse clinical team. We offer a wide range of medical services across our two medical centres. See our full list of services below.
Anticoagulation (DOACs)
We provide a full service for anticoagulation, including commencement and initiation of Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs), and, Warfarin initiation and monitoring.
For queries related to Warfarin, please contact our Clinical Pharmacists if you are running out of your tablets, or, our Practice Nurses if you have a query regarding your dose. If you are experiencing heavy bleeding, please dial 999. For minor bleeding, please contact our Practice Nurses.
Asthma/COPD
Patients with asthma/COPD should have a review every year, even if their symptoms are well-controlled. We will usually invite you for an annual review. Please book in with the Asthma/COPD Nurse or Clinical Pharmacist when you receive your invitation. If you do not receive an invitation, please contact our Administration Team.
Baby and Child Health Clinic
Baby clinics are held every Wednesday at Avicenna and every Tuesday at Oakdale. These are led by the Health Visitors who are your first point of contact for all issues related to young children.
Rhian Thomas (Physician Associate) completes the 6 week baby medical assessments.
The Health Visitors are responsible for infant feeding problems and monitoring the weight of babies and young children.
Childhood immunisations are also done during these clinics. The immunisation schedule is in line with latest national guidelines and is subject to change.
Blood tests
Blood tests are taken every morning at both sites by appointment only.
Please note that if the hospital consultant has asked you to have a blood test at the GP surgery, they are required to provide the forms stating which tests are required as we cannot complete the tests without the forms.
Cervical Smears
Women aged between 25 and 64 are invited for cervical smears every 3-5 years. Letters are sent to eligible patients by Cervical Screening Wales when their smear is due. To book a smear, please book an appointment with one of our Practice Nurses.
Contraception / Family Planning
We provide comprehensive contraceptive services, including insertion of contraceptive implants and coils. For pill checks and Depo Provera injections please book an appointment with one of the Practice Nurses. For information about an implant or coil, please speak to one of our Practice Nurses or Dr Harris.
Diabetes Reviews
Patients with diabetes will be reviewed at least twice a year. The annual review is conducted as a 2-step visit – at the first visit our Health Care Support Worker will take blood tests and perform baseline checks such as blood pressure and weight. Following that a written report will be sent direct to your home you will have a review with our Practice Nurse, Clinical Pharmacist or GP.
ECGs
We provide ECG monitoring at both sites at the request of GPs and Clinical Pharmacists.
Fit Notes
The first seven days off work due to any period of illness requires the employee to complete a self-certificate (SC2 form) which can be completed online and printed, or from your employer’s human resources department.
After seven days off work due to illness, a medical certificate may be given at the GP’s discretion and is a legal document stating that the patient is not fit for any work. An appointment with the GP is required for a first/new medical certificate. Fit Notes allow the patient to request various flexible options from their employer; a phased return to work, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations.
Continuation medical certificates can usually be requested via a telephone consultation with the GP. You may still require a face-to-face GP appointment at the doctor’s discretion. Doctors are able to backdate medical certificates by a few days so we do not consider sick notes to be urgent queries.
Flu / Pneumonia / Shingles Vaccination
The following people are currently eligible to receive the flu vaccine for free -
Pneumonia vaccinations are available to all adults over 65 and those aged under 65 who are at high risk:
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine
Shingles vaccinations are available to all patients aged between 70 and 79.
Health Visitor
Health Visitors work with children up to five years of age and their families. They promote healthy lifestyles and advice about preventing illness. They are responsible for childhood vaccination, weight monitoring and have special expertise in infant feeding.
Home Visits
Home visit requests are considered daily by our On Call GP. Home visits take up a significantly longer time than surgery appointments so to allow us to continue to provide a high quality service to all of our patients, we can only visit truly housebound patients. This means those who are bedbound, those undergoing palliative care or patients who never leave the house. A lack of transport is not considered a reason for the GP to visit.
INR Clinics
INR Clinics are held throughout the week at both sites.
Insurance Forms
Our GPs can complete insurance forms. Please note as this non-NHS work there is a fee to complete this work We aim to complete such work within 6 weeks. Please visit this link for further information.
Midwife
Community Midwives are responsible for antenatal care. When a woman discovers that she is pregnant, she should contact the practice by telephone, and we will arrange the appointment for you.
Midwife appointments are held at both sites.
Minor Surgery and Joint Injections
We perform minor operations for removal of minor skin lesions, and, also for steroid joint injections. Please discuss these by booking a GP appointment.
Physiotherapy
Aneurin Bevan Local Health Board offers a physiotherapy service by a self-referral. Please visit this link to book an appointment. We also have a Physiotherapist visit once a week from YYF, these appointment slots are very limited.
Research
The practice collaborates with Health and Care Research Wales for clinical trials. Please visit https://healthandcareresearchwales.org/public
Test Results
All test results requested from the practice are viewed and actioned by our GPs. Blood test results are usually back within 5 working days, although they can sometimes take longer depending on which laboratory the test is sent to. X-ray results can take up to 14 days and CT / MRI scans can take even longer. Please do not ask us for results of any tests organised by hospital consultants as it is their responsibility to communicate the results to you so, please contact them directly. To maximise continuity of care we will try to keep follow up of test results with the clinician who ordered your tests.
Travel Vaccinations
Our Nurses provide a full assessment and treatment service for travel vaccinations, including protection against malaria. Please book a routine appointment to discuss your requirements as early as possible as sometimes a course of vaccines is required. Please note that certain treatments are only available on private prescription and therefore are subject to a fee. Please note that we are not an accredited Yellow Fever Centre.
Wound Care
Our Nurses offer wound care services such as removal of sutures and dressing changes. These are available by prior appointment.