Child Health
We offer your child a routine physical examination by the Doctor at birth, at six to eight weeks, and at three and a half years. Other developmental checks are done by the Health Visitor. Please remember to bring your child's personal health record book for your appointments at the Surgery.
Cervical Smears
We recommend that all women have regular smear tests. It could save your life - cervical cancer still kills around 900 women a year. View a factsheet
- 25-49 year olds are offered a smear every 3 years
- 50-65 year olds are offered a smear every 5 years
Essex Contractor Services will write to you telling you when your smear is due. Please contact the Surgery to make an appointment with our Practice Nurse, who will perform your smear for you.
Essex Contractor Services will write to you with the result of your smear, usually within 8-12 weeks. If you do not receive your result or have any queries please contact the Surgery. If you have an abnormal smear and require colposcopy, the Hospital or Surgery will contact you.
Contraception
A full family planning service is available, including coil and cap fitting. Dr Dixon and Dr Polak are trained to fit coils. Dr van der Hoek is trained to insert Implanon contraceptive implants.
Emergency Contraception
Emergency Contraception (the morning after pill) - is effective up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, but is best taken as soon as possible; so please ask the Receptionist for an emergency appointment. You can also purchase the morning after pill from a Pharmacist.
Maternity
Women planning a pregnancy are advised to take supplements containing 0.4mg folic acid (available from the Pharmacist) from the time of stopping contraception until 12 weeks into the pregnancy.
You are welcome to make a brief appointment with the Doctor as soon as you know you are pregnant in order to discuss any concerns you have. At this appointment your first ultrasound scan can be arranged.
Around 8-10 weeks after the start of your last period you should have a "booking ante-natal appointment" with the Midwife. This takes about 30 minutes.
We hold a midwife clinic at our North Hill Surgery on a Friday morning and at West Bergholt Surgery on a Wednesday afternoon each week. We do not have a visiting midwife at our Nayland surgery - your antenatal care will be managed by your GP.
Physiotherapy and Chiropody
On the recommendation of one of the Doctors we can refer you to a Physiotherapist at West Bergholt or Nayland Surgery, or to Colchester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (CHUFT).
For neck and back problems we can refer you to a number of specialist Physiotherapists in the Colchester area.
On the recommendation of one of the Doctors we can refer patients to our "in-house Chiropodist" at North Hill or Nayland Surgery, or to the Community Podiatrist based at the Primary Care Centre, Turner Road.
Chronic Disease Clinics
We hold designated Nurse-led clinics for:
- Diabetes
- Asthma
- Warfarin Management
- Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
- Cardio-Vascular Disease
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)