Asthma and COPD are long term conditions and regular reviews are needed to ensure good symptom control.

If you have a diagnosis of asthma or COPD, we will inform you when your review is due annually. If you need more regular monitoring we will inform you when your next check is due.

At 6-8 weeks, your baby should have a thorough physical examination. This is usually done by a GP.

Your baby’s eyes, heart, hips and – for boys – testicles will be checked. They’ll also have their weight and other relevant measures taken.

A GP or health visitor will discuss your baby’s vaccinations with you. These are offered at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks and 12 months old, and before your child starts school.

They’ll also ask you how you’ve been feeling emotionally and physically since the birth of your baby.

Baby and child immunisations are offered at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks and 12 months old, and before your child starts school.

The full schedule is available here

You will be notified when the immunisation is due

High blood pressure is a significant risk factor for heart disease and strokes. All of our clinical team are able to check your blood pressure. It is called a ‘silent disease’ as often doesn’t cause symptoms and therefore we look to opportunistically check your blood pressure in clinics, if you don’t have a diagnosis of high blood pressure and see us for another matter.

If you have a diagnosis of high blood pressure, we will inform you when your blood pressure check is due. If you need more regular monitoring we will inform you when your next check is due.

How to check your own blood pressure without a GP appointment: How to check your own blood pressure without a GP appointment:

• With your own home blood pressure monitor, you can find out more about this and how to submit readings to us
• If you do not have your own blood pressure monitor we can lend one to you, ask about this at reception
• Using the self blood pressure checking machine at Sheringham Medical Practice

Blood tests are taken by our healthcare assistants and phlebotomist.

If you have routine monitoring blood tests

• For monitoring for a long term condition such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease or hypothyroidism – we will invite you in for these tests when they are due
• For monitoring safe use of medications such as blood thinners, blood pressure tablets or immunosuppressive medications – we will invite you in for these tests when they are due

you are requesting a blood test to check on underlying symptoms, for example constant tiredness, prostate or menopausal symptoms, this will have to be assessed by a clinician first

If you are requesting a blood test to check on underlying symptoms, for example constant tiredness, prostate or menopausal symptoms, this will have to be assessed by a clinician first.

Cervical smears are routinely recommended every three years for women between age 25 and 49. After this, every five years until 65 years old.

Diabetes is a long term condition and regular reviews are needed to ensure good sugar control.

If you are a diet or tablet controlled diabetes patient, we will contact you when you are due your diabetic review annually. If you need more regular monitoring we will inform you when your next check is due.

If you are on insulin, the hospital will look after your diabetic care.

Please contact the doctor or nurse at any time if you are concerned about your diabetes symptoms.

Our practice nurses and doctors can advise you on the various method of contraception for you.

We provide a full range of family planning services including:

• Contraceptive pill
• Fitting of caps
• Contraceptive injection
• Contraceptive implant
• Coil removal and fitting

We can also refer sterilisation procedures (vasectomy / tubal ligation)

The NHS Health Check is a health check-up for adults in England aged 40 to 74. It’s designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia. As we get older, we have a higher risk of developing one of these conditions. An NHS Health Check helps find ways to lower this risk.

The check is for people who are aged 40 to 74 who do not have any of the following pre-existing conditions:

• heart disease
• chronic kidney disease
• diabetes
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• atrial fibrillation
• transient ischaemic attack
• inherited high cholesterol (familial hypercholesterolemia)
• heart failure
• peripheral arterial disease
• stroke
• currently being prescribed statins to lower cholesterol
• previous checks have found that you have a 20% or higher risk of getting cardiovascular disease over the next 10 years

Please note we will only do home visits for patients who are genuinely housebound because of their illness. We will always ask that someone who can leave their home to get to us either via a lift or taxi. This is to ensure we priorities patients who are genuinely housebound.

When requesting home visits please Contact us as early in the day as possible to request a visit, this will help us to prioritise visit requests

We have an in-house mental health practitioner, Sharon Stilgoe who can offer help with a variety of mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. she can see people over the age of 16. We also have a Mental Health recovery worker Catherine who can support patients who have mental health needs including depression, anxiety, stress and bereavement. The support is entirely patient led looking at coping strategies and various different techniques which may help the patient improve their mental health while encouraging the patient’s independence. We have a social prescriber Link worker Maya who works with patients focusing on ‘what matters to me’ and taking a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. They connect people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. Areas covered: Abuse/exploitation, Blue Badge applications, Benefit Advice – support with claims (AA, PIP, DLA), Care support, Carer’s support, Common Mental Health Problems, Community groups, Dementia/memory loss, Employment/learning, Debt/budgeting advice, Health, Home adaptation/assistive technology, Housing, Local opportunities for leisure interests, Low level legal advice, Long term condition management/support, New to the area, Social Isolation, Substance misuse, Support in parenting/childcare, Transport, and Volunteering opportunity and Wellbeing.

Many of our Doctors are trained in minor surgery procedures and also perform joint injections

Please note we are unable to remove skin lesions for cosmetic reasons under the NHS.

Sarah is our in-house clinical pharmacist she is an expert in medicine management, and she will be able to help you if you have any queries about your medications.

We have an in-house “first contact” physio Gary. His role is to review patients with musculoskeletal problems without the need for you to see a GP first. This includes common issues such as back, hip, knee and neck pain. The physiotherapy team are able to:

• Examine you face to face
• Organise imaging such as x-rays
• Suggest blood tests
• Refer you to the hospital for an orthopaedic assessment if needed

When travelling abroad it is essential to investigate the health risks associated with your trip. You should seek advice at least 8 weeks before you travel due to time frames needed between vaccines and your body developing an immune response to the vaccine to provide you with protection.

Our practice does not offer speciality travel clinics as this is not a part of standard NHS services. However, we do offer the NHS vaccines. The NHS covers the cost of these vaccines which are:

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Tetanus
• Diphtheria
• Polio
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)

Prior to your appointment please ensure you look at the latest guidance on the country you are visiting on the travelhealthpro website. For travel vaccines other than those above, or malaria prophylactic medication you need to attend a specialist travel service, these services are private and therefore subject to charges.

Flu – We offer flu immunisations each autumn to all patients over 65 years old or those, including children, who have conditions such as asthma, diabetes, chest and heart disease

Pneumonia (pneumococcal vaccine) – People aged 65 and over only need a single pneumococcal vaccination. This vaccine is not given annually like the flu jab. If you have a long-term health condition you may only need a single, one-off pneumococcal vaccination, or a vaccination every 5 years, depending on your underlying health problem.

Shingles – A vaccine to prevent shingles, a common, painful skin disease, is available on the NHS to people in their 70s. Shingles vaccine – NHS (www.nhs.uk)