Clinics and services

Wincanton Health Centre
Carrington Way
Wincanton
Somerset
BA9 9JY
Tel: 01963 435700

News:

Announcements

Find out about all of the free NHS services available to support you as you go try to give up smoking.

Stay safe in the sun, including sunscreens, sunburn relief, heat exhaustion, eczema and moles. Summer holidays are great fun for children, but can bring risks. Find out more

01 Jul - 01 Oct
Change for Life

Would you like loads of tips and help to make changes for a healthier future? As part of Change4Life, you will receive tons of helpful information, recipes, tools, tips, and games for the kids.

BBC Health

Outbreak probe at industry sites

There are now 12 cases linked to a Legionnaires' outbreak, as health officials focus on south Wales industrial sites in the search for the cause.

More obesity ops 'will save cash'

Millions of pounds are lost in England by the failure of the NHS to provide more obesity operations, a study says.

Inquiry to hear from HIV victims

The injury into contaminated NHS blood products in the 1980s will hear from the victims who contracted HIV and Hepatitis.

Statins 'may cut arthritis risk'

Taking statins may reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a study suggests.

Call for morning sickness action

More needs to be done to establish which are safe and effective ways to relieve morning sickness, experts say.

ME 'virus link' found in children

ME, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, in children could be caused by a virus, scientists say.

UK radiotherapy 'lagging behind'

Too few UK cancer patients are receiving state-of-the-art radiotherapy care, experts from Cancer Research UK say.

'Genetic link' to breast cancer

Researchers have identified a series of genetic variations which may play a role in a common breast cancer.

Gaps persist in cancer survival

Despite significant improvements in cancer survival rates across England, regional differences remain, national statistics show.

Bipolar 'not linked to violence'

People with a mental illness are no more likely to be violent unless they abuse drugs or alcohol, a study suggests.

Yahoo Health

Group backs mandatory flu vaccinations for doctors (AP)

AP - The nation's largest pediatricians' group is endorsing mandatory flu vaccinations for doctors, nurses and other health workers.

CVS Caremark to give away up to $5M in flu shots (AP)

AP - CVS Caremark Corp. said Wednesday it will give away up to $5 million in seasonal flu vaccinations to people without health insurance.

AP Exclusive: Back to work after salmonella case (AP)

** ADDS COMPLETION OF THE SECOND SENTENCE - FILE - In this March 12, 2009 file photo, Peanut Corporation of America's president Stewart Parnell, arrives a federal court in Lynchburg, Va. The peanut industry executive whose filthy processing plants were implicated in a salmonella outbreak that killed nine people and sickened hundreds more is back in the business, as the federal government's criminal investigation against him has languished for more than 18 months, The Associated Press has learned. (AP Photo/Don Petersen, File)

AP - The peanut industry executive whose filthy processing plants were blamed in a salmonella outbreak two years ago that killed nine people and sickened hundreds more is back in the business.

US smoking rate still stuck at 1 in 5 adults (AP)

AP - U.S. smoking rates continue to hold steady, at about one in five adults lighting up regularly, frustrated health officials reported Tuesday.

FDA cites claims on 2 green tea beverages (AP)

AP - Federal health regulators have issued warnings to the makers of Canada Dry ginger ale and Lipton tea for making unsubstantiated nutritional claims about their green tea-flavored beverages.

FDA relents from midodrine withdrawal plan (AP)

AP - Federal regulators have backed off a plan to remove a Shire PLC low blood-pressure treatment from the market after warning in August that the drug has not been proven effective.

Report says obesity surgery can save health costs (Reuters)

Reuters - Providing surgical treatment for people who are morbidly obese could save British taxpayer-funded health services and the wider economy hundreds of millions of pounds a year, leading surgeons said on Wednesday.

For Bonobo Males, Mom Is the Best Wingman (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - To most human males, the thought of your mother anywhere near your sex life is probably horrifying. Not so for the bonobo, one of our closest primate relatives. A new study confirms that hanging out with mom boosts male bonobos' chances of getting intimate with a fertile female.

Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 8, 2010 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Health Tip: Stay Safe Around the School Bus (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Teaching children to take precautions while waiting for, entering and exiting a school bus can help keep them safe.

MedPage Today

Flu Vaccine a Must for All Healthcare Workers, AAP Says (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- All healthcare personnel should be required to get vaccinated against influenza, according to a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Short Therapy for Ear Infections More Prone to Failure (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- A short course of antibiotics for acute otitis media in children is slightly more likely to fail than a longer course, researchers reported.

Geometric Patterns Mesmerize Autistic Tots (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- A toddler's fixation on geometric patterns may be an early warning sign of autism, researchers found.

Lack of Sleep Linked to Distress in Young Adults (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Skimping on sleep can increase the risk for common psychological problems such as low mood and anxiety, according to a large prospective study.

Treating the Poor Linked to Poor Performance Rating (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Physicians who see more socially disadvantaged and nonwhite patients received overall lower-quality performance ratings -- while doctors who see fewer such patients received higher rankings, researchers found.

Scars Increase Risk for Kidney Grafts (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Scarring and mild inflammation of kidney transplants that develop in the first year predict eventual graft failure, researchers found.

Adjuvant Chemo Drugs Equal for Pancreatic Cancer (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Gemcitabine (Gemzar) doesn't improve survival in patients with resected pancreatic cancer compared with other chemotherapy, researchers found.

Judge Won't Lift Block on Stem Cell Research Funding

(MedPage Today) -- Federal spending of embryonic stem cell (ESC) research will remain off-limits for now, a federal judge ruled, dealing yet another blow to the Obama administration's efforts to support such research.

Cigarette Smoke May Affect Fertility (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Smoking may provide an explanation for reduced fertility, results of two studies suggested.

Adult Smoking Hits Plateau

(MedPage Today) -- One in five U.S. adults continues to smoke tobacco -- a percentage that hasn't budged since 2005 -- suggesting that more aggressive efforts are needed to reduce smoking-related diseases and deaths, the CDC said.

Clinics & Services

Travel Advice

Nurse Practitioner

Vaccinations

Clinics & Services offered at the practice

Asthma - Practice Nurses

Baby
At Balsam Centre - no appointment necessary.

Cervical Smears - Practice Nurses

Child Immunisation
2nd and 4th Thursday of the month from 2:00pm - 4:00pm by appointment

Counselling - Referral by your doctor

Diabetes - Practice Nurses

Dietician - Referral by your doctor

Healthy Heart - Practice Nurses

Minor Surgery - When required

No Smoking - Make an appointment with one of the Practice Nurses

Parentcraft - Please contact the midwife

Speech Therapy - Referral by your doctor or the Health Visitor

Weight Management - Make an appointment with one of the Practice Nurses

Travel Advice

If you think you may need travel vaccinations, please contact the surgery in plenty of time and, if possible, at least six weeks before your trip. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire giving details of where you plan to travel, the dates of your trip and the conditions you will be staying in. You should return the questionnaire to the surgery as soon as possible and we will contact you to let you know if you need any vaccinations and, if so, which ones and when.

Although most travel vaccinations are given free of charge, there are a small number that have to be given privately. You will be told if if you have to pay for any of the vaccinations you need and, if so, you will be required to pay for the course in full prior to the first vaccination.

There is further information about countries and vaccinations required on the links below

Europe & Russia	North America
Central America	South America
Carribean	Africa
Middle East	Central Asia
East Asia	Australasia and Pacific

It is important to make this initial appointment as early as possible - at least 6 weeks before you travel - as a second appointment will be required with the practice nurse to actually receive the vaccinations. These vaccines have to be ordered as they are not a stock vaccine. Your second appointment needs to be at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow the vaccines to work.

Most travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge. This is because travel vaccination is not included in the services provided by the NHS and therefore is a chargeable service.

The Nurse Practitioner can be booked through reception and can deal with the following problems:

Sore throats
Earache
Conjunctivitis
Sinusitis
Nose bleeds
Colds & Flu
Hayfever
Urinary infections
Headache
Minor head injury
Minor injuries (triage)
Coughs
Vaginal Discharge
Rashes
Eczema
Impetigo
Chest infections
Dermatitis

Vaccinations for Flu/Pneumonia

flujabs These will be given in order of medical priority as follows:

1. All those aged 65 and over and Patients with the following diseases:

Chronic respiratory disease
Asthmatics on regular medication
Chronic heart disease
Chronic renal disease
Chronic liver disease
Immunosuppression
Diabetic requiring insulin or oral drugs

2. Those living in long-stay residential care homes or other long stay care facilities.

3. Carers

4. Health care workers

5. Any other groups

Childrens Vaccination Schedule

At two months old:

Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) (DTaP/IPV/Hib) - one injection
Pneumococcal infection - pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) - one injection

At three months old:

Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) (DTaP/IPV/Hib) - one injection
Meningitis C (meningococcal group C) (MenC) - one injection

At four months old:

Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) (DTaP/IPV/Hib) - one injection
Meningitis C (meningococcal group C) (MenC) - one injection
Pneumococcal infection - pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) - one injection

At around 12 months old:

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and meningitis C (Hib/MenC) - booster dose in one injection

At around 13 months old:

Measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) (MMR) - one injection
Pneumococcal infection - pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) - one injection

Three years four months to five years old (pre-school):

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio (dTaP/IPV or DTaP/IPV) - one injection
Measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) (MMR) - one injection

13 to 18 years old:

Diphtheria, tetanus and polio (Td/IPV) - one injection

Practice Information

For quick medical advice online or on the telephone contact NHS Direct