Family planning
Comprehensive confidential advice is available during normal surgery times by all the doctors. We offer general advice on contraception and in particular oral contraceptives, injectable contraception and coils. The “morning after pill” or emergency contraception is prescribed when appropriate, but you need to seek advice within 72 hours.
Cervical smears
The Practice Nurses do these unless you request otherwise. Please inform the reception staff if you prefer to have a doctor rather than a nurse. Our policy is to test every woman aged 25 to 55 every three years and women over 50 every 5 years by invitation (unless the cytologist/consultant recommends repeating the smear more often). At the appropriate time, we will invite you by letter to make an appointment for your smear test.
Maternity – First Contact
Before you attend your first appointment with your midwife, the midwife team recommend that you watch the short informative maternity videos that can be found here.
Click here to read Pregnancy and Midwife Information
Antenatal care
Antenatal and maternity care is offered by our Midwives in conjunction with the hospital consultant and/or GP. Hospital deliveries take place at the maternity unit of Newton Abbot, Torbay or Exeter Hospital. The six week post natal check of mother and baby is carried out by our GP’s.
Child health and development screening
Clinics for child health and developmental screening are held regularly by Health Visitors. The Practice Nurses undertake vaccinations and immunisations. Invitations are sent by post. Alternative appointments can be arranged through reception.
Minor surgery
Most minor surgery is carried out by Dr Farrar. Arrangements will be made at Newton Abbot Hospital or, when appropriate, at the surgery. This service is suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chronic disease
We offer some specialist chronic disease clinics such as Diabetes, Heart Care, Blood Pressure and Asthma.
Health promotion
These clinics are designed to assist patients who require support or advice such as smoking cessation or dietary advice. If you want to quit smoking there is more information about the NHS Stop Smoking Service.
Visiting specialists
We have specialists who visit the surgery. These include a Podiatrist and health visiting team.
Vaccinations
Tetanus
All adults who have not had a full primary course of three injections against Tetanus are advised to do so. Thereafter you are advised to have a booster injection which now is a combined Tetanus, Diptheria and Polio booster, at 10 yearly intervals (subject to a maximum of five routine doses in your lifetime).
Influenza immunisation
We recommend an influenza immunisation to all patients aged 65 or over and patients with chronic heart, lung or kidney disease, diabetes and asthma and residents of nursing and rest homes. This is usually available during October and November and clinics are run during this time. Please ask at reception for details.
Pneumo vaccination
Everybody aged 65 years and over should be immunised to help protect against pneumococcal infection which can cause diseases such as pneumonia, scepticaemia (blood poisoning) and meningitis. Leaflets are available at reception.
Travel information
Our Practice Nurses are able to provide advice to those travelling abroad and to provide the necessary immunisations.
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.
Please click here for further information on our travel clinic and downloadable form.
