COVID-19

Get NHS advice about COVID-19, including its symptoms and what to do, how to avoid catching and spreading it, treatments, vaccinations and long-term effects.

For further information , visit COVID-19 vaccine – NHS (www.nhs.uk).

Flu

Seasonal Flu Vaccination is recommended if you aged 65 and over or if you suffer from any of the following:

• A chronic chest complaint (including asthma and COPD)
• Heart Disease
• Chronic kidney or liver disease
• Diabetes
• Lowered immunity due to a disease or treatment such as steroid medication or cancer treatment
• Chronic Neurological Disease e.g. Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease
• Any other serious medical condition (please check with the doctor if you are unsure)

The vaccination is also recommended if you are:

• Pregnant
• A registered carer
• Living in long-stay residential care homes

For further information, visit Flu vaccine – NHS (www.nhs.uk).

Shingles

The shingles vaccine helps protect against shingles. It’s recommended for all adults turning 65, those aged 70 to 79 and those aged 50 and over with a severely weakened immune system.

For further information, visit Shingles vaccine – NHS (www.nhs.uk).

RSV

The RSV vaccine helps protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common virus that can make babies and older adults seriously ill. It’s recommended during pregnancy and for adults aged 75 to 79.

For further information, visit RSV vaccine – NHS (www.nhs.uk).

Our nursing team carry out blood tests by appointment. The samples taken are collected by the hospital courier service.

Alternatively, you can attend a blood clinic at Lincoln County Hospital. You will be required to make an appointment and can use this link to book a blood test at Lincoln County Hospital.

The clinic is open Monday to Friday each week, 8.00am to 5.00pm. If you are unable to use the online service, please call 01522 573754 between 2.30pm and 3.30pm Monday to Friday for assistance.

If you require test results, please submit your request via AskMyGP or call the main Practice number and ask to speak with a Nurse.

Please be aware that Reception staff are not authorised to provide test results

Community midwives provide Antenatal Care and Maternity Services following referral by the Doctor.

You can register your pregnancy online at www.betterbirth@lincolnshire.co.uk. This activates an electronic referral.  There is lots of really useful information on this site which may address many questions you may have.

Health Visitors can give advice on healthcare especially for expectant mothers and the under 5s but can also give advice about the elderly and other patients. Health visitors can be a source of information for various medical and social problems. The Health Visitor can be contacted on 01522 843000. There is an answer machine should they be unable to take your call.

The District Nurses visit those who are housebound for nursing procedures. This would normally include elderly and chronically sick patients or those who have recently had operations. Please ask at Reception for advice on how to access these services.

All babies receive a developmental check by the doctor at six weeks old. This is usually combined with the final post-natal examination for the mother. Further developmental checks are carried out at 7 to 9 months, 18 to 24 months and between 36 to 42 months by the doctor and Health Visitor.

Contraception is free for most people in the UK. With 15 methods to choose from, you’ll find one that suits you.

Contraceptive methods allow you to choose when and if you want to have a baby, but they don’t protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms help to protect against STIs and pregnancy, so whatever other method of contraception you’re using to prevent pregnancy, use condoms as well to protect your and your partner’s health.

Where to get it

Contraceptive services are free and confidential, including to people under 16 as long as they are mature enough to understand the information and decisions involved. There are strict guidelines to for care professionals who work with people under 16.

You can get contraception free from:

• most GP surgeries (talk to your GP or practice nurse),
• community contraceptive clinics,
• some genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics,
• sexual health clinics (these offer contraceptive and STI testing services), and
• some young people’s services (call 0800 567123).

Find sexual health services.

Many of these places also offer information, testing and treatment for STIs. If you’ve been exposed to the risk of pregnancy, you’re also at risk of catching an STI.

Before you make an appointment, make sure you’re as informed as possible about the contraceptive options available. People’s choice of contraception may vary over time, depending on their lifestyle and circumstances.

Contraception and menopause

Women who have sex with men and don’t want to get pregnant need to keep on using contraception until they haven’t had a period for more than 12 months (menopause).

This is because periods can become irregular before they stop entirely, and pregnancy can still occur during this time. Find out more about menopause.

The methods of contraception

There are lots of methods to choose from, so don’t be put off if the first thing you use isn’t quite right for you; you can try another. You can read about each of the different methods of contraception by visiting these pages:

• Caps
• Combined pill
• Condoms (female)
• Condoms (male)
• Contraceptive implant
• Contraceptive injection
• Contraceptive patch
• Diaphragms
• Intrauterine device (IUD)
• Intrauterine system (IUS)
• Natural family planning
• Progestogen-only pill
• Vaginal ring

There are two permanent methods of contraception:

• Female sterilisation.
• Male sterilisation (vasectomy).

To find your nearest contraception clinic you can use the NHS Choices service search. Enter your postcode, click ‘search’, then click ‘contraception’.

You can also look in the phone book under ‘sexual health’, or use the fpa clinic finder.

You can find out more about each type of contraception by contacting:

• CASH on 0300 303 8565.
• Brook Advisory Service (for under-21s) on 0800 988 2209.

In addition to your chosen method of contraception, you need to use condoms to prevent STIs. Always buy condoms that have the CE mark on the packet. This means that they’ve been tested to the high European safety standards. Condoms that don’t have the CE mark won’t meet these standards, so don’t use them.