Keeping You Healthy

A range of services are provided to help you maintain your health.  When you first register with us, we may invite you to a New Patient Medical, which is a ten minute check up carried out by our nurses/HCAs.  To monitor your health our Well Woman and Well Man appointments (referred to as our MOT appointments) provide patients between 16 and 75 with a screening service aimed at reducing the risk of heart disease and strokes and other lifestyle related conditions. 

The over 75s can make arrangements for a health check either at home if unwell or too frail, or at the surgery if well enough to attend.  For those traveling abroad do remember Travel Vaccinations and advice are available from our practice nurses. Do ensure you  leave enough time to complete a vaccination course prior to commencing your journey for maximum benefit and protection.

Long Term Conditions

For patients with long term conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and asthma, regular checks with the doctor, nurse or HCA are advised. We believe that such patients should be active in their own care so we offer information, monitoring and provide, where appropriate, access to specialist services. 

Those combating depression or anxiety can be referred for counselling once assessed by the G.P. or can self refer for consideration of psychological intervention by calling IAPTS on 0118 - 976 - 9129. 

We have specialised equipment aimed at making timely and accurate diagnoses of certain problems. Dr Gerard D’Cruz can offer patients an examination using ultrasound at the Eldon Square site to help aid diagnosis in some conditions & monitor antenatal progress.

Childrens Health

Details about Child Health Clinics can be obtained from the Health Visitors on 0118 9374457. Clinicians at Pembroke Surgery have additional child health surveillance qualifications, and they oversee any Child Development Appointments.  An initial first examination will be routinely carried out at eight weeks of age. Invitations to attend further routine checks with our health visitor or doctor will be sent to you when your child reaches the appropriate age. HVs manage infants with feeding problems.

Childrens Immunisations

We provide a full range of immunisations for all key stages in your child’s life.  These start at eight weeks of age and continue up to their eighteenth year. Any concerns about  immunisations should be discussed with the health visitor or practice nurse. A list for routine immunisations and age by which they should be given, can be obtained from reception.

Women's Health

The surgery provides routine cervical screening and advice on the full range of contraceptive options is available from any of our doctors or nurses.  Long acting contraceptive implants can be fitted and removed on site and we also have access to local surgery based coil fitting services.

Maternity care is provided by all our doctors and we have a practice based midwife at Eldon Sq.  Referrals to a consultant obstetrician are made if required and most deliveries take place at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. Home deliveries can be supported by the community midwives where medically safe to consider doing so. Please contact the health visitors, based at Hamilton Road Children’s Centre on 01189374457, for details on postnatal group for new mums.

Health Promotion

Prevention is far better than cure. Many serious conditions can be prevented by a healthy lifestyle reducing the need for drugs. For this reason, we strongly support the emphasis and trend towards health education and self-reliance.

 Often each individual can take more responsibility for his or her own state of health.  Our doctors and in particular our practice nurses are always ready to offer help and encouragement. Our Health Care Assistants also have completed smoking cessation courses to try and help patients quit smoking.

The surgery offers influenza, pneumococcal, hepatitis and other vaccinations to those at risk. Other individuals seeking immunization may need to first discuss this with a clinician.

Travel Vaccinations

If you require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you need to make an appointment with the practice nurse to discuss your travel arrangements.  This will include which countries and areas within countries that you are visiting to determine what vaccinations are required. 

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

Europe & Russia	North America
Central America	South America
Caribbean	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.

To help us offer the appropriate advice, please fill out the online form before coming to see the Practice Nurse or print the Pembroke printable version and bring this to the appointment.

Travel Questionnaire                       Printable Pembroke Travel Assessment Form

If you are travelling to Europe a very useful booklet has been published with advice and guidance to help you get the most out of your holiday.  To visit please click:- http://ec.europa.eu/publications/booklets/eu_glance/86/en.pdf (this is a large document and may take a minute or two to view)

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website. The surgery has a template letter we provide to our patients that can be given to your employer should they request a sickness certificate for a period of sickness of less then seven days duration.

short_term_sickness_certification_advice_to_patients_to_give_to_Employers_requesting_this.doc

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

Moving to another UK GP Practice

Please note that filling in the registration paperwork at another practice anywhere within the United Kingdom will automatically start the de-registration process once you have been added to their computer system. Our systems links will then automatically request we return your medical records to the Thames Valley Primary Care Agency for forwarding to your new practice. Please note this process can take up to 8 weeks.

For a small administrative cost (and following data protection guidelines) the surgery is able to provide patients with a computer printoff from your clinical records and copies of any relevant medical letters should you be undergoing specific treatments at the time of leaving.

Moving Abroad

Please inform us of this so we can update our records accordingly and please note that we can provide a computer printoff from your records/and letter copies as detailed above.

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