IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The practice has a Doctor off on long term leave and despite repeated attempts we have been unable to cover all the surgeries.  This will result in longer waiting times for appointments.

FLU VACCINES

Please contact the surgery to arrange an appt.

THE CHILDREN'S FLU VACCINE IS NOW IN STOCK

Patients aged over 65 or who have diabetes, heart condition, asthma, COPD, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, have a DOB between 02/07/15 & 01/09/17, or pregnant are asked to attend during the dates and times as stated above.

Thank you

Irvinestown Health Centre

The Doctors and staff at Irvinestown Health Centre in Irvinestown are proud to offer the highest standard of patient-centred healthcare.  We run many clinics for the management of chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes and offer a wide variety of other medical services including antenatal and postnatal care, minor surgery, childhood vaccinations and well-person check-ups.

In addition to everything you need to know about the practice you will also find a wealth of health-related information in the menu on the right hand side. Please have a look around and do send us some feedback if you like.

Patients who fail to attend their appointment with a GP will receive a DNA (DID NOT ATTEND) letter. 

Patients can only prebook an appointment with a GP, 2 weeks ahead. The practice has found that the further the appointment is booked ahead the higher the number of DNAs recorded. Over a 2 week period from 29/07/19 - 09/08/19 20 patients failed to attend their appointment. 

WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF PATIENTS WHO ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND THEIR APPOINTMENTS WOULD CANCEL THEM AS THIS WILL REDUCE THE WAITING TIME FOR ROUTINE APPOINTMENTS.

Please give sufficient time so that the appointment can be reallocated.  Appointments can be cancelled via telephone or on-line.

We have recently set up a Facebook page which can be accessed by seaching for 'Irvinestown Healthcentre'

Thank you to all the patient who have completed our 'Patient Satisfaction Survey'

We have been informed that callers, claiming to be linked to the patient's GP Practice, are seemingly using private patient details and are using this information trying to either sell products to the patient, or to extract financial information, including bank details.

Please be assured that under no circumstances are these people contacting you on behalf of your GP Practice. Therefore, do not disclose any information to them. Please contact our GP Practice, or the PSNI, if you are aware of any of these incidents, so we can assist you from becoming victims of these callers. Thank You.

Minor Ailments Scheme

Did you know that the following medical conditions can be treated without contacting your GP?

The Minor Ailments Scheme covers conditions without a prescription such as allergic rhinitis,  head lice, diarrhoea, vaginal thrush, threadworms, groin itch and athlete’s foot.  Just present to any one of the local chemists and they will be happy to treat you through the minor ailments scheme.

BREAST SCREENING

A new video that shows women what to expect when they attend for breast screening has been produced by the Public Health Agency. It covers the whole process of screening - from receiving the invitation letter to getting the results. The video is aimed at women who have never attended for breast screening or who have been invited for the first time.  To view please follow the link below.

http://www.cancerscreening.hscni.net/2170.htm

CERVICAL SCREENING

A new video that shows women what to expect when they attend for cervical screening has been produced by the Public Health Agency. It covers the complete screening journey including the invitation, the smear test, laboratory processing, results and attendance for colposcopy. the video is primarily aimed at women attending screening for the first time.  To view please follow the link below.

http://www.cancerscreening.hscni.net/2179.htm

Don’t be left out in the cold, understand how to look after your winter ailments

During Self Care Week Irvinestown Health Centre want to support you to self care for life and understand how to take better care of yourself and your family members, especially during the winter months, when seasonal illnesses increase.

Preventing ill health is important during winter and so choose lifestyle options that will impact positively on your physical health, mental wellbeing and self esteem. To beat those winter blues and keep healthy make sure you eat well, drink in moderation, stop smoking and stay active.

It is usual for adults to have two to four colds a year while children are likely to have three to eight as their immune system is more susceptible to viral infections. If you do catch a winter ailment such as a cough, cold or sore throat, treat yourself better by keeping warm and drinking plenty of fluids. Over the counter medicines can help with symptom relief and a pharmacist can offer advice if you need it.

As well as pharmacy support, NHS Choices and the Self Care Forum can provide helpful information on common winter ailments such as coughs, colds, sore throats and fever in children. Generally, symptoms last longer than you might think and it is helpful to know what is normal and what isn’t, Self Care Forum fact sheets http://www.selfcareforum.org/fact-sheets/ can help with this. It is worth remembering also that antibiotics don’t work on most winter illnesses like colds and flu as these are viral infections.

If you have a long term condition, prepare for winter by ensuring you don’t run out of your medication, many pharmacists offer repeat prescription services without the need to see your GP.

Before you visit A&E, remember what it’s there for. It provides vital care for life threatening emergencies, such as loss of consciousness, suspected heart attacks, breathing difficulties, or severe bleeding that cannot be stopped. If you have a winter ailment, ask yourself, do I want to spend 4 hours waiting for someone to look at my sore throat?

Be healthy this winter.

 http://dev.selfcareforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/140917-Treat-Yourself-Better-with-Pharmacist-Advice-GP-Poster-Self-Care-Forum-Logo.pdf

http://www.selfcareforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Poster_fin.pdf