NHS Medical Services Provided at Riversdale.
We provide a full and comprehensive range of NHS General Medical Services at Riversdale.
Chronic Disease Management
We offer structured care and regular review of many Chronic Medical Conditions such as;
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
- COPD (Chronic Lung Disease)
- Ischaemic Heart Disease (Heart problems)
- Heart Failure
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Underactive Thyroid Problems
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Mental Health
- Epilepsy
- Dementia
We have a comprehensive Call and Recall Service to help us manage to care of these long term conditions and achieve high scores in the National Quality and Outcome framework used to monitor our care of these conditions.
ADHD Referrals
There are currently long waiting times both across the North East and North Cumbria, and the Country as a whole, for ADHD assessment which are beyond our control. This has led to an increase in private providers and the use of 'right to choose' (RTC) Your choices in the NHS - NHS (www.nhs.uk) referrals.
Providers of ADHD services
- Our local mental health trust Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne and Wear (CNTW) is our commissioned ADHD service provider and to whom we would usually refer.
- Right to choose organisations are private providers who have an NHS contract with an Integrated Care Board [ICB] somewhere in the Country and therefore legally are allowed to provide ADHD services within our and any other ICB area.
A referral can be made to a RTC provider by the Surgery, and we can also ask the ICB for further due diligence to be carried on a provider once we are aware that this provider is being used in our area. Psychiatry UK is the only private provider that has had such due diligence (and this is not current, but was in the past) which helps to ensure that they can deliver a safe and effective service. However they are NOT currently commissioned by CNTW
Whilst we are able to refer to providers under RTC, unless and until such due diligence is carried out locally and is currently applicable, we will not enter into shared care agreements for ongoing prescriptions of ADHD medications.
- There are also a number of private ADHD providers working in our ICB area in response to long waiting times. These private providers may not hold an existing contract with the NHS elsewhere in the Country. The ICB is not allowed to perform due diligence on these providers and therefore is unable to assess their efficacy and safety. Some may be CQC registered, and these reports can be referenced Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk). You can self-refer to these providers but we will not be able to support any prescribing suggested by them or enter into any shared care agreements with them going forwards.
So please be aware that if you are assessed privately (whether by a RTC provider or not) and needing to start medication you will be responsible for the full costs of this medication outside of the NHS framework, which is extremely costly and we will not going forwards enter into any shared care agreement with any private provider. Please be aware that if you are seen by a private provider and require medication and are not able to meet the costs of private prescriptions you have no option but to be referred into CNTW, where you will be placed on the waiting list for re-assessment. Following re-assessment, you will then be able to receive medications on NHS prescription. Please note, that CNTW will not initiate medication for those who have received an assessment from a private provider. To be clear if you self-refer to a private provider any ongoing prescriptions costs will be self-funded and in practice, most people being assessed privately and needing to start medication are being re-referred into CNTW.
Preventative Care, Lifestyle Advice and General Health Assessments
Our Practice Nurse and Health Care Assistant provide help and advice on General Health Related Problems such as;
- Obesity and Weight Management
- Well Man and Well Women "NHS Health Check". We offer these Cardiovascular Risk Assessments for patients aged between 40 and 74.
- Smears
- New Patient Assessments, including assessment and advice on safe levels of alcohol intake.
- NHS Travel Immunisations
- Family Planning Advice
- Flu Injections
- Pneumococcal Injections
- Shingles injections for eligible age groups
- Respiratory syncitial virus (RSV) injections for eligible age groups
- Over 75 Health Checks
Maternity and Child Health Services
We also provide the following additional services for all of our patients at our Oaklands Medical Centre Premises;
- Midwife Lead Booking, Ante Natal and Post Natal Care during Pregnancy.
- Child Health Developmental checks at Well Baby Clinics run jointly with our Health Visitor.
- Routine Child Immunisation led by our Practice Nurse.
Riversdale Community Nurse Team Services
Our Community Nurse Based services are based at Oaklands Medical Centre , where the nursing team have regular bookable clinic sessions for those able to travel. It is preferable that you try and attend these clinic sessions if at all possible to make more efficient use of valuable Nurse time.
Home visits by our Community Nurses are only for those who are truly housebound.
Please ring to arrange an appointment for these clinics on 01661 831439
- Post Operative Wound Care and Wound Assessments
- Palliative Care (Care at Home for those with Terminal Conditions)
- Continence Assessments
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Venous Assessments and Care of Venous Ulcers
- Long Term Care of Chronic Medical Conditions in Housebound Patients
- Administer Routine Injections such as B12 and Drugs needed in Prostate Cancer Treatment
Registered GP Patients Under 75
From April 2015 we are obliged to ensure that you are registered with a named GP. If you wish to know who your named GP is please ask at reception. We would like to reassure you that this in no way affects your ability to see any GP in the practice as you have always done.
Additional NHS Services in the Practice
- Podiatry Service (Oaklands Medical Centre, Prudhoe)
- Dietician Service
Please Call in or ring to arrange to be seen for any of these services.
Private Non NHS Services
We are able to offer the following Non NHS services on a private basis for which a Fee is Charged - payments by card or cash only
- HGV Medicals
- PSV Medicals
- Taxi Medicals
- Insurance Medicals
- Employment Medicals and reports to Employers.
- Occupational Immunisation
- Reports to support Blue Badge Applications
- Reports to support Shotgun License Applications
- Reports to support appeals for Housing and DWP Benefits
Travel vaccinations
We no longer provide overseas travel advice. We recommend that those travelling abroad check with their travel company or with a local travel clinic regarding vaccinations at least 8 weeks prior to travelling. Some, but not all, vaccinations may be available on the NHS from the surgery. These will only be given by our nurse if we have written information from a registered travel clinic specifying which vaccinations are advised.