Our Services

We have improved  access to the Health Centre by offering more appointments online. It is your responsibility to ensure that you book the correct type of appointment e.g Advanced Nurse Practitioners are only able to see specific issues which are listed on the document under the section below.

Patients can now book direct with our Healthcare Assistants for blood test or Blood Pressure only. Please note your blood test must have been requested by your Doctor. If you book an appointment with our Healthcare Assistant and it is not for a blood test or blood pressure we will not be able to see you.

If you wish to book an appointment on-line, please contact the surgery who will provide you with details to access this service.

Please note that GP appointments are for 10 minutes with a Doctor who will usually deal with a single medical problem. Please do not allow multiple medical problems to build up and ask the GP to sort them all out in 10 minutes, as this will delay appointments following. If you require additional time you will need to book a double appointment.

Sickness Certificates

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.

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)

If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else. This applies to all appointments for Doctors, Nurses and Health Care Assistants.

To cancel an appointment please email roccg.swallownestnoreply@nhs.net

What is the Rotherham Health App?

The Rotherham Health App allows you to book appointments, manage your medication, view test results, and access your medical record. It is available 24/7, wherever you are, on desktop, tablet, or mobile devices. It is free to download and available for all Android and IOS devices.

• Book appointments
• Manage medication
• Access medical record
• Online triage
• Self-help guides
• Lifestyle and long term condition monitoring

Find out more and how to sign up https://rotherhamhealthapp.com/splash

Access The Online Appointment System 

Patient’s Not Attending For Their Appointments

We understand how frustrating it is to have to wait. Our Clinicians try their best to work to their appointment times and we hope that you do too. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your appointment, you may be asked to make a new appointment and be counted as a Did Not Attend (DNA). In conjunction with our Patient Partnership Group we will be introducing a ‘Did Not Attend’ policy (DNA) for patients who fail to contact us to advise us that they are unable to attend the appointment they have made with a member of our team.

The average number of monthly appointments which fall into the ‘Did Not Attend’ category for 2019/20 is listed in the attached document. The figures are also published in our waiting area for all patients to see.

Please find a list for our DNA’s 2019/20 attached.

DNA 1920

We appreciate that emergencies happen but we need patients to understand what the effects of not contacting us to cancel their appointment are:

• An increase in the waiting time for appointments
• Frustration for other patients who are not able to obtain an appointment
• A waste of time and money i.e. precious NHS resources
• A potential risk to the health of the patient

We will be regularly reviewing the number of appointments which are missed and contact the patients who miss their appointment to help us to understand the reasons why.

Patients will be given an opportunity to improve on their attendance however if this doesn’t materialise, we may decide to remove them from the practice list and advise them to register elsewhere.

To cancel your appointment please contact us on 0114 4333888

Think! – someone else may be in need of this appointment. 

We have reviewed our DNA Policy and unfortunately will need to be strict with this in taking a consistent approach with all our patients.

Please refer to the policy below:-

DNA Policy

To cancel an appointment please email roccg.swallownestnoreply@nhs.net

Monday to Friday, including extended hours on a Tuesday.

The Health Centre is not a walk-in centre, patients are seen by appointment only. Please telephone or call in person to make an appointment and remember a separate appointment is required for each person.

If you require a longer appointment time, please ensure that you request a double appointment.

If you have a preference for a GP, you must be aware that you may have to wait longer for an appointment.

Normally there are Doctors available between 08:30 and 11:00 and between 15:30 and 18:00 Monday to Friday. We also offer a number of early morning and evening appointments every Tuesday between 7:00 and 8:30 and 18.30 and 20.30 for patients who find it difficult to attend surgery during our usual opening hours.

When arriving at the surgery please use the anti-bacterial hand wash and then use the touch screen service to advise us that you have arrived. This service will tell the Clinician that you are in the building and it will also advise you how long you are likely to be waiting. This procedure allows our Reception staff to handle more complex queries in person and to answer our telephones more promptly.

Swallownest Health Centre would like to welcome a new Advanced Care Practitioner to our team.

Sarah will now be undertaking the majority of home visit requests, together with our other Advanced Nurse Practitioner Liz. This will allow GPs to deal more effectively with patients seen at the surgery.

Sarah is an experienced Advanced Care Practitioner who can diagnose, treat, prescribe, refer to hospital and give advice.

Home visits are strictly for housebound patients only. Please be mindful that several patients can be seen at the surgery in the time it takes to do one home visit and daily surgery emergency appointments are available.

If you feel a home visit is required, please call the surgery by 10.30am to allow us to try to assess your condition as promptly as possible. You may be phoned by a Clinician to decide the appropriate action,  which may not be a visit.

Our Reception Staff are not qualified to explain any results: they can only repeat the brief comment that the Doctor has attached to the results, such as "normal" or "make appointment". Sometimes if the result is particularly sensitive (e.g. HIV test) or complicated, the Doctor will recommend receiving the result in person.

Normally results are sent to the Doctor who ordered the test. If a hospital Doctor orders a test, the GP may not receive the result and may even not know it has been done. You can contact the Specialist's Secretary to ask about results, although usually a Hospital Secretary will not provide a result directly- the Secretary may ask a Hospital Doctor to phone you back or they may involve the GP. Routine hospital letters can take up to a month to reach us, sometimes longer.

Here is how you can make the most of our services:-

• • Read the notices posted in the surgery

• • Make sure you know the opening times of the surgery

• • Find out how to arrange home visits, repeat prescriptions, and urgent appointments

• • You may not always need to see a Doctor; ask what services the nurse can provide

• • Keep your appointment or cancel it

• • Take a list of questions with you when you see your Doctor or Nurse

• • Ask your Doctor to write down anything that you do not understand the answers to

• • Take a friend or relative with you if necessary

• • Tell the Receptionist if you need more time to speak to the Doctor, she may be able to arrange this

• • Think twice before making an appointment: Do you really need to see a Doctor? Have you tried simple home treatments?

• • Find out how your practice deals with complaints

Advanced Nurse Practitioners as part of our team who are trained in clinical assessment and are able to prescribe independently. They are able to see patients with minor illnesses. This allows Doctors' more time to deal with the ever more complex patients' that are managed in general practice.

When you contact the surgery to arrange an appointment you will be asked for brief details of your symptoms. This is so that the Receptionist can offer you an appointment with the most appropriate person.

Please find attached a list of the conditions which are suitable for a nurse practitioner to deal with.

Advanced Nurse Practitioner List

You can now have a NHS Physiotherapist assessment within one of our Rotherham Hubs.
If you have:-

• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Elbow, wrist or hand pain
• Knee, hip or ankle pain
• A sprain or a strain

Contact your GP practice and ask Reception to access the Physio First service to make an appointment to see the next available physiotherapist.

To read more info regarding this service click the links below:-

https://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/leisure/view,health-wellbeing-you-could-see-a-physio-first-to-get-assessed-without-needi_29946.htm

http://connecthealthcarerotherham.co.uk/index.php/physiofirst/

http://connecthealthcarerotherham.co.uk/index.php/physiofirst/

When you attend for a test of any kind you should be told that you will be contacted if the results need following up. If you sign up for online services you will be able to check your own results on-line at any time, as soon as they have been checked by a Doctor. You will also be able to compare them with previous results in your notes.

Please do not assume "no news is good news" in case the result has gone astray or we have tried and failed to reach you.

Most blood tests results are back in a few working days, but some tests, especially rarer ones may take longer. Just because one result is back, it does not mean they are all back. Most x-ray results are back within 7-10 days, but if a test suggests something serious, it is likely we will be told more quickly.

Our reception staff are not qualified to explain any results: they can only repeat the brief comment that the Doctor has attached to the results, such as "normal" or "make appointment". Sometimes if the result is particularly sensitive (e.g. HIV test) or complicated, the Doctor will recommend receiving the result in person.

Normally results are sent to the Doctor who ordered the test. If a hospital Doctor orders a test, the GP may not receive the result and may even not know it has been done. You can contact the specialist's secretary to ask about results, although usually a hospital secretary will not provide a result directly- the secretary may ask a hospital Doctor to phone you back or they may involve the GP. Routine hospital letters can take up to a month to reach us, sometimes longer.

Specially trained Nurses, working closely with the GP's, run special clinics at which they provide advice and treatment for patients suffering from these conditions. Please ask your practice Nurse or at reception for details.

Children are normally immunised at our Child Health Clinic. For all other immunisations please make an appointment to see the Practice Nurse. Allow 8 weeks before travelling if you require immunisation for journeys overseas. There may be a charge for some travel vaccinations.

These are done by appointment and are normally carried out by our Practice Nurses. When you receive an invitation to attend for a test please make an appointment with one of the practice nurses.

Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore attract charges. Examples include the following:

• Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
• Insurance claim forms
• Passport signing
• Prescriptions for taking medication abroad
• Private sick notes
• Vaccination certificates

The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and our reception staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability.

Unfortunately we are only able to provide NHS travel vaccines and not any private ones, as our Nurses are no longer indemnified for private work.

There are Child Health Clinics here every Wednesday to immunise children against disease and to check that they are well and developing normally.

All our Doctors offer contraceptive services and advice and an emergency contraceptive service is available.

We have an Ante-Natal Clinic at the Health Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. If you think that you may be pregnant, make an appointment to see a Midwife. The Midwife will arrange all your maternity care.

The Doctors at the Health Centre carry out some minor surgery.

CGL Rotherham is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults in Rotherham.

Please refer to additional info on their website:- https://www.changegrowlive.org/content/cgl-rotherham#

Their aim is to support people to design their own personal treatment journey. They offer a range of interventions from harm reduction to opiate prescribing, residential and community detoxes, emotional support and supported access to mutual aid. They also work with local GP practices as part of the Shared Care offer to ensure local people can access recovery support within their local communities.

They are based at Carnson House, Rotherham. You can call them on 01709 917649 or email them on Rotherham.Admin@cgl.org.uk

CGL provide:

• Foundations of Recovery (structured program)
• One-to-one keyworking
• Needle exchange
• Blood borne virus screening
• Naloxone
• Signposting and referrals on to specialist services

Can’t make your appointment?

It’s really important that you let them know. Ideally please call them on 01709 917649. You can also email to let them know on Rotherham.Admin@cgl.org.uk.

Where can I go for further support?

• Rotherham Metropolitan Council

Integrated Sexual Health Service

Based at The Rotherham Foundation Trust and community venues

The confidential service will be available, at the hospital on C Level, Junction 3 at the following days and times:-

• Monday - Thursday: 9am-8pm
• Friday: 9am-5pm
• Saturday: 10am-2pm

For further information or to book an appointment:  Telephone – 01709 427777

A range of community based youth clinics are also provided at the following times and locations (NB - this may be subject to change please consult the services website for the most up to date information):https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/news/article/1161/changes_to_the_rotherham_nhs_foundation_trust_s_integrated_sexual_health_services

• Wath Comprehensive School:                                    Monday 12.30-1.30pm
• JADE Young Person's Centre, Dinnington:               Monday 3-5pm
• Dearne Valley College:                                              Tuesday 11.45am-1.30pm
• Swinton Comprehensive School:                               Wednesday 3-5pm
• Rawmarsh Community School:                                 Thursday 3-5pm
• Maltby Linx Youth Centre:                                        Thursday 3-5pm

The service provides confidential advice, testing and free treatment of sexually transmitted infections and HIV, as well as a full range of contraception.

For more information about Chlamydia testing  -  http://www.rotherhamchlamydia.co.uk

DIVERT Rotherham is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for children and young people aged up to 18.

Please refer to additional info on their website:- https://www.changegrowlive.org/young-people/divert-rotherham

DIVERT is a specialist substance misuse support service for young people affected by drugs or alcohol living in Rotherham. They provide free and confidential support and offer support across Rotherham to ensure that young people can access support in a place that works for them. The service also offers targeted group work and training for professionals.

How to contact them

They always welcome new clients, so please get in touch if you are interested in getting help from the service or you’d just like to ask some questions. Feel free to bring someone with you on your first visit.

They are based at Carnson House, 1 Moorgate Road, Rotherham. You can call them on 01709 917651 or email on divert@cgl.org.uk.

Referral

If you would like to refer yourself or another young person to service, please either call or email them using the above contact details.

You can also complete their referral form in advance and either email it to them or bring it with you when you visit the service.

Word referral form

They provide:

• Information, advice and guidance around drugs and alcohol
• 1-2-1 sessions with a project worker
• Early intervention
• Group work sessions
• Professionals training
• Outreach work - They can see young people across Rotherham

Can’t make your appointment?

It’s really important that you let them know. Ideally please call them on 01709 917651. You can also email them let them know on divert@cgl.org.uk.

If you are planning to travel outside the UK, you may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases found in other parts of the world.

In the UK, the NHS routine immunization schedule protects you against a number of diseases but does not cover all of the infectious diseases found overseas.

In order to establish the most appropriate advice and treatment options for you, a full travel health risk assessment needs to be undertaken and we would recommend that you attend a private travel health clinic or pharmacy.

We are only able to offer a travel vaccination service to cover vaccines which are available free of charge on the NHS service.

If you are advised during your health assessment that you need any of the NHS funded vaccinations listed below, please make a routine appointment with the practice nurse at least two weeks (or four weeks with MMR) before you travel.

The vaccinations covered by the NHS are -

- Polio/tetanus/diptheria

- Typhoid

- Hepatitis A

- Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)

"Fitfortravel" and "Travel Health Pro" are websites that provide useful information and specific destination guides.

We are now able to provide a Minor Eye Care Service (MECS) to all patients registered with a Rotherham GP with a minor eye condition that might normally present to your practice. It is hoped that this will help reduce unnecessary appointments within your practice and at the acute services.

This service has been commissioned by Rotherham CCG and is provided by local optical practices.

The service is for conditions such as:

• Loss of vision including visual loss

• Ocular pain

• Differential diagnosis of red eye

• Foreign body and emergency contact lens removal

• Dry eye (recent onset)

• Blepharitis

• Epiphora

• Trichiasis

• Differential diagnosis of lumps and bumps in the vicinity of the eye

• Flashes/floaters

• Patient reported field defects

The following cases WILL NOT BE TREATED by the service where known in advance:

• Patients identified to have severe eye conditions which need hospital attention e.g. orbital cellulitis, temporal arteritis

• Eye problems related to herpes zoster

• Adult squints, longstanding diplopia

• Removal of suture

• Patient reported symptoms indicate a sight test may be more appropriate

• Suspected cancers of the eye

MECS Opticians May