The clinics and other services offered by our practice

Bridge of Allan Health Centre
Fountain Road
Bridge of Allan
Stirlingshire
FK9 4EU
Tel: 01786 833210

News:

Public Holidays

Our next public holiday is on Monday 06 September 2010. Please ensure that you have enough medication to last over this long weekend.

If you require urgent medical attention when the health centre is closed please telephone the out-of-hours medical service on 08454 24 24 24

Food Safety Week

Now that the weather is improving, lots of us are taking the opportunity to have barbecues and eat outside. Please be careful to avoid getting ill with food poisoning. The main dangers are not cooking meat properly and cross-contamination between cooked and raw food. You can find lots of advice including recipes to help prevent this type of illness at http://www.food.gov.uk/safereating /hyg/germwatch/2010

Announcements

01 Sep - 01 Oct
NHS Smokefree

Find out about all of the free NHS services available to support you as you go try to give up smoking.

01 Aug - 01 Oct
NHS Summer Health

Stay safe in the sun, including sunscreens, sunburn relief, heat exhaustion, eczema and moles. Summer holidays are great fun for children, but can bring risks. Find out more

01 Jul - 01 Oct
Change for Life

Would you like loads of tips and help to make changes for a healthier future? As part of Change4Life, you will receive tons of helpful information, recipes, tools, tips, and games for the kids.

BBC Health

More obesity ops 'will save cash'

Millions of pounds is lost in England by the failure of the NHS to provide more obesity operations, a study says.

Statins 'may cut arthritis risk'

Taking statins may reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a study suggests.

Call for morning sickness action

More needs to be done to establish which are safe and effective ways to relieve morning sickness, experts say.

ME 'virus link' found in children

ME, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, in children could be caused by a virus, scientists say.

UK radiotherapy 'lagging behind'

Too few UK cancer patients are receiving state-of-the-art radiotherapy care, experts from Cancer Research UK say.

Gaps persist in cancer survival

Despite significant improvements in cancer survival rates across England, regional differences remain, national statistics show.

'Genetic link' to breast cancer

Researchers have identified a series of genetic variations which may play a role in a common breast cancer.

Bipolar 'not linked to violence'

People with a mental illness are no more likely to be violent unless they abuse drugs or alcohol, a study suggests.

NHS in Wales faces £380m cutbacks

The Welsh NHS faces making £380m worth of cutbacks by April, with managers saying it is the biggest challenge they have faced in 20 years.

Diabetes drug advice 'not heeded'

A type two diabetes drug is still being prescribed in the UK two months after it was recommended for withdrawal, BBC Panorama learns.

Yahoo Health

US smoking rate still stuck at 1 in 5 adults (AP)

AP - U.S. smoking rates continue to hold steady, at about one in five adults lighting up regularly, frustrated health officials reported Tuesday.

FDA cites claims on 2 green tea beverages (AP)

AP - Federal health regulators have issued warnings to the makers of Canada Dry ginger ale and Lipton tea for making unsubstantiated nutritional claims about their green tea-flavored beverages.

FDA relents from midodrine withdrawal plan (AP)

AP - Federal regulators have backed off a plan to remove a Shire PLC low blood-pressure treatment from the market after warning in August that the drug has not been proven effective.

Judge won't let stem cell money keep flowing (AP)

AP - A federal judge on Tuesday refused to lift his order blocking federal funding for some stem cell research, saying that a "parade of horribles" predicted by federal officials would not happen.

Japan confirms its first case of new superbug gene (AP)

AP - Japan has confirmed the nation's first case of a new gene in bacteria that allows the microorganisms to become drug-resistant superbugs, detected in a man who had medical treatment in India, a Health Ministry official said Tuesday.

Picking right blood pressure medicine challenging (AP)

AP - It's hard to predict which pills will best lower which patient's high blood pressure, but researchers are hunting ways to better personalize therapy — perhaps even using a blood test.

Lack of Sleep May Be Linked to Childhood Obesity (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Infants and preschoolers who don't get enough sleep at night are at increased risk for later childhood obesity, a new study suggests.

For Bonobo Males, Mom Is the Best Wingman (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - To most human males, the thought of your mother anywhere near your sex life is probably horrifying. Not so for the bonobo, one of our closest primate relatives. A new study confirms that hanging out with mom boosts male bonobos' chances of getting intimate with a fertile female.

Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 7, 2010 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Autistic Toddlers Prefer to Gaze at Geometric Patterns: Study (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- When given the choice to gaze at geometric patterns or children dancing and playing, toddlers with autism spent more time looking at the patterns while typically developing toddlers preferred to look at other kids, a new study finds.

MedPage Today

Judge Won't Lift Block on Stem Cell Research Funding

(MedPage Today) -- Federal spending of embryonic stem cell (ESC) research will remain off-limits for now, a federal judge ruled, dealing yet another blow to the Obama administration's efforts to support such research.

Cigarette Smoke May Affect Fertility (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Smoking may provide an explanation for reduced fertility, results of two studies suggested.

Adult Smoking Hits Plateau

(MedPage Today) -- One in five U.S. adults continues to smoke tobacco -- a percentage that hasn't budged since 2005 -- suggesting that more aggressive efforts are needed to reduce smoking-related diseases and deaths, the CDC said.

Pandemic H1N1 Similar to Seasonal Strains (CME/CE, with video)

(MedPage Today) -- In general, the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus did not cause more serious disease than other recent influenza A strains, researchers found.

Nevirapine Reuse Possible in Exposed Children With HIV (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- In most HIV-infected children being exposed at birth to nevirapine (Viramune) doesn't rule out using the drug again later, researchers reported.

PCV-7 Vaccine May Promote Serotype 19A Infection (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Infants receiving a three-dose regimen of heptavalent PCV-7 pneumococcal vaccine were more likely than unvaccinated controls to pick up a nonvaccine pneumococcal strain associated with invasive infection and antibiotic resistance, researchers said.

More Human Trials Needed for HIV Vaccine Hunt

(MedPage Today) -- HIV vaccine researchers are calling for more and better human trials as part of the quest for ways to block transmission of the virus.

Patients Expect More from PCI than It Delivers (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Cardiologists fully understand the limits of percutaneous coronary interventions -- but their patients are often overly optimistic about the benefits of PCI, a new survey revealed.

Splint Matches Cast for Kids' Wrist Fractures (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- In children with wrist fractures, a splint works as well as a cast, researchers reported.

Behcet's Takes Higher Toll in Men (CME/CE)

(MedPage Today) -- Men with Behçet's disease are much more likely than women to die of this chronic multisystem vasculitis, a large French study found.

GP Interests

Travel Clinic

Private Services

Doctor	Area of special clinical interest
Dr A B Stuart	Respiratory and Cardiovascular Disease
Dr F M Johnstone	Diabetes and Osteoporosis and Bone Health
Dr C J Mair	Mental Health
Dr E D McLean	Chronic Kidney Disease and Hypertension
Dr C S Clark	Gynaecology and Sexual Health

Are you a Carer ?

chd Do you help to look after someone, perhaps a relative or a friend who is ill, disabled or frail.

If you are, you can find help and support by contacting our link workers, Dr Fiona Johnstone or Sister Alison McRae or by getting in touch with the Stirling Carers Centre who will be happy to provide information, advice and support on a wide range of topics including your rights and entitlements as an unpaid carer.

You can contact Dr Johnstone and Sister McRae by telephoning the Health Centre on 01786 833210. The Stirling Carers Centre is located at 65-69 Barnton Street, Stirling. Telephone number 01786 447003 or email: centre@stirling.carers.net. They also have a website and you can find the link to their website by clicking on links at the top of the page. Click on Stirling Carers Centre .

Travel Clinic

If you are attending the surgery regarding a travel appointment, please can you complete the online travel form provided here. It would useful if you could print off a copy and bring it with you when you attend.

We hold special Travel Clinics on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons between 2pm and 4.40pm. These clinics are very busy and it is advisable to make arrangements to have your travel vaccinations in good time as last minute appointments are seldom available. If we cannot offer you a suitable appointment there are alternative clinics. Details of these clinics are noted below. Please note that it is advisable that travel vaccinations are given at least two weeks before you travel.

The Campus Travel Clinic, University of Stirling, Stirling - 01786 463303

Kennington Centre, Glasgow - 0141 429 0913

Ochilview Travel Health Clinic, Newlands Road, Reddingmuirhead, Falkirk FK2 0DY

Telephone 01324 715876 or enquiry@ochilview.com

Charges

Some travel immunisations and anti-malarial treatments fall outside the remit of the NHS and recent changes in NHS policy have made it necessary to introduce charges for some treatments. These charges are in line with other Practices in the region and are as follows. The doctor will give you a private prescription for your vaccine and anti-malarial medication. Please note that you will also be required to pay the Pharmacist for your vaccine and anti-malarial medication. Pharmacy charges may vary and it is wise to shop around.

Prescription for non-NHS immunisation......................................£25 to £30 depending on vaccine required

Yellow fever immunisation and certificate.....................................£50

Prescription for anti-malarial treatment........................................£10

Non-NHS Immunisations include the following :

Hepatitis B

Junior Hepatitis B

Jap B Encephalitis

Cholera

Meningitis A & C

Rabies

Yellow Fever

Information about countries and vaccinations required can be found on the links below:

Europe & Russia	North America
Central America	South America
Carribean	Africa
Middle East	Central Asia
East Asia	Australasia and Pacific

Some services are not available on the NHS, for example, private sick notes, endorsements of private insurance claims, private medical examinations such as HGV, PSV, sports medicals etc. For these services there is a charge. For guidance, here is a list of fees for the most commonly requested private medical services

Certificates and Forms

Private Sick Note………………………………………….,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..£20

Certificate of Incapacity……………………………………£20

Accident Benefit Certificate……………………………..…£20

Driving Licence Photograph………………………………..£20

Freedom from infection certificate…………………….…...£21

Private Health Insurance Claim form (negotiable)£17.50 to £37.50

School Insurance Claim (negotiable)………….....£22 to £46.50

Medical Examinations

HGV or PCV Medical Examinations……………………….£87

Pre-employment Medicals

- Full medical and report (payable by employer)…………………………………………….............. £165

- Record extract / no examination………………………£50

- Private (payable by patient)……...……………...…£98.50

Access to Medical Records under Data Protection Act

Access to computer and paper records in the practice………£10

(An additional charge will be made for photocopying)

Travel Clinic

Private Prescription for Non NHS vaccine………………….£25

Private prescription for Non NHS anti-malarial

Treatment……………………………………………………£10

Yellow Fever Immunisation and Certificate……………….....£50

Updated 28/01/10

Practice Information

For quick medical advice online or on the telephone contact NHS 24