MBChB (Edinburgh), MRCGP, DRCOG

MBChB (Edinburgh), MRCGP, DRCOG, DCCH, DFFP, LoC Contraceptive Coils & Implants

MBChB (Witwatersrand), MRCGP, FRCS (Glasgow)

BSc, MBChB (Edinburgh), MRCGP, DCH, DRCOG, DFFP, LoC Contraceptive Coils & Implants

BSc (St Andrews), MBChB (Manchester), DCH, DRCOG, MRCGP

BSc Hons, MBChB (Aberdeen), MRCGP

MBChB (Glasgow), MRCGP, DCH, DRCOG

Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are senior Registered Nurses who are working towards further qualifications to an advanced level. They have experience and advanced clinical skills to:

• Take a full medical history, carry out physical assessments and examinations

• Make a diagnosis and agree a treatment plan including self  management and prescription, where appropriate.  NPs are qualified to prescribe medication

• Take further investigations such as bloods, breathing tests, ECG etc

• Refer on to the Duty GP or make arrangements for review with their usual GP

Patients with an acute or short term illness will be offered appointments with the NP at the earliest opportunity/on the same day. The NPs will have access to a GP for advice and support and will consult with them as needed. GPs will still be available for more complicated cases

Patients over the age of 1 year can get an appointment to be reviewed by the NP.   The following conditions are best suited to an NP:

• Coughs

• Cold and flu symptoms

• Sore throat

• Ear ache

• Cystitis/urinary tract infection

• Aches and pains (including back pain)

• Fever/high temperature

• Rashes

• Dizzy spells

• Emergency contraception

If your problem persists, it is recommended that you make your next appointment with a GP

The following problems are not suited to an NP consultation:

• Ante-natal care of pregnant women or any condition relating to assessment of a woman's pregnancy

• Mental health issues

• Fit notes/sick lines - NPs cannot issue these

• Medication reviews and alterations - NPs cannot authorise these

In the case of more complex issues, a GP appointment is recommended

Practice Nurses work closely with the GPs to ensure the continued health and wellbeing of patients.  They deliver clinics for long term conditions for example Asthma, COPD, Diabetes, Vascular, Well Woman checks, Contraception checks/injections.  They perform a variety of tests and procedures including breathing tests and cervical smears.  Routine appointments are 15 minutes in length and can be booked in the usual way

COPD Pre-Clinic Symptoms Record

Asthma Pre-Clinic Record Sheet

Spirometry Patient Information

Caroline is our General Practice Physiotherapist.  She is an Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner.  Caroline is available to assess bone, joint and muscle issues that have recently occurred.  She can give you tailored treatment and advice and refer you on to other services if required

Healthcare assistants carry out tasks such as phlebotomy (drawing blood), blood pressure measurement and new patient checks. They may act as a chaperone when a patient or doctor requests one

Phlebotomy Clinics are held five mornings a week, by appointment. These include warfarin tests using the finger prick blood test CoaguChek XS plus system

Blood Pressure Record Sheet

Practice Manager

Assistant Practice Manager

The practice manager is involved in managing all of the business aspects of the practice such as making sure that the right systems are in place to provide a high quality of patient care, human resources, finance, patient safety, premises and equipment and information technology. The practice manager supports the GPs and other medical professionals with delivering patient services and also helps to develop extended services to enhance patient care

Kelso Health Centre Reception

Receptionists provide an important link for patients with the practice and are your initial contact point for general enquiries. They can provide basic information on services and results and direct you to the right person depending on your health issue or query. Receptionists make most of the patient appointments with the GPs and nurses. They also perform other important tasks such as issuing repeat prescriptions and dealing with prescription enquiries, dealing with financial claims, dealing with patient records and carrying out searches and practice audits

Reception staff, as with all members of practice staff, are bound by patient confidentiality

Health Board Reception

Telephone Number

01573 223001

Opening hours

8.30 am - 5 pm

Contact Secretary for all Health Board Services:-

• Dietitian

• District Nurse/Midwife

• Health Visitor

• Out-patient Clinics – Kelso Health Centre

• Podiatrist

• Speech Therapist

• Treatment Room Nurse

• Provide a full range of midwifery care, health education and social care advice to women throughout pregnancy and childbirth from referral to discharge from midwifery care

• Provide care in a range of environments throughout pregnancy and childbirth for women and babies including health centre and home

• Provide homebirth services as required

• Provide ante-natal and postnatal care and on occasion during labour

Midwives also provide Parentcraft Classes and Aquanatal Classes in Kelso

For further information or advice telephone the Health Board Reception desk in the Health Centre- 01573 223001

Community (District) Nurses

A team of qualified nurses who have specialist training to provide nursing care for the housebound and acutely ill in their own homes.  Providing:

• Wound care

• Continence care

• Venepuncture

• Palliative care

• Health promotion

• Long-term condition care

• Care management in partnership with Social Work

• Doppler assessment

Anyone requiring care in their home environment can refer to the Team via Health Board Reception on – 01573 223001

Health Visitor & Public Health/School Nurse

Working hours Monday to Friday 8.30 am – 4.30 pm

Health Visitors

• Aim to help you lead as healthy a life as possible, both physically and mentally

• Health Visitors are concerned with the health and emotional well-being of the whole family. We can advise, listen and, if necessary, direct you to the more specialist help

• Often run special health promotion groups, such as parenting and baby massage. We also have extensive knowledge of other local activities

Can offer advice on:

• Family Health

• Child Development and Behaviour

• Health Screening

• Wetting and Soiling issues

For further information or advice telephone the Health Board Reception desk in the Health Centre – 01573 223001

Public Health Nurse/School Nurse

These nurses are committed to the health improvement of children and young people of school age, helping them realise their potential in health and education

They works closely with your own GP and other Health Professionals, also liaising with Education Staff

Several activities that PHN/School Nurse has responsibilities for are:

• Child Health Surveillance in schools

• School Immunisation Programme

• Drop in clinic in the Secondary School (offering a confidential listening and advisory service for health and lifestyle issues)

• Self-esteem group work

• Health Promotion Activities

• One to one counselling/support

• Appropriate referral to Specialist Services

• Supporting transitions from Primary to Secondary Schools

• Training and Supporting school staff in dealing with complex medical issues in school

Wellbeing Service

A Wellbeing Counselling service for health behaviour change is currently running in Kelso Health Centre

This project has been set up to help and support patients to make health behaviour changes focusing on smoking, healthier eating & diet, exercise and safer alcohol use.  The service also offers confidential support and advice on how to deal with psychological problems such as stress, anxiety and low mood.  The Wellbeing Adviser will follow a solution-focused/problem solving approach and when appropriate offer self-help material and signposting to local agencies from their Toolkit

Following referral(or self-referral), the Wellbeing Service contact the patient to arrange an appointment

Wellbeing Service Self-Referral Form

Dietician

The importance of a balanced healthy diet is widely recognised and it is very important for maintaining health and for recovery from illness

This service is for people who require help with eating and drinking, or who require a special diet as part of their treatment. Therapeutic advice can be given for a wide range of ages and medical conditions such as diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, food allergy, eating disorders, coeliac disease and nutritional support e.g. swallowing problems

Referral to the Dietitian is via your Doctor or other member of the Primary Health Care Team

For further information or advice telephone the Health Board Reception desk in the Health Centre – 01573 223001

Podiatrist

Appointment system via Secretary (based at Coldstream HC)  Telephone No: 01890 885288  Podiatry Hub, Kelso Community Hospital, Kelso

Podiatrists provide footcare for the Borders’ public with the use of ‘Open Access’. This means the service will be available to any member of the public and, depending on their clinical need, will offer them an appropriate course of treatment. The first appointment is for assessment, which enables the Podiatrist to determine your clinical needs

Podiatry Self-Referral Form

Speech and Language Therapist

Speech and Language Therapy is designed to help anyone with language (understanding and spoken) or speech problems.   This might include developmental delay, learning difficulties, acquired neurological disorders, hearing impairment, head and neck injury, dementia, fluency and voice disorders.  Assessment of swallow problems

For further information or advice telephone the Health Board Reception desk in the Health Centre – 01573 223001