Appointments
Before booking an Appointment consider if it is right for your condition
Many minor illnesses can be treated by self care or by consulting a pharmacist at your local Chemist. Many common viral ailments cannot be treated by antibiotics and will run their natural course. But releiving the symptoms by use of over the counter medication will help.
Most common ailments can last longer than most people realise e.g.
- Ear Infection = 4 days
- Sore Throat = 1 week
- Cold = 1 week
- Flu = 2 weeks
- Cough = up to 3 weeks
- Nasal Congestion = up to 3 weeks
What to do if you are not sure if you need an appointment
There are many sources of information on line to help you manage simple ailments. Find out more at the Self Care Forum http://www.treatyourselfbetter.co.uk/
Alternatively if you are not sure of local services you can visit the NHS 111 website by clicking this link NHS 111 Website or ring them on 111 from a UK landline or mobile phone
If you are not registered for online access you can contact the practice by clicking on the online forms below
Extended Appointments - Spoke
Patients can be booked into one of the four spoke surgeries via our receptionists accordingly: Please contact us now on 01254 964640
Location of Clinics:
Darwen Health Centre
Barbara Castle Way Health Centre
Shadsworth Surgery
Availability:
Darwen Health Centre - Monday to Friday 16:00 until 20:00. (4pm-8pm)
Barbara Castle Way Health Centre - Monday to Friday 17:00 until 21:00, Saturday and Sunday 08:45 am until 14:30.
Shadsworth Surgery – 17:00 until 21:00
Nurse Asthma and Smear Clinics available to book for Saturday and Sunday Clinics 09:00 to 14:00 at Barbara Castle Way Health Centre in Blackburn.
Non-NHS Services & Private Work Fees
Policy on Medicals, Letters and Forms
Darwen Healthcare is proud to offer quality care to our patients under the terms of our NHS contract. Unfortunately, General PracticeS across the UK are under severe pressure. Some types of work which have been traditionally done by GP’s is not actually NHS work and does not form part of the NHS contract.
In order to provide good NHS care, the doctors at Darwen Healthcare need to limit the amount of private (non-NHS) work they do. If you request non-NHS work, the request may be declined and you may need to consult a private doctor instead.
The finformation to the right explains what Darwen Healthcare does and does not provide. If you have queries about this policy please speak to Ann Neville, Practice Business Manager
ITEMS WE PROVIDE FREE OF CHARGE
Fit for work certificates
AFTER a period of 7 days of self-certification for any illness/work absence, for the purpose of sick pay and benefits only, we can supply a Fit for Work certificate (commonly known as a sick note or MED3).
Following an admission to hospital it is the hospital discharging teams responsibility to provide you with advice about your return to work and provision of a fit for work certificate.
Prescription Charge Exemption certificates
If you fulfil the criteria as per the form, please complete and leave at reception to be completed by a GP
Referral letter to NHS or Private Hospitals
All referrals are dealt with by our secretarial team. If you have any queries, please speak to them directly rather than the GP.
Services we do not provide
MatB1 form, Maternity exemption certificates and healthy start forms
These are all issued by the midwife or Health Visitor
Applications for Passports, Visas, Character references
The organisations supplying these forms are able to suggest alternative signatories.
Fitness for exercise/gym
We encourage our patients to partake in regular exercise. The risk in undertaking activities at the gym is between you and your gym/instructor although if you require information relating to Blood Pressure etc a print off from your record can be provided.
Fitness for parachute jumps, mountain climbing, flying & diving etc
Certifying fitness to participate in dangerous or excessively strenuous exercise is beyond our area of expertise. Please ask your instructor about any concerns you have regarding your safety for these. We are happy to supply a print out of your notes, for a fee, for their consideration.
Diving requires a suitably qualified doctor to assess your fitness.
Letters about missing court appearances
Missing court is a serious matter. We will only provide a letter to the court if we are requested to do so by the court. Your solicitor will advise you further.
Letters about missed exams, to support exam conditions or school absence
We do not provide letters to advice about absence relating to school in any circumstance as sick notes are provided for employment purposes only.
Recording injuries for insurance/police
Recording injuries for the purposes of an insurance claim is not an NHS service. Your insurer can arrange a private medical examination if necessary. In the case of an injury resulting from an alleged assault a police doctor must assess and document injuries. We are not trained to do this work to the legal standard required.
Will-writing capacity and Power of Attorney
Testamentary capacity is a highly specialised area of medico-legal practice with important implications for the patient and family. If required the solicitor can arrange for a private consultation with a doctor, trained in this area, usually a psycho-geriatrician. Similarly, the same can be arranged as necessary if required in relation to Power of Attorney but this does not usually need a doctors opinion.
School Requests for Confirmation of Illness
It is becoming increasingly common that children attend our surgery and as part of the consultation we are requested to provide a “doctor’s note” to verify the child’s illness at the request of the school.
Absence from school is by and large due to self-limiting illnesses, which require either no treatment or a self-care approach. As such the child’s parent or guardian can verify the child’s absence from school and the reason for this directly with the school, including on a recurrent basis.
By requesting confirmation of illness when a child is absent from school encourages attendance for self-limiting and minor illness that is unnecessary. It also means that the child has to attend the surgery for an appointment, for the purpose of obtaining confirmation of illness, which takes an appointment away from a patient with a genuine medical need. In requesting confirmation of sickness for children we also have to consider confidentiality and the relationship we have with our patients.
Providing written confirmation of an illness for a child is not part of the NHS service we provide and is not a requirement in line with BMA guidance.
https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/gp-practices/service-provision/supporting-pupils-at-school
At Darwen Healthcare we will not provide a doctor’s note for children who are absent from school.