Nurse Practitioners

Individual healthcare professionals deal with different problems and roles in General Practice are changing.  Some of the medical problems that, in the past, have been treated by a doctor are now dealt with by highly qualified nurses (Nurse Practitioners).  These members of staff work under the close supervision of our GPs and are able to deal with minor illnesses such as:

• Coughs & Colds
• Skin Problems
• Stomach & Urinary Complaints
• Chest Infections
• Ear Infections                                     

Practice Nurses

The Practice Nurse is an important part of the Primary Health Care Team.  Below are some of the many and varied services which are provided:

• Health Promotion
• Dietary and lifestyle advice
• Travel advice and vaccinations
• Asthma checks
• Diabetic checks
• Healthy Heart checks
• Smoking cessation advice
• Dressing of wounds and removal of stitches
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease checks

When making an appointment with the nurse, it would be helpful if you could tell the receptionist what it is for.  This will ensure that the correct amount of time is allocated for your appointment.

Health Care Assistants

Supporting our practice nurses we have a team of healthcare assistants.  These members of staff are not nurses, but have been trained to carry out procedures such as:

• Blood taking
• New patient health checks
• ECG recording
• Blood Pressure checks

Women’s Health

Female doctors are available at all three surgeries for advice on family planning and sexual health. 

Most procedures can be performed in normal surgery times but  the doctor/nurse needs to know in advance of the appointment so that specialist equipment can be sterilised.

District Nurses

The District Nursing Team provides skilled nursing care, advice and support to patients, their families and carers, at home. They work as part of a multi-disciplinary team based at the surgery, integrating with our health visitor and practice nurse to provide a seamless service for our patients.

Contact telephone numbers for the District Nurse team

Routine enquiries: 01423 781191 (08.30-16.30/17.00)

Emergencies: 01765 602546 (08.30-17.00)

Out of hours: 0788 0557 560 evenings from 17.00 and weekends

Children’s Public Health Nursing Team

The Health Visiting and School Nursing Team is available to help and give advice to 0-19 year olds and their families and contact details can be obtained from each surgery.

Midwife

Our Midwife is based at Feastfield Medical Centre but holds a weekly ante-natal clinic at The Spring Gables Surgeryon Monday afternoons and at Feastfield Medical Centre on Tuesday mornings by appointment. She is available to give advice on pre-conceptual care, ante-natal screening and place of delivery.

* Please note to make yout initial appoinment with the Midwife you will need to self refer using the Maternity Self-Referral Form which can be found at the Maternity Unit Web Pages, on the Harrogate District Hospital website or you can click here. Alternatively if you do not have internet access you can call the       Ante-Natal Clinic on 01423 553177/553010.

Private Medical Services

Some of the services we provide are not covered under the NHS and as such incur a charge, e.g. Passport Applications, Private Medical Certificates, HGV licenses, Pre-Employment Medicals and Reports, Claim Forms, Shotgun Certificates and some vaccinations.

A full list of charges is available in each surgery. VAT is collectable on some of the services.

Your Test Results

If you are asked to provide us with a sample, please bring it to the surgery before 11.00 a.m. 

When telephoning for results please try to ring between 12 noon and 3.00 p.m. and remember that  the practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection and we will only release test results to the person to whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission for the release of this data or they are not capable of understanding the results.

When you take your test you will be told how long it will be before the results are returned to the practice.

It is your responsibility to check your results and to make an appointment to discuss them with your doctor if you are advised to do so.

Travel Vaccinations

Nidderdale Group Practice and a number of other local GP practices have partnered with MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad) to provide a specialist Travel Health service for our patients and patients in Harrogate, Knaresborough and the surrounding area.

Patients requiring Travel advice are to seek advice a minimum of 6-8 weeks prior to date of travel as some travel destinations require a course of injections.

The Travel Clinic is an accessible, expert service located on the ground floor of the Mowbray Square Centre, Mowbray Square, Harrogate, HG1 5AR. Vaccines available free of charge on the NHS will remain free of charge*. Non NHS vaccines are charged privately. These include Hep B, Rabies, Jap Encephalitis and various other vaccines.

To book an appointment, please visit the MASTA website Click Here You can use the vaccine checker on the website prior to your appointment to identify possible vaccination requirements for your trip.

• alternatively call MASTA on 0330 100 4156. This number is charged at local rate. A full range of travel health vaccinations, anti-malarials and retail products are available at the clinic.
• Or log on to www.masta-travel-health.com and book online.

Clinic Opening Times:

• Monday: 8.00am - 4.00pm
• Tuesday: 8.00am - 4.00pm
• Wednesday: 8.00am  - 4.00pm
• Thursday: 11.00am - 7.00pm
• Friday: 8.00am - 4.00pm
• Saturday: 8.00am - 4.00pm

*(where booked at least 48 hours in advance of the appointment date/for patients registered at the participating practices).

If we have a suitable appointment available, we are happy to assess and treat minor injuries here at the practice, (8am - 6pm) including burns and lacerations etc. If in any doubt please telephone the surgery for advice.

Minor Injuries Units (MIUs) can also deal with many minor injuries such as sprains, cuts and grazes.

You do not need an appointment to visit a minor injuries unit. These are specialist unit’s run by a team of highly qualified registered Urgent Care Practitioners who are trained to treat a wide variety of problems including:

• cuts and grazes,

• sprains and strains,

• broken bones (fractures),

• bites and stings (including human bites),

• infected wounds,

• minor head injuries,

• eye problems, such as minor eye infections, scratches or something that is stuck in your eye

If your injury is not serious it is usually better to go to a Minor Injury Unit (MIU) if there is one nearby or visit your nearest Pharmacist.

Nearest Walk-in-Centres are Harrogate District Hospital (always open) and Ripon Minor Injuries Unit

Ripon Community Hospital, Firby Lane, Ripon, HG4 2PR

Ripon Hospital Minor Injuries Unit Opening hours:

The normal opening times are 8.00am to 7.00pm daily. However, due to sickness they currently operating reduced opening times 8.00am to 7.00pm daily

X-Ray for new injuries ( except chest,pelvis or head):

Monday-Friday (08.30 - 11.50am & 1pm to 4.30pm) excluding weekends and Bank Holidays

When Minor Units are closed, please contact the Out of Hours GP Services on 111 or visit your local Emergency Department (A&E)