Our doctors, nurses and healthcare team offer a range of services at the practice. Please select one of the options below to find out more.
Community Urgent Eye Service (CUES)
People across Bath, North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire can access urgent eyecare, free of charge and close to home by calling 0300 303 4922, Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm.
Who is eligible for CUES?
CUES is available to patients presenting with a recent onset urgent eye problem such as ma painful eye, foreign body, sudden change in vision, or sudden onset of flashes and floaters which may suggest retinal detachment.
CUES is available to patients of any age with a GP in BaNES, Swindon or Wiltshire.
Patients with non-urgent or longstanding symptoms are not eligible for CUES.
Which optical practices provide CUES?
A CUES provider practice search tool can be found at:
Find a Practice – Search for your nearest participating optical practice (primaryeyecare.co.uk)
What happens next?
- Patient phones 0300 303 4922.
- Patients will be screened for eligibility for CUES.
- If eligible, patients will be offered either a remote telemedicine or face to face
appointment. - If not eligible, patients will be given information about options such as seeing a pharmacist or GP or an optician outside the service (there may be a charge for this).
Cancer care
Treatment Summary (TS)
This is done by the hospital and is a detailed summary of your cancer, the type of treatment you have received, any side effects caused by your treatment. This lets you know how to contact your cancer team if you have any concerns.
A letter or treatment summary will be done after each treatment/intervention has been completed, this includes after surgery, at the end of chemotherapy or radiotherapy and other treatments. A member of the clinical team will talk you through the document and give you and your GP a copy
Cancer Care Review (CCR)
The cancer care review is carried out at your GP practice to provide further support with your diagnosis. You can request a review at anytime by phoning the practice and booking an appointment.
This is an opportunity for you to talk to a health professional on how your diagnosis has affected you and your loved ones. To ask any questions and raise any concerns and needs you and your loved ones may have.
Handy hints
- Calls from hospitals may show as private number or withheld.
- Check to see if you can take a family member or friend with you to the hospital to appointments or for planned phone calls.
- There may be a lot of information given at this time
- Have a pen and paper ready
- Have questions prepared
Support groups available locally
Child health clinics and appointments
Health visitors
Bringing up children is a demanding challenge. The health visitors advise on:
- Everyday difficulties such as teething, sleeping and feeding
- Parenting, sleep and behaviour management, to any special requirements your child may have e.g. eczema, starting school
- Immunisation advice
Check the health visitors website for information about their clinics.
Baby and toddler hub
These are relaxed ‘drop ins’ where you can mix with other parents and children – swapping stories and experiences when you have a new baby can be really helpful and we encourage you to drop in and stay and play. Health visitors are present and keen to chat with you about any aspect of life with your new baby and offer support and information. You are welcome to weigh your baby at any hub.
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/banesbabyhubs
Child immunisations
Our immunisation clinics are held at the surgery on Tuesday mornings.
Your child will be a sent an invite as and when their immunisations are due. If your child has not received a letter, but you feel they should have, please get in touch with our reception team.
Chronic health management clinics
Patients who have a chronic health complaint should see the nurse at least every 12 months to ensure that they are managing their condition in the best way. We also like to check that patients are responding well to their medication, or offer alternatives if not. Please contact reception if you need an appointment.
Respiratory
Asthma and COPD clinics are run by our nursing team.
We are always happy to review anyone with asthma every year and more frequently if your asthma is not well controlled. If you have any of the following then please consider coming to our clinic, as your asthma treatment may need reviewing:
- Cough at night.
- Shortness of breath at work/school or when exercising.
- Persistent cough, wheeze, tightness, or shortness of breath during the day.
If you need to use your Salbutamol (blue) inhaler more than 3 or 4 times a week it may imply your asthma is poorly controlled.
If you need further advice or information then please feel free to book an appointment at the clinic.
For further information on asthma please visit the Asthma UK website.
- Videos to showing you how to use your inhaler
- Download a peak flow diary
- Information about how to cope in extreme heat
Diabetes
The diabetic clinic at the surgery is run by our Nursing Team. If you are diabetic, you will be sent an appointment at least once a year to have all aspects of your diabetes care checked. We run the diabetes clinics throughout the week and ask you to come in a week before to have your feet checked along with blood and urine tests so we can review the results with you in the clinic.
Once a year you will receive an appointment from the Diabetic Eye Screening Team to have your eyes checked and photographs taken.
For further information please visit:
Diabetes leaflets:
- Diabetes monitoring sheet (opens in a new tab)
- Travelling with diabetes (PDF)
- Information for people with Diabetes (PDF)
Heart disease
The heart disease appointments at the surgery are run by our nursing team. If you have heart disease we will invite you to attend the surgery for a review including a blood test with the Nurse at least yearly.
For further information please visit The British Heart Foundation.
Stroke or hypertension
Our nurses review patients with high blood pressure, or who have had a stroke, at least yearly. You will be invited for a review appointment and blood test.
For further information please visit The Stroke Association.
Community Teams
The following health professionals work closely with the practice in specialised areas. They are not based at the surgery, but you can contact them directly.
The Community Midwife
The community midwife provides help and advice for all pregnant ladies in the practice, and care during labour and after the birth.
Phone
01225 826454
Website
Maternity Services – Royal United Hospital Bath
The Health Visitors
They work to promote health within the community in all age groups. In particular they visit families with children under 5 years, and work with the doctors to check for their healthy growth and development, and other health needs for the population over 5 years.
Somer Valley HV team
Address
Paulton Hospital
Salisbury Road
Paulton
BS39 7SB
Phone
0300 247 0055
Website
https://bathneshealthandcare.nhs.uk/services/health-visiting/
District Nurses
They work to promote health among housebound patients within the community. Patients are usually referred to the District Nursing team by a GP or other healthcare professional.
If you wish to contact the district nurses please contact Reception at the surgery on 01761 413155 and leave a message and they will get back to you as soon as they can.
Is someone at risk of harm or abuse?
Visit Bath and North East Somerset Council for further information.
Ear wax
Ear care
We recommend the use of ear drops or olive oil drops for 2 weeks prior to ear syringing and also over the counter remedies. Ear syringing should only be carried out as a last resort or at the request of the audiologists.
Ear syringing is not available on the NHS in this Practice.
Many people feel that they should have their ears syringed as they have had it done in the past and it worked for them. However, newer research has indicated that syringing can cause some unwanted complications.
Click here for information from the NHS
Ongoing self-care
If your ears are regularly becoming blocked with wax, after clearing the blockage, it is suggested that you use olive oil drops as above around once a week to keep the wax soft and encourage the natural process of wax expulsion.
Private Microsuction/Ear syringing
There are local, private services who will perform ear syringing for a small fee. Most of them advertise on the internet, but please research them before you use them.
You can view The Clandown Suite page for further details on private services provided at Elm Hayes Surgery or collect a business card from reception.
Family planning
Family planning and contraception advice
A full range of family planning advice and service is offered including fitting of coils and contraceptive implants. Where possible we will make every effort for female patients to see a female member of staff if requested.
If you feel you would like to have a coil fitted or contraceptive implant please speak to our reception team to arrange an initial consultation with either Dr Tonge or Dr Willcocks.
Alternatively you can contact the RUH Riverside clinic.
You can pick up the morning after pill from a pharmacy.
For help with an unwanted pregnancy please make an appointment with a GP or contact a Marie Stopes clinic.
We treat everything you tell us with the strictest confidence. All personal information is kept private.
HANDi App
Parents, carers and healthcare professionals can access expert advice about common childhood illnesses and how to treat them via a mobile app, called HANDi App. It is free and can be downloaded to any Apple or Android smartphone or tablet.
Developed and approved by Paediatric Consultants here at the RUH, the HANDi App provides expert advice on how best to manage the six most common childhood illnesses; diarrhoea and vomiting, high temperature, chestiness, newborn problems and stomach pain.
The HANDi App aims to give parents and carers more confidence in dealing with minor conditions at home.
It’s easy to use as it takes the user through a series of questions about the symptoms their child is experiencing and then advises on the best course of action, whether that’s to treat at home, make a GP appointment or to go to A&E.
To download the free HANDi App, please use the following links:
Download from
play.google.com
itunes.apple.com
Health promotions clinics
The nation is getting fatter and the health problems are getting bigger with it. Advice is available on: www.foodfitness.org.uk
Health eating
When it comes to a healthy diet, balance is the key to getting it right. This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. The ‘Eatwell Plate’ highlights the different types of food that make up our diet, and shows the proportions we should eat them in to have a well-balanced and healthy diet.
Exercise
Exercise is essential to maintain both mental and physical wellbeing. Being active in your daily life at every opportunity will play a key role in this.
NHS guidelines state that to stay healthy, adults aged 19-64 should try to be active
daily and should do: at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as
cycling or brisk walking every week, and. strength exercises on two or more days a
week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders
and arms)
For more information the NHS Live Well page.
Prevention is better than cure. We take every opportunity to check on our patients’ health and offer advice on healthy living. We offer weight checks, smoking cessation advice, NHS health checks, and new patient checks.
NHS health checks
We offer patients a free NHS Health check.
In times of bereavement
In the unfortunate event that a person has passed away, there are three things that must be done;
- Get a medical certificate from your GP or hospital doctor (this is necessary to register the death). You will receive a telephone call from a Medical Examiner in the first instance to explain the cause of death and to answer any questions you have about this or the healthcare provided to the person before they died.
- Register the death. You will then receive the necessary documents for the funeral.
- Make the necessary funeral arrangements.
Register the death
If the death has been reported to the coroner they must give permission before registering the death.
You can register the death if you are a relative, a witness to the death, a hospital administrator or the person making the arrangements with the funeral directors.
An appointment with the registrar needs to be booked via the BaNES registrar website.
Arrange the funeral
The funeral can usually only take place after the death is registered. Most people use a funeral director, though you can arrange a funeral yourself.
Maternity/ midwives
Just found out you’re pregnant?
There are 4 local maternity units at Chippenham, Frome, Paulton and Trowbridge who will co-ordinate care for you.
Please click on the link below to register your pregnancy and the team at the Royal United Hospital will arrange your first midwifery appointment, called the booking. Ideally this should be before you are 10 weeks’ pregnant.
Click here to register your pregnancy.
Alternatively you can contact them on 01225 826454.
RUH maternity contact information
Maternity Services | Royal United Hospitals Bath (ruh.nhs.uk)
Minor surgery
Our doctors can perform surgical procedures such as joint injections, removal of small cysts etc. Minor operations take place at surgery by arrangement. Ask your doctor.
Phlebotomy (blood tests)
We offer blood tests and a warfarin monitoring service. Please only make an appointment for a blood test under the advice of a healthcare professional.
We now offer afternoon Warfarin monitoring appointments. Please book with reception.
Sexual health
The Riverside Clinic
Contact their appointments line on 01225 826855
The Riverside Clinic provides:
Testing and treatment
- Testing for sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia and gonorrhoea
- Diagnosis and treatment of genital warts and herpes
- HIV and Syphilis testing
- Hepatitis A, B and C testing will be offered in certain circumstances
- Hepatitis A and B vaccinations for those who have been, or could be at risk
Please be aware that it can take two weeks from sexual contact for a chlamydia and gonorrhoea test to be accurate, four weeks for a HIV test and twelve weeks for a syphilis test.
Contraception and pregnancy advice
- Contraception, including emergency contraception, depo and implants, contraceptive pills and intrauterine devices/systems (also known as coils)
- Pregnancy testing and advice
Care and support
- Sexual assault follow-up care
- PEPSE (Post Exposure Prophylaxis following sexual exposure for HIV)
- Outpatient care for persons with HIV
- Free condoms
- Telephone advice line
B&NES sexual health improvement service for young people
BANES provide free confidential sexual health service for young people.
This service is for young people aged 13 – 24 years, and for professionals working with young people in the Bath and North East Somerset area.
Further information is available at https://livewell.bathnes.gov.uk.
Smoking cessation
The following websites can give you information and support:
Travel
We offer travel vaccinations to patients registered at Elm Hayes Surgery. We can offer Hep A, Typhoid and Tetanus vaccinations (providing these are available). We can also give you basic travel advice.
Should you require other vaccines, that are not covered by the NHS, you will be asked to attend a private travel clinic i.e. Malaria.
It is important to make contact with us as soon as possible, at least 6 weeks before you travel, as some vaccinations need to be ordered as they are not a stock item.
You will need an initial telephone call with the practice nurse to discuss your travel arrangements. Following that appointment you may need another appointment to actually receive any vaccinations that are required.
Please note some of these vaccinations are not available on the NHS and will be chargeable. You may be asked to attend a private travel clinic.
There is further information about countries and vaccinations required on the links below:
Please be aware we do not provide fitness to fly certificates. If your airline needs one please contact a private clinic.
Traveling in Europe
If you are travelling to Europe the EU has published useful information for travellers on the European website.
Treatment room
The practice nurses offer a range of services from their treatment room, including; smears, injections, ECGs, wound care and blood pressure checks.