Clinics & Services

The Cardiff & Vale University Health Board is responsible for commissioning the range of essential, additional and enhanced services available at this practice. These services are outlined below: 

Essential Services 

Management of patients who are ill or believe themselves to be ill, with conditions from which recovery is generally expected, for the duration of that condition, including relevant health promotion advice and referral as appropriate, reflecting patient choice wherever practicable. 

General management of patients who are terminally ill. 

Management of chronic disease in the manner determined by the practice, in discussion with the patient. 

Additional Services

• Cervical screening. 
• Contraceptive services - please contact the surgery for range of services provided. 
• Vaccinations and immunisations. 
• Child health surveillance. 
• Maternity services - excluding intra-partum care (which will be an enhanced service). 
• The minor surgery procedures of curettage, cautery, cryocautery of warts and verrucae, and other skin lesions. 

Enhanced Services 

• Childhood immunisations. 
• Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations. 
• Minor surgery. 
• Anticoagulation monitoring. 
• Near patient testing (shared care monitoring of specific conditions between hospital and the practice).

Nurse Clinics

We have an excellent team of practice nurses who you can see instead of a doctor for some of your care. They provide a wide range of treatments, advice and services. Our nurses are happy to see you for any of the following: 

• Minor illnesses 
• Medication services 
• Contraception 
• Cervical screening
• BP checks 
• Travel advice 
• Asthma 
• Diabetic care 
• INR monitoring 
• All vaccinations 
• Smoking cessation 
• Well-person checks 

To make an appointment with the practice nurse, please contact reception on 772383.

Health Care Checks

Our practice nurses offer health-care checks for all patients aged 40 and over. This gives us the opportunity to take your blood pressure and discuss any health needs or concerns you may have. If you are elderly or housebound, we can arrange for a practice nurse to do a home visit.

Yellow Fever Centre

We are a Yellow Fever centre for the vaccination of patients and non-patients who will be travelling to countries where Yellow Fever is a high risk. This service is not available on the NHS; there will be a charge.

Community Attached Staff

• Cowbridge Health Centre Clinic Clerk, Mrs Marion Harris can be contacted on 01656 763138 (am only).
• The district nurses are in attendance at Cowbridge Health Centre. They can be contacted on Cowbridge 01656 763130 from 8.30am - 4.30pm Monday to Friday. 
• CBHC Leg Ulcer Clinic: 2pm - 4pm- daily, by appointment

District nurses care primarily for housebound patients, offering clinical care, advice and support and assessments for equipment, care packages and incontinence needs. They also provide nursing care for post-operative and terminally ill patients.

Health Visitor

 - Contact Number: 01656 763134

The health visitor is primarily responsible for the care of young children. She visits mothers and babies at home and is available for advice to mothers before confinement and for children up to school entry. With the help of a community paediatrician she runs a well-baby clinic.

School Nurse

- Contact Number: 01656 763137

Midwives

- Contact Number: 02920 350622

The midwives see patients in the antenatal clinic at Cowbridge Health Centre on Tuesday afternoon and attend patients at home before and after delivery.

Physiotherapist

- Contact Number: 02920 743428

Available for referrals from a GP Monday and Friday: 8.00am - 4.30pm.

Community Psychiatric Nurses

- Contact Number: 01656 763131The community psychiatric nurses make home visits to psychiatric patients of all ages receiving psychiatric care.

Chiropodist/Podiatrist

- Contact Number: 02920 335335

Available for referrals from a GP and self-referrals by pensioners and certain at-risk groups.

Phlebotomists

Phlebotomists attend Cowbridge Health Centre every weekday morning, St Athan Surgery on Tuesday morning and Llantwit Major Clinic on Friday morning. Attendance is strictly by appointment, made with the practice.

Referrals

When referring you to other healthcare workers, the doctors will make available to them details of your medical history. The doctor will respect the wishes of any patients who object to particular information being shared with others providing care, except where this would put others at risk of serious harm.

Important Information About Your Referral

In the majority of cases we are required to route our clinical referrals through the Referral Management Centre based at the Health Board. Should you have any objections to this it is important that you inform us immediately.

Once your referral has been processed you can check the estimated waiting list time in several ways. Either telephone NHS Direct on 0845 4647 and they will be able to give you details (you will need to know the name of the hospital, the consultant and the department from which you will be receiving care), or you can check waiting times by visiting www.wales.nhs.uk

Non-NHS Charges

Current Recommended Charges (NON NHS) October 2011

Sicknesss Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)