At Firdale Medical Centre we have access to Community Pharmacy Services and will often signpost our patients to their services.

Pharmacists play a key role in providing quality healthcare to patients.  Working in the community, pharmacists use their clinical expertise together with their practical knowledge to ensure the safe supply and use of medicines by patients and members of the public.

Many pharmacies in the local area offer the ‘Think Pharmacy’ service. This service is an alternative to visiting your GP, making it easier for you and your family to get healthcare and advice on minor ailments at a time that suits you.

Your local pharmacy can offer advice and if necessary, prescribe medication to treat the following ailments under the Minor Ailments service:

Pharmacists can also offer advice on common problems such as coughs, colds, aches and pains as well as healthy eating and stopping smoking.

You can talk to your pharmacist in confidence, even about the most personal symptoms and you don’t need to make an appointment; most pharmacies now have a private consultation area where patients can discuss issues with pharmacy staff without being overheard by other members of the public.

Consultations are always free and confidential, regardless of whether the pharmacist gives you any medication.

Results of the tests requested by our clinicians will automatically return to the practice and will be saved in your records. If you haven’t heard from us after your test there is nothing to worry about and the results are fine. If you require a further appointment, you will be contacted by the surgery.

The best way to access your test results as any other information we hold on your records is via NHS App which will give you access to all your medical records including test results and documents. You can also find out what your results were by submitting Admin Request via our Online Consultation Platform AccuRx. This is our preferred method of contacting the practice as it is easy to use, provides with clear record of your request and allows our team to manage our workload more effectively. If you are unable to use internet or the online platform please call our reception team and we can discuss how to support you.

We use specialist equipment to photograph your skin wound, lesion etc. and upload it straight away to a specialist for further consultation. This gives us quicker access to specialist consultations and more insight into you problem.

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.

We encourage all our patient to firstly submit requests for Fit Notes through our Online Consulting platform AccuRx. It is easy and allows you to leave a trace of your request on your medical record. We will review your request and depending on circumstances our GP will either issue your with the fit not or our reception team will contact you to advise if you need an appointment first.

When submitting your request please choose “I have an admin query” tile.

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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:

Our GP are able to refer you to a specialist services if your condition meets certain criteria for referrals to be accepted.

Please access the link below to find out what happens when you are referred to see a specialist:

We offer clinical appointments tailored to those who experience mental health conditions available through one of our Mental Health Lead GPs. 

Influenza can be a debilitating and serious illness, particularly for the elderly. We advise all patients over the age of 65 and those at risk with conditions that include chronic respiratory disease, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease and diabetes, to be immunised. Our clinics are usually held in October or November and we will contact you closer to the time with more details.

If you are too ill to travel to the surgery a doctor or a PCN paramedic will visit you at home. Please contact the surgery between 8.30am and 11.30am on 01606 544300 choosing option 2 and give our staff as much information as possible to enable our clinician assess the urgency of your request. Please be aware that home visits are reserved for housebound and terminally ill patients.

Our consulting rooms have better facilities for examination and treatment than are available in your home and it is often to your advantage to attend the surgery.

Your call will be dealt with initially by a member of our administrative team who will either be able to provide advice or forward the enquiry to one of our clinicians. From here you will either be provided a telephone consultation, or a home visit from the GP or community paramedic.

We offer a wide range of contraceptive services, and offer guidance regarding unwanted pregnancies and safer sex. Please complete a medical request on our online consultation platform to let us know you would like to discuss this with our clinicians and we will contact you to arrange an appontment. If you are unable to use internet or the online consultaiton platform please speak to one of our receptionists to arrange appropriate support.

Our practice nurses Helen & Emma provide support for patients with long term illnesses such as high blood pressure, asthma, COPD and diabetes.

Long-term illnesses are managed by the whole health care team – including GPs, nursing staff and clinical pharmacists.

We encourage our patients to take an active role in helping to manage their own conditions, but it is helpful to come for a review once a year.

Most chronic illness require yearly reviews and are looked after by our nursing team. Some medications or conditions require yearly blood tests – it is helpful if you arrange to have these done before your review, to assist the clinician in monitoring your progress. If you are on regular medications it is often necessary to have a check up before we can safely continue to prescribe your medications.