Help us help you - info poster
What to expect from your local surgery - click above to view PDF

We have the services of a range of healthcare professionals available to our patients, and there may be more than one suitable option. When you contact us for an appointment, you will speak to a member of our Patient Services Team who will ask you some questions about the reason for your appointment. Please answer their questions as best you can, as this will help them to offer you a timely appointment with the most appropriate healthcare professional. All our staff are fully trained and bound by strict rules of confidentiality.  If you attend the health centre and wish to speak to a member of staff in private a room will be provided.

Below we describe the main healthcare professionals working in or alongside our practice, and below that is a list of common conditions with guidance on who might be the best person to help you or whether you can manage the condition yourself without seeing a healthcare professional.

If you want to know more about a particular condition or how to self-care please click here and use the Patient.info or NHS Choices options. For help with finding mental health services please use the search under “Wellbeing”.

Who should I see?

How to request an URGENT consultation

  • By Telephone – 01978 810844
  • At reception in person

How to request a ROUTINE consultation

How to request an ADVANCED consultation

GP

  • One of the doctors - our most highly qualified staff member
  • May have a specialist area of expertise
  • Can perform all necessary examinations and prescribe almost all drugs
  • Can make referrals to specialists and arrange hospital admission
  • Only has a 10 minute appointment

Practice Nurse

  • Manages the routine care of long-term conditions such as diabetes and COPD
  • Limited prescribing
  • Can have longer appointments
  • Often the best option if you have questions about your long-term condition or the associated medication

Healthcare Assistant (HCA)

  • Can check blood pressure, pulses, take blood samples and measure height and weight
  • Tend to be more accessible
  • Cannot prescribe
  • Often the best option if you want a periodic "health-check" for peace of mind. They will report any abnormal findings to the doctors to see if any action is required
  • Carry out ECGs (diagnosing heart condition), Spirometry (diagnosing lung condition) and B12 injections

Community Pharmacist

  • Can advise on and review medications
  • Can give advice and treatment for a range of common ailments without having to make a GP appointment under the Common Ailments Scheme
  • Can provide smoking cessation advice
  • Can provide emergency contraception

Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner

  • Can assess and diagnose musculoskeletal problems
  • Can refer on to the most appropriate service for further treatment
  • Does not provide ongoing physiotherapy treatment but can provide advice on pain management and self care exercises
  • Consider booking an appointment with this service for muscle/joint pain rather than a GP

A - Z of Conditions

*Where you see “pharmacist*” a trained community pharmacist is able to treat you under the Common Ailments Scheme which means he or she may be able to supply you with the required medication free of charge without having a prescription from the doctor.

Condition

What to do

Abdominal pain
Please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service. 
Acne Consult your community pharmacist*
Acute Asthma  Please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Back Pain
Self care at home with pain management advice from community pharmacist*.
If back pain is severe please ring for an appointment with the advanced physiotherapist or, if the condition is ongoing, please contact the Patient Services Team for details on how to self-refer for physiotherapy.
Blood test  Walk in phlebotomy clinic 08.30 – 11.30 Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday and Friday.
Breathlessness  Please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Burns  Please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Cellulitis (skin inection)
Please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Cervical smears  Please ring to book an appointment with a practice nurse.
Chest infection  Please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Chest Pain Please ring and ask for an urgent triage call back or, if you have a known heart problem, attend A&E.
Chicken Pox Consult your community pharmacist.*
Cold sores  Self care at home or consult community pharmacist* for advice.
Colds  Self care at home or consult community pharmacist* for advice.
Constipation  Self care at home or consult community pharmacist* for advice.
Contraception Please ring to book an appointment with a practice nurse.
Contraception - morning after pill Available from the community pharmacists, or, if in school, the
school nurse.
Cough  Self care at home. If you have had a cough for more than 2
weeks, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient
Services Team to access the triage service.
Cystitis  Self care at home or consult community pharmacist. If
problem persists, please ring and speak to a member of the
Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Dental problem
Please consult your dentist.
Diarrhoea Self care at home or consult the community pharmacist.
Dizziness Self care at home. If problem persists, please ring and speak to
a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage
service.
Ear syringing
Please ring to book an appointment with a practice nurse.
Eczema  Self care and consult your community pharmacist*.
Eye soreness/infection  Self care is now recommended for conjunctivitis. If infection is more severe, please consult your optician. Find an optician near you at www.eyecare.wales.nhs.uk.
Eye injury  Please consult your optician.
Fit note ("sick note")
Please ring to speak to a member of our Patient Services Team.
Flu  Self care at home or consult your community pharmacist for advice on how to ease symptoms. If symptoms persist, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Forms, certificates, medicals, reports  Please ring to speak to a member of our Patient Services Team.
Fungal infection  Self care at home or consult your community pharmacist for advice. If symptoms persist, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Hayfever
Self care and consult your community pharmacist*.
Head injury  If head injury is minor, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service. If head injury is major, go to A&E.
Head lice  Consult your community pharmacist*.
Headache/migraine  Self care at home or consult your community pharmacist for advice on how to ease symptoms. If symptoms persist, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Indigestion/heartburn
Self care at home or consult your community pharmacist* for advice on how to ease symptoms. If symptoms are severe, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Injection of medication Please ring to book an appointment with a practice nurse.
Insect bites Self care or consult pharmacist for advice.
Mental health
There is lots of self help available for mild mental illness (please see Health and Wellbeing Advice). If mental illness is more severe, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient
Services Team to access the triage service.
Moles There is lots of information available on NHS Choices to help you decide whether you need to get your mole checked. If you are still unsure, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Nappy rash
Self care with advice from community pharmacist* or consult your Health Visitor.
Neck pain Self care with advice on pain management from community pharmacist. If pain in severe, please ring for an appointment with the advanced physiotherapist.
Nosebleeds Self care. If bleeding is severe and not controlled, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Penis pain/soreness
Self care or contact the Sexual Health Clinic. If problem persists, please ring to book an appointment with a GP.
Period problems Self care. If problem persists, please ring to book an appointment with a practice nurse.
Rash
Self care with advice from community pharmacist. If symptoms persist, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Rectal problems Self care with advice from community pharmacist. If symptoms persist, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Shingles
Please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Sinusitis Consult your community pharmacist. If symptoms persist, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Skin conditions Self care with advice from community pharmacist*. If problem persists, please ring to book an appointment with a GP.
Smoking cessation www.helpmequit.wales or consult your community pharmacist.
Sore Throat Consult your community pharmacist*. If symptoms persist, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Stings Consult your community pharmacist*. If symptoms persist, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Stitch removal Please use the wound clinic at Chirk Community Hospital. Phone 03000 850003 to book an appointment.
Strokes Please ring and ask for an urgent triage call back or attend A&E.
Styes Self care with advice from your community pharmacist.
Sunburn Self care with advice from your community pharmacist.
Threadworm
Self care with advice from your community pharmacist*.
Thrush Self care with advice from community pharmacist*. If symptoms persist, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Travel advice & vaccinations Please ring to book an appointment with a practice nurse.
Urine infections
Self care with advice from community pharmacist*. If symptoms persist, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Vaccinations
Please ring to book an appointment with a practice nurse.
Vaginal discharge/pain Self care or contact the Sexual Health Clinic. If problem persists, please ring to book an appointment with a GP.
Verrucas Self care with advice from your community pharmacist*.
Vomiting Self care with advice from community pharmacist*. If symptoms persist, please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.
Warts
Self care with advice from your community pharmacist*.
Wound infection Please ring and speak to a member of the Patient Services Team to access the triage service.