Before you book an appointment to see a doctor please consider whether an appointment with an Advance Nurse Practitioner, a Nurse Practitioner or a Practice Nurse might be appropriate. They can help you with a wide range of medical problems.
Our receptionists can help you decide which is the right person for you to see.
Choose Well
For serious illness or injury you need to attend A&E
Call 999 for life-threatening conditions that need immediate medical attention. For example:
Choosing the right NHS Wales service if you become ill or are injured
‘Choose Well’ is an online resource available at https://www.choosewellwales.org.uk/home it will help you decide if you need medical attention. It explains what each NHS service does, and when it should be used. Choosing Well means that you and your family will get the best treatment.
NHS Direct also have a useful online symptom checker https://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/SelfAssessments/default.aspx
You can call NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47. NHS Direct Wales is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Community Pharmacy Common Ailment Service
Did you know that you can consult a community pharmacist. Pharmacists are highly trained health professionals and can give you confidential health advice for a range of common illnesses and complaints.
Don’t wait for a GP appointment for coughs, colds, aches and pains. Just call your local pharmacy a call or drop in – there’s no need to make an appointment.
Your pharmacists can also help you decide if you need to see a doctor or nurse.
You will receive medical advice and/or free treatment for a range of common illnesses.
The Common Ailment Service is a free NHS service that patients can access for advice and treatment.
These are:-
| Acne | Athletes Foot | Backache (acute) |
| Chickenpox | Cold Sores | Colic |
| Conjunctivitis (bacterial) | Constipation | Dermatitis (acute) |
| Diarrhoea | Dry Eye | Haemorrhoids |
| Hay fever | Head Lice | Indigestion/reflux |
| In-growing toenail | Intertrigo/ringworm | Mouth Ulcers |
| Nappy rash | Oral thrush | Scabies |
| Sore throat/tonsillitis | Teething | Threadworm |
| Vaginal thrush | Verruca |
This service is available at:-
| Rowlands | Numark | Peter Morgan | The Castle Pharmacy |
| StAsaph | Bodelwyddan | Dyserth | Rhuddlan |
Appointments with the Nurse Practitioners/Independent Prescribers
Morning and afternoon appointments are available with our Nurse Practitioners. These are bookable on the day and appointments are available in advance.
Although some patients, usually those with complex and long-standing medical problems, may need an appointment with the Doctor, ourNurse Practitioners are trained specialist nurses who have undertaken additional education in order to provide advanced nursing care. They are able to provide treatment and advice for many problems which you may have seen a Doctor for in the past. Their main areas of expertise are in the management of common illness and long term conditions.
Nurse Prescribers can assess and examine you, make a diagnosis and provide advice and treatments including prescriptions. They can make referrals to hospital doctors and admit patients if necessary. They work closely with the Doctors and liaise often.
Examples of appropriate appointments with a Nurse prescriber are:
- Rashes
- Acute back pain, joint sprains
- Shingles
- Oral thrush
- Chest Infections
- Dizziness
- Conjunctivitis, sticky eye, sty
- Diarrhoea, Constipations, piles
- Vomiting
- Urinary Tract Infections
- Tonsillitis, earache, cough, swollen glands
- Sinusitis, sore throat, colds or flu-like illnesses
- Raised temperatures.
Nurse Prescribers also manage many long term conditions such as asthma, eczema, high blood pressure, heart disease, raised cholesterol, diabetes and respiratory disease.
There are also many other problems that the Nurse Practitioners are able to help you with for example, menstrual disorders, sexual health advice, change of contraception pill or method.
Appointments with the GP
Morning and afternoon appointments are available with the GP. These are bookable on the day although the GP may book an appointment in advance if they think appropriate.
When all appointments are gone, reception will take a message from you and an emergency appointment may be allocated if appropriate.
Telephone consultations with a Doctor or Nurse
There are no specific times to speak to a doctor or nurse as availability is variable. The receptionist will take your details and the most appropriate doctor or nurse will call you back when they are available. Urgent medical calls will be passed to the doctor who will contact you at the earlist practical opportunity.
Local Hospitals
Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan, is the nearest acute General Hospital, whilst the Denbigh Infirmary offers a minor injury casualty unit.
Self-Referral
Did you know you can now refer yourself directly to the Physiotherapy Service. This means you do not have to visit your GP first, unless you wish to do so. Physiotherapy can be particularly beneficial if you are suffering from back pain, neck pain, joint and muscular pain, strains and sprains or a recent injury. Please ask reception for a form and/or any further information.
You can also refer yourself to the In-Work Support Service. RCS provide free and confidential support for employed or self-employed people who are on sickness absence as a result of a mild to moderate health condition, with the aim of facilitating an early return to work. They also have a counselling service. For more information please visit www.rcs-wales.co.uk.
Home Visits
In order to ensure the best use is made of your GP services, please attend the surgery whenever possible. If you are too ill to attend the surgery and require a home visit please try to telephone before 10.30am. The doctor or nurse may ring you to assess the situation.
Home visits are clinically appropriate in cases involving the terminally ill and the truly housebound patients for whom travel to the premises would cause deterioration in their medical condition. Lack of transport is not a reason to request a home visit.
