Antenatal/Postnatal
Our Midwife holds a clinic on Tuesday afternoon by appointment.
Child Immunisation
Our Practice Nurses hold Childhood Immunisation clinics on Monday afternoons between 2.00 and 3.00pm. Appointments are sent directly from the Child Health Department in Dorchester; however, it is possible to ring the surgery for an appointment.
Services
The practice provides complete medical care including:
- Asthma Management
- Cervical Smears
- Contraception
- Diabetic Care
- Dietary Advice
- Full Maternity Medical Services
- Health Promotion Screening
- Minor Surgery
- NHS Health Checks
- Travel Advice including Yellow Fever
Asthma Care
We encourage all asthmatic patients to have a full review annually to review their symptoms, self-management and treatment.
Cervical Smear Test
Current national guidelines invite all women to attend for a regular cervical smear test. These guidelines now invite women from 24 to 50 years for 3-yearly testing and those over 50 years for 5-yearly testing. You may request to see your GP or Practice Nurses, Melanie Brown or Rosie Stynes.
Contraception
The practice offers contraception services from routine contraceptive pill prescriptions to emergency contraception. Advice on safer sex and confidentiality of pregnancy can be given.
Diabetic Care
All diabetic patients are regularly monitored and invited to come for a full annual review yearly and a short interim review at six months. Care is sometimes shared with the local hospital, clinic or the Community Diabetic Nurse Specialist. Chiropody and dietary appointments can be arranged at the practice. Our Long Term Condition Nurse, Jo Ralph, will also give advice on diet and medication. Please call the surgery to speak to her for advice.
NHS Health Check
Everyone between 40 and 74 years old that has not been diagnosed with certain health conditions/on long term medication are eligible for an NHS Health Check every 5 years. We will be inviting people in however please feel free to contact reception to see if you are eligible.
Minor Surgery
Some GPs undertake minor surgical procedure here at the practice such as skin biopsies and removal of minor skin lesions. Appointments may be made by arrangement with your individual GP.
New Patient Checks
If you are new to the surgery please book an appointment with the Practice Nurse or your GP for a New Patient Check. During this appointment we will discuss your current health concerns and arrange for any ongoing medication to be continued. If you are on medication an appointment will be made with a Pharmacist/Pharmacy Technician – please ensure you have at least one months’ worth of medication from your previous surgery prior to registering. Please then book the check with your GP.
Urine Sample
Due to advice from the hospital laboratory, we can no longer accept urine specimens in containers other than those supplied by a medical establishment or chemist.
No urine will be accepted without a completed form.
Collect your specimen kit from the surgery.
Please can all urine samples be received in the surgery by 16:15
The Apples Medical Centre – Named GP
All patients of The Apples Medical Centre are allocated a named accountable GP who is responsible for their overall care. New patients will be advised who their named accountable GP is when they first register at the practice.
Patients are able to contact the practice if they wish to know who this is, and if they have a preference to which GP that is, the practice where possible will make reasonable efforts to accommodate this request.
What does 'accountable' mean?
The named accountable GP is responsible for the co-ordination of all appropriate services required under the contract and ensure they are delivered to each of their patients where required (based on the clinical judgement of the named accountable GP).
Overall responsibility for patient care has not changed. This role is largely a role of oversight, with patients having one GP within the practice who is responsible for ensuring that this work is carried out on their behalf.