Patients are invited annually usually around their month of birth for their annual review of long term conditions:
Asthma
COPD
Coronary Heart Disease
Diabetes
Heart Failure
Hypertension
Learning Disabilities
Mental Health
Stroke/TIA
Patients with Pre-Diabetes (also know as Impaired glucose regulation – IGR) will be offered a blood test every year to check their blood sugar levels.
Please ensure that you have any bloods taken if needed before your appointment.
It is important to attend for these reviews so that your health and any medications can be reviewed to ensure you are receiving the correct care and treatment.
Adult Asthma
Child asthma
COPD
Contraception
Contraception is free for most people in the UK. With 15 methods to choose from, you’ll find one that suits you. Contraceptive methods allow you to choose when and if you want to have a baby, but they don’t protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms help to protect against STIs and pregnancy, so whatever other method of contraception you’re using to prevent pregnancy, use condoms as well to protect your and your partner’s health.
The Methods of Contraception
There are lots of methods to choose from, so don’t be put off if the first thing you use isn’t quite right for you; you can try another. You can read about each of the different methods of contraception by visiting these pages:
Both men and women need to look after their sexual health and take time to understand the issues that surround contraception and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). For instance there are some STIs, like chlamydia, that you could be carrying without having any symptoms. This infection can affect fertility, so it’s important to make use of the sexual health services available for free on the NHS.
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). Chlamydia is a bacterial infection, most commonly spread through unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex. 75% of people infected with chlamydia don’t have any symptoms. However, testing and treatment are simple.
Useful Links SmokeFree NHS Free Smoking Helpline – 0800 022 4 332 7 days a week, 7am to 11pm. Here to help you! The NHS have produced “Smokefree”, a dedicated service to inform everyone of the dangers of smoking, the benefits to giving up and how they can help you kick the habit.
QUIT QUIT is the independent charity whose aim is to save lives by helping smokers to stop. Smokers wanting to QUIT should call 0800 00 22 00 or email stopsmoking@quit.org.uk for free, individual, same-day advice from our trained counsellors.
NHS Stop Smoking Tracker – This desktop application will help you to stop smoking successfully by providing a 30-day course of daily messages, information and tips straight to your computer
Eating Well & Exercise
You don’t have to spend lots of money to eat well. Watch this video to see dietitian Azmina Govindji explain how you can eat healthily for less (https://youtu.be/Q5GI6H9QfNw).
BBC Healthy Living – Nutrition – A good diet is central to overall good health, but which are the best foods to include in your meals, and which ones are best avoided? This section looks at the facts, to help you make realistic, informed choices.
Change for Life
These days, ‘modern life’ can mean that we’re a lot less active. With so many opportunities to watch TV or play computer games, and with so much convenience and fast food available, we don’t move about as much, or eat as well as we used to. Which means that 9 out of 10 kids today could grow up with dangerous amounts of fat in their bodies. This can cause life-threatening diseases like cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease – so it’s really important that we do something about it.
All women aged 25 to 64 are invited by letter to cervical screening to check the health of their cervix. Cervical screening used to be called a smear test.
Everyone with a cervix should go for cervical screening.
The cervix is the opening to your womb from your vagina.
It’s not a test for cancer, it’s a test to help prevent cancer.
During the screening appointment, a small sample of cells will be taken from your cervix.
The sample is checked for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that can cause changes to the cells of your cervix. These are called “high risk” types of HPV.
If these types of HPV are not found, you do not need any further tests.
If these types of HPV are found, the sample is checked for any changes in the cells of your cervix. These can be treated before they get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
The nurse or doctor will tell you when you can expect your results letter.
How do I book my cervical screening (smear) appointment?
You’ll be sent an invitation letter in the post when it’s time to book your cervical screening appointment.
If your smear is overdue you will also be sent regular text message reminders or letters asking you to book your smear as soon as possible.
Patients can book their smear appointments at 2 locations;
Highfield Hospital: Patients can also book their appointment at Highfield Hospital by ringing 0151 511 5704/5705. Highfield hospital offer out of hours appointments on evenings and weekends.
The Beeches Medical Centre: Cervical screening appointments can be booked directly at The Beeches Medical Centre by ringing 0151 424 3101.
How is Cervical Screening done?
The video below shows someone having cervical screening. It shows an illustrated view of the inside of the body and explains what happens during the test.
Non-urgent advice: IMPORTANT
Try not to put off cervical screening.
It’s one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer.
Why is Cervical Screening so important?
Cervical screening is one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer.
How cervical screening helps prevent cancer
Cervical screening checks the health of your cervix and helps find any abnormal changes before they can turn into cancer.
It’s not a test for cancer, it’s a test to help prevent cancer.
Cervical screening checks a sample of cells from your cervix for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV).
These types of HPV can cause abnormal changes to the cells in your cervix and are called “high risk” types of HPV.
If high risk types of HPV are found during screening, the sample of cells is also checked for abnormal cell changes.
If abnormal cells are found, they can be treated so they do not get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
What is HPV?
HPV is the name for a very common group of viruses.
Most people will get some type of HPV during their lives. It’s very common and nothing to feel ashamed or embarrassed about.
You can get HPV from any kind of skin-to-skin contact of the genital area, not just from penetrative sex.
This includes:
vaginal, oral or anal sex
any skin-to-skin contact of the genital area
sharing sex toys
Some types of high risk types of HPV can cause cervical cancer. In most cases your body will get rid of HPV without it causing any problems. But sometimes HPV can stay in your body for a long time.
If high risk types of HPV stay in your body, they can cause changes to the cells in your cervix. These changes may become cervical cancer if not treated.
If you do not have a high risk type of HPV it’s very unlikely you’ll get cervical cancer, even if you’ve had abnormal cell changes in your cervix before.
Finding high risk HPV early means you can be monitored for abnormal cell changes.
Abnormal changes can be treated so they do not get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
Who’s at risk of cervical cancer
If you have a cervix and have had any kind of sexual contact, with a man or a woman, you could get cervical cancer. This is because nearly all cervical cancers are caused by infection with high risk types of HPV.
you’ve had the HPV vaccine – it does not protect you from all types of HPV, so you’re still at risk of cervical cancer
you’ve only had 1 sexual partner – you can get HPV the first time you’re sexually active
you’ve had the same partner, or not had sex, for a long time – you can have HPV for a long time without knowing it
you’re a lesbian or bisexual – you’re at risk if you’ve had any sexual contact
you’re a trans man with a cervix
you’ve had a partial hysterectomy that did not remove all of your cervix
If you’ve never had any kind of sexual contact with a man or woman, you may decide not to go for cervical screening when you’re invited. But you can still have a test if you want to.
If you’re not sure whether to have cervical screening, talk to your GP or nurse.
Cervical screening is a choice
It’s your choice if you want to go for cervical screening. But cervical screening is one of the best ways to protect you from cervical cancer.
Risks of cervical screening
You may have some light bleeding or spotting after cervical screening. This should stop within a few hours.
If abnormal cells are found and you need treatment, there are some risks, such as:
treating cells that may have gone back to normal on their own
bleeding or an infection
you may be more likely to have a baby early if you get pregnant in the future – but this is rare
If you do not want to be invited for screening, contact your GP and ask to be taken off their cervical screening list.
You can ask them to put you back on the list at any time if you change your mind.
When will I be invited for cervical screening?
Who should have cervical screening
All women and people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64 should go for regular cervical screening. You’ll get a letter in the post inviting you to make an appointment.
How often you are invited depends on your age.
Age
When you’re invited
Under 25
Up to 6 months before you turn 25
25 to 49
Every 3 years
50 to 64
Every 5 years
65 or older
Only if a recent test was abnormal
You can book an appointment as soon as you get a letter.
If you missed your last cervical screening, you do not need to wait for a letter to book an appointment.
You will not be invited for cervical screening until you’re 25 because:
cervical cancer is very rare in people under 25
it might lead to having treatment you do not need – abnormal cell changes often go back to normal in younger women
If you’re 65 or older
You’ll usually stop being invited for screening once you turn 65. This is because it’s very unlikely that you’ll get cervical cancer.
You’ll only be invited again if a recent test was abnormal.
If you’re 65 or older and have never been for cervical screening, or have not had cervical screening since the age of 50, you can ask your GP for a test.
If you have had a total hysterectomy
You will not need to go for cervical screening if you’ve had a total hysterectomy to remove all of your womb and cervix.
You should not receive any more screening invitation letters.
bleeding between periods, during or after sex, or after you’ve been through the menopause unusual vaginal discharge
Do not wait for your next cervical screening appointment
Maternity Services
Antenatal Care
We offer Antenatal care via Maternity Services, Health Care Resource Centre, Caldwell Road, Widnes, Cheshire.
Post Natal Care
We have baby clinic on Wednesday morning. Baby 6-8 week development check are performed at this clinic. Any post natal problems can be discussed with the doctor.
