Dr Laurence Miles
MB, ChB
Dr Christine M. Miles
MB, ChB, BSc, DRCOG, DCH, FP Cert
Dr Anna Emmott
MB, ChB, MRCGP, DCH
Sister Barbara Manchester
RGN, SCM

Drs Laurence and Christine Miles qualified at Manchester University in 1979, and opened a surgery in Claughton Street in 1985. The practice moved to this purpose built surgery in 1999. As a small family practice, we are able to offer personal care and continuity of care. The practice is not a training practice. The practice supplies anonymous data to the General Practice Research Database.

In 2005 Dr Penny Hyde joined our clinical staff on a part time basis. She relocated to another area in February 2011 and was succeeded by Dr Anna Emmott who qualified at Liverpool University in 2004.

SURGERY TIMES

During the week, the surgery is open between 8.30am and 6pm (1pm Wednesdays) for making appointments and collecting prescriptions.

We reserve some appointment slots for fulltime workers

OUT OF HOURS EMERGENCIES

Drs Miles have an arrangement with an out-of-hours on-call service. Telephone calls to the deputising service are recorded. If you require a doctor when the surgery is closed, please telephone St Helens Rota direct on:

St Helens (01744) 737225

Or the surgery:

St Helens (01744) 734128

A pre-recorded message will tell you the number to dial.

REGISTERING WITH THE PRACTICE

The practice covers addresses with the following postcodes: WA10 2 - WA10 6

To register you will need to complete a questionnaire and form. Registration is with the practice but, if you have a preference, you can nominate a preferred GP. As a new patient if you would like to see the practice nurse please ask for a double appointment.

PRACTICE NURSE

Sister Barbara Manchester RGN, SCM, Practice Nursing Dip. of HC in CHC, ENB A51 Specialist Practitioner Cert., ENB 998 Diabetes Care., ENB 901 Family Planning Cert., ENB Practice Nurse Cert., Dip. Asthma (Liverpool University), Marie Curie Breast/Cervical Screening Cert.

Our Practice Nurse works in close liaison with the doctors, and is normally in attendance during the following times:

Appointments are necessary, book at Reception. She is qualified to deal with the following:

Asthma Management
Diabetes Management
All immunisations (both routine and for patients travelling abroad)
Contraception Checks
General Health Checks
Routine 3 yearly and over 75 checks
Weight Monitoring and Dietary Advice
Smoking Cessation
Blood Pressure Checks
Advice about Heart Disease Prevention

PRACTICE STAFF

Our practice employs the following:

Sue Hodgetts as Practice Manager.

Lynn Doyle, Brenda Jones, Susan Moran, Jackie Picton and Barbara Marsden as Receptionists and Jayne Caunce as Medical Administrator.

These staff members are your contact with the practice and they may be able to help with the administration or non-medical aspect of your health care. They may need to take some essential details in order to take the appropriate action.

COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTIONS

This practice aims to provide a friendly, efficient and effective service to all our patients.

Our aim is to give you the highest possible standard of care and service and we try to deal swiftly with any problems that may occur.

We offer a Practice Complaints Procedure to deal with comments, suggestions and complaints about the services we provide.

Our Practice Manager will give you further information.

APPOINTMENTS

An appointment system is in operation in our surgery. An appointment is for 10 minutes and is for one person only. If you think you will require longer, please ask for a "double" appointment.

All patients will be offered an appointment with a doctor, for clinically urgent cases, within 24 hours, normally at the end of morning surgery.

Routine appointments can be booked in advance with the doctor of your choice - a maximum of 5 weeks for a morning surgery and 1 week for an evening surgery.

The practice reserves some slots for Full TIme Workers only to book.

If you cannot attend please tell us as soon as possible.

HOME VISITS

Requests for home visits are available at the discretion of the doctor for patients who are too ill to travel to the surgery. If you think a home visit is necessary, we would be grateful if you could telephone between 9am and 10:30am.

REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS

Requests for repeat prescriptions should only be made at the surgery or by telephone after 11am and will normally be ready for collection after 11am, 48 hours later, excluding weekends and public holidays. If you prefer your prescription to be posted to you please enclose a SAE.

You may find it useful to tear off the request form attached to your prescription, ticking the items you require

.ANTENATAL CLINIC

Antenatal Clinic is held on Tuesday morning from 9:30am by appointment with our community midwife.

DISTRICT NURSE

District Nurses are attached to the practice and can be contacted via the staff on Reception.

BABY CLINIC

Baby Clinic is held on Tuesday for all pre-school children. No appointment is necessary.

We have the services of a health visitor at baby clinic on alternative Tuesdays.

A doctor/nurse will be available for immunisations, developmental checks, problems and minor illnesses from 1:30pm until 3pm.

DISABLED PATIENTS

The building is one storey and has disabled access. Facilities include one dedicated car parking space and a disabled toilet. Pleas do not hesitate to ask for assistance.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The doctors, with the help of the Practice Nurse, will monitor Asthma, Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and any continuing medical conditions you have by asking you to come for regular checkups. This is to ensure that you get the maximum benefit from available treatments.

The practice undertakes some minor surgery procedures. Each individual case should be discussed with a GP.

We recommend that all women between 25 and 50 years have a cervical smear test every three years and over 50 every five years.

We recommend that all patients over the age of 45 have their blood pressure checked at least every 5 years.

The practice has a policy of zero tolerance from violent or abusive patients.

Cars are parked on the car park at owner's risk.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Everyone working within the NHS has a duty of care to keep information about you confidential.

We will not, without good reason:

- Give any of your medical details over the phone unless we are certain who we are talking to.
- Give details about you to anyone else without your permission.

If you have any questions about confidentiality please speak to the Practice Manager or one of the doctors.