Cancer Support Services

Non-NHS Services

GP Notes for Schools

Guidance for parents asked to provide a GP note for School

Please note that GPs do not have a statutory duty to provide informal sick notes for children.

Your relationship with the school should be such that any concerns over a child’s absence can be resolved without the need for you or the school to ask your GP to provide any supporting evidence.

In the majority of cases a parent’s notification that their child is ill can be accepted without question or concern. Schools should not routinely request that parents provide medical evidence to support illness.

Schools are advised not to request medical evidence unnecessarily as it places additional pressure on health professionals, their staff and their appointments system particularly if the illness is one that does not require treatment by a health professional. Only where the school has a genuine and reasonable doubt about the authenticity of the illness should medical evidence be requested to support the absence.

If your school or yourself does require a medical opinion, this will need to be requested formally in writing, and parent consent needs to be provided. As this is non-NHS funded work the school will be liable for a fee which can be set by the practice.

Steroid Injections

We offer a regular clinic delivering joint injections to manage conditions such as arthritis, carpal tunnel, and musculoskeletal injuries.

Other Services

We can refer patients to other agencies such as community nursing, midwifery, community psychiatric nursing, MacMillan nursing and social services. The medical centre offers facilities for physiotherapy, chiropody, psychology, and counselling, as well as some visiting consultant services such as psychiatry.

Child Immunisation

Clinics are run regularly each week so please call the surgery to book your child’s required immunisation. Always remember to bring their red book to be updated.

If you do not know what immunisations your child currently need, please still make an appointment with our nurse in the above clinic to discuss their requirements.

Maternity Care

We provide a maternity medical service and work closely with local midwives. When you are pregnant you will be asked to attend an antenatal clinic with the midwife and further care will be planned. Depending on circumstances and patients’ choice, care can be arranged with York, Pontefract, Leeds General Infirmary or St James’ Hospitals.

Parentcraft classes for future mothers and fathers are held regularly, arranged by the midwives and health visitors

Contraception

We offer a fully comprehensive family planning service in normal surgery times. If required, a female doctor, nurse or nurse practitioner is generally available. Annual pill checks can be done by a practice nurse.

If you require a contraceptive coil or implant fitting, please discuss with your doctor or nurse first.

Cervical Smears

Cervical smears are recommended every 3 years from 25-50 years of age, and every 5 years from 50-65. You should be notified if your smear is due, but if in doubt, do ask.

Routine smears are performed by all our practice nurses. They can also be performed by any of the doctors.