Nurses You May See In The Practice
Practice Nurses
Maria Da Costa, Sandra Wilkinson, Sharon O'Dea and Beverley Cole are our practice nurses.
They are available by appointment for:
- Immunisation - child, adult and travel.
- Health promotion and healthy lifestyle advice
- Asthma advice
- Diabetic advice
- Wound care
- Checks for people with high blood pressure every six months
- Coronary heart disease monitoring
- Family planning advice
- Cervical smears
- Ear syringing
- Overseas travel advice
Pat Flesher and Linda Baker are our Health Support Workers. They perform:
- Blood sample taking (phlebotomy)
- Routine health checks
- Smoking cessation advice
- Blood pressure check (including 24 hour monitoring)
- Spirometry
- Influenza vaccination
- Electrocardiography (ECG) checks.
Community Nurses
Community Matron
Sharon Youhill is our Community Matron. Community matrons specialise in caring for older people, whether they live in their own home or a care home. They aim to help patients manage their health problems and so prevent unnecessary admissions to hospital. If patients are admitted they liaise with hospital team to ensure a faster, effective discharge.
District Nurses
District Nurses teach independence through self-care, provide post-surgery care, perform general nursing procedures and investigations, provide care for terminally ill patients, assess patients for care needs, loan equipment and care for wounds and leg ulcers. Referrals can be made by patients themselves, carers or family members.
Health Visitors
Health Visitors are qualified nurses with special training and experience in child health, health promotion and health education. Every child under five years has a named Health Visitor and she can give you advice and information on health development, e.g. feeding, sleeping, communication and behaviour. The Health Visitor can also provide you with information about the childhood vaccination programme and is also a source of information regarding local services for young children.
Community Midwife
A midwife is a qualified nurse who has undertaken further training to provide and promote normal midwifery. They help you to prepare you motherhood and promote good health for yourself and your baby by advising on the effects of drinking, smoking and good diet whilst you are pregnant. The midwife guides you through your pregnancy and endeavours to detect any problems and make relevant referrals if necessary.