NURSE PRACTITIONER 

A Nurse Practitioner is a nurse who has undertaken further qualifications in order to advise treat and prescribe for specific and minor illnesses. Our Nurse Practitioner is Shelagh Mason who undertakes triage and urgent minor illness care and provides specific services for patients with chronic Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), Asthma and Chronic Airways Disease as well as providing a Well Woman Service. 

Triage and Minor Illness 

Shelagh takes calls from patients wanting immediate appointments and assesses who, or how, to provide an appropriate service (triage). If appropriate she will arrange to see patients herself. She can treat a whole range of minor illness such as sore throats, chest infections etc.

Coronary Heart Disease Clinics  

Shelagh provides CHD clinics which operate every Tuesday afternoon and patients receive appointments through the post to attend.  

Other Clinics  

Shelagh will see patients Monday to Thursday. During these ‘routine clinics’ she will see patients who have minor illness, who require health promotional advice, who have respiratory illnesses or who require ‘Well Woman’ care. (see below) 

Note:
Patients who have Respiratory problems: Asthma and Chronic Airways Disease and have been referred to Shelagh for the first time, must ask for a double appointment.

Women requiring a smear test or other well woman issues should ask for a single appointment.  

Patients who require services such as travel advice, ear syringing, dressings etc should ask for appointments with the Practice Nurse not the Nurse Practitioner. 

PRACTICE NURSES 

We have practice nurses, Lillian McCrone, Laura Harmes and Janette Barr, who provide a general nursing service for items such as wound dressings.  In addition we have two Specialist Practice Nurses, Gill Hunt and Nicky Taylor, who provide specialist care for specific conditions, minor illness/triage as well as general nursing services; 

All our nurses have patients referred by doctors and other healthcare professionals as well as patients making direct appointments.  Direct appointments are increasingly being encouraged as this saves both the practice and patients the time and trouble of duplicate appointments. 

Triage and minor illness 

Like Shelagh Mason, both Gill and Nicky take calls from patients wanting immediate appointments and assesses who, or how, to provide an appropriate service (triage). If appropriate they will arrange to see patients themselves.  

General Nursing Clinics  

There is a nurse available for appointments 9.00 to12.30 and 2.00 to 5.00. These clinics are for Wound Care; Vaccinations and Immunisations; Travel Health Advice: Health Promotion Advice; Ear Care; Women’s’ Health particularly cervical smears. Each appointment is for 15 minutes.  In addition there is a Nurse Clinic on Tuesday evening and whilst general appointments can be made we offer this clinic primarily for women who cannot attend for smears during the working day. 

Cryosurgery Clinic (Wart Clinic or Freezing Clinic)  

Our Cryosurgery Clinic uses liquid nitrogen to ‘freeze burn’ moles, warts, verrucae, skin tags and a variety of other skin conditions. The clinic is held every Friday 3.00pm - 4.30pm and appointments are very limited.

Cryosurgery can be painful and is not always effective. Patients should only seek treatment after they have tried other treatments available from Pharmacies for a period of at least four weeks  – please seek the advice of a pharmacy before seeking a cryosurgical appointment.  The maximum number of appointments offered is three sessions over a six week period.  We do not provide cryotherapy services to children under the age of 12.

Asthma Care 

Gill is able to provide specialist support to asthma patients. There is no special clinic, patients should ask for an appointment with Gill during her routine clinics.  

Diabetic Care  

Nicky Taylor leads our specialist clinics for Diabetic patients, which are held three times a month. These are held on 3rd Thursday and 4th Tuesday each month with the third session being held on variable days. The Dieticians and Podiatrists are present at these sessions and also the Dunfermline area CHD Liaison Nurse, Ann McEwen, who supports diabetic patients who also have CHD problems. A doctor is also available to advise if required. 

Blood Pressure Clinic (Hypertension)  

Patients under treatment for hypertension or other requirements to monitor blood pressure can ask for an appointment with Nurse Hunt.  Alternatively blood pressure readings can be taken by the practice nurse or healthcare assistant.

PRACTICE HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT 

The practice has two healthcare assistants, either employed by NHS Fife or ourselves.  Their main role is phlebotomy – taking blood samples, either at the Centre or in patients homes if house bound.  Joan McGill, our practice Healthcare Assistant also undertakes other duties. 

Phlebotomy Clinic (Blood Samples)  

For patients who need blood tests undertaken our Health Care Assistant, Joan McGill, holds a clinic each morning 8.30 to 10.00 for which patients can make an appointment directly. She also holds a similar clinic 11.00 to 12.30 for immediate referrals by the doctors.

Patients who need to take Warfarin must have regular monitoring blood tests.  This is done at a weekly clinic held on Thursday afternoons.  It is undertaken by a Community Pharmacist who can test the blood sample, give the patient the result and inform the patient whether to adjust the intake of Warfarin. 

Screening and New Patient Checks  

All doctors and nurses will record blood pressure, height and weight when appropriate at any appointment but when these required to be monitored or when they are required as part of our New Patient screening and acceptance procedures appointments will be given with Joan McGill. New patient screening is undertaken on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday afternoons 3.30 – 4.30. 

Spirometry and Minor Dressings 

Joan is able to undertake spirometry testing on behalf of Shelagh Mason for patients whose COPD is being monitored.  In addition Joan can undertake minor wound dressings after assessment by the practice nurses.