Test results you can view online

When you view your test results online, you should see any recent results that have been added to your GP health record.

Results you can see

• results of tests you had at your GP surgery
• hospital test results that have been sent to your GP surgery

Results you will not see

• hospital test results that have not been sent to your GP surgery – the hospital may contact you about your result or tell you how to get your result. Please contact the hospital in the first incident.
• 
  information kept by other services (such as hospitals, dentists and opticians) that has not been sent to your GP – to get this information, you’ll need to contact these services directly

If you need to ring regarding the result of a test, such as a blood test, please call between 2:00pm and 5:30pm.

We are able to dispense medication to those patients who live more than one mile outside of Tavistock from a Pharmacy. If you have any medications that need to be disposed of please return to the original chemist they came from. DO NOT dispose of in your general waste or by flushing down the toilet.

Patients on long term treatment may order a new prescription without seeing their doctor each time. This is referred to as repeat dispensing. On occasions your doctor may wish to review your medications, if when a review takes place and a change might be necessary your doctor will contact you or ask you to make an appointment.

If you need a repeat prescription please see our repeat prescriptions page to find out how to request a repeat prescription.

Please allow 72 working hours (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) before collection.

Autism (ASC) & Neurodiversity

Children (<18)

You can self-refer to Children and family health Devon (CFHD) to request specialist NHS help and assessment, usually you don’t have to go via the GP. Equally School and educational facilities are often well place to either make or assist in completing the referral.

Their fantastic website has guided videos and all the necessary paperwork (under Neurodiversity), as well as a wealth of other helpful information and resources to support parents and guardians.

To start a referral, follow the link below; https://childrenandfamilyhealthdevon.nhs.uk/requesting-help-from-cfhd/

Adult (>18)

An adult Austism referral to DAANA (Devon Adult Autism and ADHD Service) needs to come via the GP practice. In order to speed the process up, we would ask you to fill in the referral form as best you can (attached below) before returning to us to finalise and forward.

Right to choose: Other providers are available via NHS referral and may have differing wait times. If you would like to be referred to alternative service, please review their website and complete any necessary forms. Whilst there is a shared care agreement in place with these providers, they will need to prescribe any resultant medication and this responsibility will not be taken over by Abbey Surgery. A list of alternative providers can be found below, please see those under “Adults” with a green tick under the “ASC” column. https://southwest.devonformularyguidance.nhs.uk/referral-guidance/key-messages/adhd-and-autism-faq

ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)

Children (<18)

Whilst an ADHD referral needs to come via a GP, there are some important first steps to facilitate this.

We are lucky enough to have the fantastic Normal Magic (Children’s mental health clinicians and practitioners) working within Abbey surgery. Not only are they able to carry out in depth assessments, both in the surgery and at school, they are also best placed to offer support, advice and strategies to care for children with ADHD symptoms whilst awaiting referral.

From here, they will be able to support you liaising with Schools and SENCO’s to gather all the evidence and supporting documentation required which can then be passed onto the GP team for onward referral, making it more likely to be accepted whilst also ensuring you receive support in the meantime.

For Primary age children you can request an appointment by filling out the link below:
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/OUEGQ7/

For secondary age young people you can book an appointment via Abbey Surgery reception, you do not need to see a GP first.

Adult (>18)

An adult ADHD referral to DAANA (Devon Adult Autism and ADHD Service) needs to come via the GP practice. In order to speed the process up, we would ask you to fill in the referral form as best you can (attached below) before returning to us to finalise and forward.

Right to choose: Other providers are available via NHS referral and may have differing wait times. If you would like to be referred to alternative service, please review their website and complete any necessary forms. Whilst there is a shared care agreement in place with these providers, they will need to prescribe any resultant medication and this responsibility will not be taken over by Abbey Surgery. A list of alternative providers can be found below, please see those under “Adults” with a green tick under the “ADHD” column. https://southwest.devonformularyguidance.nhs.uk/referral-guidance/key-messages/adhd-and-autism-faq

We can offer some Minor Surgery (Minor operations). These are simple surgical procedures performed by General Practitioners (GPs) or specially trained healthcare professionals here at the surgery, rather than in a hospital. These procedures are typically low-risk and do not require general anaesthesia

The need for minor surgery can only be made by a GP so you would need to make a routine GP appointment to discuss. Please call us on 01822 612247 or pop into reception to book.

We now have a physiotherapy service within the surgery, our GPs may refer you to this service.

If you are 16 or over and a patient of ours you can now book a physiotherapist appointment without the need to see a GP. Please contact us on 01822 612247 or visit reception to book.

Inclusion Criteria

• All soft tissue injuries, sprains, strains or sports injuries.
• Arthritis – any joint
• Problems with muscles, ligaments, tendons or bone, eg tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, ankle sprains.
• Spinal pain including lower back pain, mid-back pain and neck pain.
• Spinal-related pain in arms or legs, including nerve symptoms, eg pins and needles or numbness
• Post-orthopaedic surgery

Exclusion Criteria

• Acutely unwell
• Children under 16
• Medical management of rheumatoid conditions
• Women’s health, antenatal and postnatal problems.
• House-bound patients
• Medication reviews for non-MSK conditions
• Neurological and respiratory conditions
• Headaches
• Acute mental health crises

You can also self refer here without seeing a GP or a physiotherapist here at the surgery.

More information can also be found here

Blood pressure test

A blood pressure test checks if your blood pressure is healthy, or if it’s high or low.

Blood pressure is the term used to describe the strength with which your blood pushes on the sides of your arteries as it’s pumped around your body.

Low blood pressure (hypotension) is not usually a problem, although it can cause dizziness and fainting in some people.

High blood pressure (hypertension) can increase your risk of developing serious problems, such as heart attacks and strokes, if it’s not treated.

Having this quick test is the only way to find out what your blood pressure is – and it could save your life.

We now have the facility of blood pressure machines that means you do not need to make appointments with doctors and nurses unless asked to do so.

Just come along, use the machine in our waiting room, (It is best to rest for 5 minutes before taking a reading. Then take a further 4 readings 2 minutes apart where we take the average of the last 2 readings). Complete the form and hand to reception. We will then be able to update your record and assist you further if necessary.

You can also pick up a form at reception should you wish to or be asked to monitor your blood pressure over a longer period.

Get a free blood pressure check

If you’re aged 40 and over, and are eligible, you may be able to get a free blood pressure check at a local pharmacy.

Find a pharmacy that offers free blood pressure checks

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties.

It includes:

emphysema – damage to the air sacs in the lungs
chronic bronchitis – long-term inflammation of the airways
COPD is a common condition that mainly affects middle-aged or older adults who smoke. Many people do not realise they have it.

The breathing problems tend to get gradually worse over time and can limit your normal activities, although treatment can help keep the condition under control.

We run respiratory nurse led clinics where you will be invited in. It is important that you take care of your respiratory health. Please contact us 01822 612247 to book an appointment or visit our reception.

Without treatment, the symptoms usually get progressively worse. There may also be periods when they get suddenly worse, known as a flare-up or exacerbation.

Find out more about the symptoms of COPD.

Asthma is a common lung condition that causes occasional breathing difficulties.

It affects people of all ages and often starts in childhood, although it can also develop for the first time in adults.

There’s currently no cure, but there are simple treatments that can help keep the symptoms under control so it does not have a big impact on your life.

Annual Reviews

It’s important that you are seen at least annually. Our nurses led clinics are there to check how you are managing your asthma and to ensure that the prescribed inhalers are working effectively.

We will contact you when you are due for a review, however, please contact us if you have any concerns. 

What is an Asthma Review? 

An asthma review is a routine check-up to see how your asthma is.

It’s your chance to talk about ways to manage your symptoms better and lower your risk of an asthma attack. You can get your lung function checked with peak flow or spirometry tests.

You can also get advice on other things that could help your asthma, like stopping smoking, exercise, or keeping to a healthy weight.

More information can be found at Asthma + LUNG UK & via the NHS website

Immunisations and travel advice are available from our practice nurses. Try to allow eight weeks for a full course of immunisations (a series of vaccines works better if spread out in time).

The Practice Nurse can give you up-to-date advice enabling you to make appropriate appointments. We do recommend that you also visit Travel Health Pro and the UK GOV website before arranging any foreign travel.

Charges

There is no charge for advice given at Travel appointments, however, some vaccines are not available on the NHS and a fee will be payable for the following vaccines. All others are free of charge. This will be discussed in your travel clinic.

Following an NHS ruling, GPs are no longer able to prescribe anti-malarial tablets on an NHS prescription.