Pool Health Centre

We have midwives assigned to the practice who holds clinics on a Wednesday morning. Please contact the surgery to make an appointment

 Children from birth to five years are regularly called for examination to assess their growth and development

Personal health information is confidential and may not be released without the patient’s informed consent. There are strictly limited exceptions to this where the clinician determines that release is justified in the specific circumstances.

We take our responsibility of patient confidentiality very seriously. All our staff including the receptionists are well aware of their roles and will not divulge any information given to them except to the appropriate GP.

Please feel at ease when requested to give them information (for example if requesting a phone call or visit from the doctor) that the details you give will be dealt with in strict confidentiality.

Similarly we cannot and will not divulge medical information including test results to anyone other than the person who had the test. This is irrespective of whom is asking for the information.

Sometimes parents of teenage children expect to be able to obtain test results for them automatically but, if your child is competent legally, then we are bound to keep their confidence unless they specifically give us permission to discuss their results with you. The duty of confidentiality owed to a person under 16 is as great as the duty owed to any other person.


Zero Tolerance towards Aggression at the Practice.
We try to be courteous at all times. In return we expect the same is shown to all staff at the surgery. We understand that a visit to the doctors can be at times stressful or worrying but we will not tolerate aggression or abuse towards reception staff or other professional staff at the surgery.

Home Visits

Telephone 01209 717471

Requests for home visits should be made as early as possible before 10.00am to enable the doctor to plan his or her route. Home visits are for those who are housebound or who are too ill to be brought to the surgery, so please visit the surgery if you can.

The receptionist will take details of your request and forward it to the duty doctor, who will assess the urgency of the problem and will usually telephone you before arranging a home visit.

Outside of surgery hours your call will automatically be diverted to Kernow Urgent Care Services and will be dealt with by their staff.

Certain medical services are not available within the framework of the National Health Service but may be provided by doctors within the practice at their discretion. Such services include medical examinations for insurance purposes, travel vaccinations, HGV/PSV and pre-employment medicals. Charges for these services accord with rates recommended by the British Medical Association (BMA) where applicable

You will (hopefully!) have noticed our new piece of artwork which is now on display near the surgery entrance.  At the beginning of July patients and staff members were asked what they liked most about the local area.  These suggestions were then incorporated into a mosaic design.

With the help of Helen Tanner (Arts for Health) and local mosaic artist Tim Lawrence, the mosiac is now complete and we hope you agree looks fantastic! Thank you to everyone  who helped out!

Telephone 01209 717471 is available after surgery is closed

If you and your GP decide you need to see a specialist for further treatment, you can now choose where to have your treatment for a list of Hospitals and Community clinics.
Please see your GP for more information.

Comments, suggestions or complaints about the services we provide should be addressed to Mr. Stephen Holby, Practice Manager. The designated Complaints Officer for the Practice is Mrs Ann Curtis and patients are requested to raise any concerns with her in the first instance either verbally or in writing. In her absence please ask for the Practice Manager.

We work within a single-storey purpose-built surgery with access suitable for wheelchairs. The Health Centre also has a toilet for disabled users and induction loop equipment for the hard of hearing.

Patients may be aware that building work has now started on the room formerly used for the storage of patient medical records. This room is being converted into 2 new treatment rooms which we hope will be complete by the end of September 2007.  Don't panic, we haven't destroyed your paper records - these have a secure new home off site.

Influenza Vaccination Clinics are carried out in October each year. It is recommended that if you are over 65 or suffer from Diabetes, Asthma, Bronchial problems or Heart and Kidney trouble you should be vaccinated annually. It is also recommended that if you are over 65 you should also have the pneumococcal vaccine to protect you against pneumonia. One vaccine is life-long.

Zero Tolerance towards Aggression at the Practice.
We try to be courteous at all times. In return we expect the same is shown to all staff at the surgery. We understand that a visit to the doctors can be at times stressful or worrying but we will not tolerate aggression or abuse towards reception staff or other professional staff at the surgery.

Influenza Vaccination Clinics are carried out in October each year. It is recommended that if you are over 65 or suffer from Diabetes, Asthma, Bronchial problems or Heart and Kidney trouble you should be vaccinated annually. It is also recommended that if you are over 65 you should also have the pneumococcal vaccine to protect you against pneumonia. One vaccine is life-long.

What is gout?
Gout causes attacks of painful inflammation in one or more joints. The pain can be severe. It affects about 1 in 200 adults. Men are more commonly affected than women. A first attack of gout typically develops in middle age, but it sometimes occurs in younger people.

What causes gout?
Gout is caused by a chemical in the blood called uric acid (urate). Uric acid is usually harmless, and is made in the body from certain foods. It is passed out with the urine. The amount of uric acid in the blood builds up in some people. From time to time the level may become too high. When the level of uric acid becomes high tiny grit-like crystals of uric acid may form. The crystals typically collect in a joint. This causes inflammation, swelling, and pain - a gout attack.

Note: some people have a high level of uric acid but do not form crystals or have gout. Also, rarely, some people with a normal level of uric acid have gout attacks. However, as a rule, the higher the level of uric acid, the greater the chance of forming crystals and developing gout.

In most cases there is no apparent reason for the build up of uric acid. In some people, the build up of uric acid may have a known cause. For example:

If you drink too much alcohol it can cause uric acid to build up.
Some medicines such as diuretics ('water tablets'), low dose aspirin, and some used as chemotherapy for cancer may raise the level of uric acid.
More uric acid is made than usual in illnesses where the cells of the body have a rapid turnover. For example, severe psoriasis and some blood disorders.
Certain foods may 'tip the balance' to raise your uric acid higher than normal. In particular, eating heart, herring, sardines, or mussels frequently may increase the level of uric acid. However, eating a normal balanced diet should not have much effect on the uric acid level.

What are the symptoms of gout?
Gout usually occurs in 'attacks'. An attack typically develops quickly over a few hours. It usually causes severe pain in one joint. The base of the big toe is the most commonly affected joint. Walking can be very painful and even the weight of bedclothes can hurt.

However, any joint can be affected. Sometimes two or more joints are affected. Affected joints usually swell, and the nearby skin may look red and inflamed. If left untreated, a gout attack may last several days, but usually goes completely within 7-10 days. Less severe attacks can occur which may be mistaken at first for other forms of arthritis. Weeks, months or even years may go by between attacks. Some people only ever have one attack.

Is gout serious?

Although a gout attack can be very painful, it is uncommon to cause other problems even if it is not treated. Joint damage may occur if you have recurring attacks. In a few people, uric acid crystals form kidney stones. Sometimes the crystals form bumps (tophi) under the skin. These are usually harmless and painless, but sometimes form in awkward places such as at the end of fingers.

How is gout diagnosed?
Gout is usually diagnosed if you have the typical symptoms and a raised blood level of uric acid. If there is doubt as to the cause of the pain and swelling, your doctor may take some fluid out of a swollen joint. This is done with a needle and syringe. The fluid is looked at under the microscope. Crystals of urate (uric acid) can be seen in the fluid to confirm the diagnosis of gout.

What can I do if I have recurring gout attacks?
If you are overweight, try to lose some weight. This can help to lower the uric acid level.
If you drink a lot of alcohol then it may help if you reduced the amount that you drink. You do not need to stop drinking alcohol altogether, but cutting down may help if you drink a lot.
If you are taking any medicines, check whether they are a cause of gout (see above). An alternative medicine may be available. Your doctor will advise.
Have your blood pressure checked at least once a year. High blood pressure is more common in people with gout.

What is the treatment for a gout attack?
Ice to ease pain
An ice pack (or pack of frozen peas) held against the inflamed joint may ease the pain until the other treatments (below) start to work.

Wrap the ice pack (or peas) in a towel to avoid direct skin contact and ice-burn.
Apply for about 20 minutes, then stop. (It should not be applied for long periods.)
Repeat as often as required BUT....
Make sure the temperature of the affected part has returned to normal before applying again.

Anti-inflammatory painkillers
A short course of an anti-inflammatory painkiller will quickly ease most gout attacks (within 12-24 hours). There are several types and brands and your doctor will prescribe one. Many people with gout like to have a supply of tablets in the home on 'standby' just in case an attack occurs. They are usually needed only for a few days until the inflammation and pain go. Most people can take short courses of these tablets without any problem, although side-effects occur in some people.

Other treatments
Colchicine is an alternative medicine that eases gout attacks. It is usually only used if you have problems or side-effects with anti-inflammatory painkillers. Steroid tablets can also reduce the pain and inflammation. They are another alternative if there are problems or side-effects with anti-inflammatory painkillers or colchicine.

Can further gout attacks be prevented?
Many people only have an attack of gout every now and then. All you may need is to have some anti-inflammatory painkillers on 'standby' to treat each attack. For some people, attacks occur more often. In this situation, you can take a medicine to prevent attacks.

Allopurinol is used to prevent gout attacks
Allopurinol does not have any effect during a gout attack, and it is not a painkiller. It works by lowering the level of uric acid in the blood. It takes 2-3 months to become fully effective. You need to take it every day to keep the uric acid level normal to prevent gout attacks.

When you first take allopurinol, it can sometimes cause a gout attack. This is because it may cause the level of uric acid to rise slightly before it falls. For this reason it is not normally started during a gout attack. It is best to start it about 3-4 weeks after an attack has settled. Also, an anti-inflammatory painkiller is often prescribed for the first 2-3 months after you start allopurinol, just in case it causes a gout attack. Once the level of uric acid has been brought down, taking allopurinol each day usually works well to prevent gout attacks.

The dose of allopurinol needed varies from person to person. Treatment is usually started with a low dose. A blood test is often done after a month or so to check that the level of uric acid has come down. If not, the dose may need to be increased. Most people end up taking about 100-300 mg each day to stop gout attacks.

If a gout attack occurs while you are taking allopurinol, you can still take an anti-inflammatory painkiller to relieve the pain. However, this may indicate that you need an increased dose of allopurinol. Side-effects are uncommon with allopurinol. If side-effects do occur, other medicines with a similar action are sometimes prescribed.

BLOOD GLUCOSE TESTING STRIPS
In keeping with recognised national practice, we will no longer be routinely prescribing blood glucose testing strips for patients with diabetes who do not require insulin.
This is because if a patient is not on insulin then spot-tests of blood glucose levels have little value. Regular measurement of HbA1c, as advised by the surgery, is a far better indicator of diabetic control.
You may be interested to know that the cost of test strips to Cornwall is over £1.3million per year. If your diabetes ever needs treating with insulin, then testing will be appropriate for you and you will receive guidance from the diabetes team at the surgery on technique and management of self-testing.