Clinics and Services

Asthma and COPD are long term conditions and regular reviews are needed to ensure good symptom control.

If you have a diagnosis of asthma or COPD, we will inform you when your review is due. If your condition is well controlled this will be around your birth month. If you need more regular monitoring we will inform you when your next check is due.

Please contact the doctor or nurse at any time if you are concerned about your asthma or COPD symptoms.

Around 6 to 8 weeks after birth, your baby should have a full health check. This is usually done by your GP.

During the appointment, your baby’s eyes, heart, hips, and – for boys – testicles will be carefully checked. We’ll also check their weight, length, and head size to make sure they’re growing well.

We’ll talk to you about your baby’s routine vaccinations, which are offered at:

• 8 weeks
• 12 weeks
• 16 weeks
• 12 months
• And again before they start school

We’ll also take some time to check how you’re doing – both physically and emotionally – since giving birth. It’s important that you feel supported too.

If you have any questions or concerns, this is a great time to talk them through with your GP or health visitor.

Your child will be offered vaccinations at several key stages to help protect them from serious illnesses:

• 8 weeks
• 12 weeks
• 16 weeks
• 12 months
• Before starting school

These vaccines are all part of the routine NHS immunisation schedule.
You’ll be notified when each one is due, so you don’t need to worry about remembering the dates.

You can view the full vaccination schedule here.

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and strokes, but it often has no symptoms – which is why it’s sometimes called a “silent disease.”

All members of our clinical team can check your blood pressure. If you don’t have a diagnosis of high blood pressure, we may still check it during appointments for other issues, just to be safe.

If you’ve already been diagnosed with high blood pressure:

Keeping your blood pressure in check is one of the most important steps you can take for your long-term health.

Our healthcare assistants carry out blood tests at the practice.

If you’re asking for a blood test to investigate symptoms — such as ongoing tiredness, prostate concerns, or menopausal symptoms — you’ll need to see a clinician first. This is to make sure the right tests are done based on your symptoms.

If a clinician agrees a blood test is needed, we’ll arrange it for you.

Cervical smear tests are a routine part of women’s healthcare and help prevent cervical cancer.

• If you’re aged 25 to 49, you’ll be invited for a smear test every 3 years
• From age 50 to 64, this changes to every 5 years

You’ll receive a letter when your smear test is due, and you can book your appointment with one of our trained nurses.

Diabetes is a long-term condition, and regular check-ups are important to help keep your blood sugar levels under control and prevent complications.

If your diabetes is managed with diet or tablets:

If you use insulin, your diabetes care will usually be managed by the hospital team, but we’re still here to support you when needed.

Please contact the doctor or nurse at any time if you are concerned about your diabetes symptoms.

Our practice nurses and doctors can help you choose the right method of contraception for you.

We offer a full range of family planning services, including:

We can also refer you for sterilisation procedures like vasectomy or tubal ligation if you’re interested.

Additionally, our pharmacists are available to carry out pill checks and answer any questions you have.

The NHS Health Check is a free health check-up for adults in England aged 40 to 74. It helps spot early signs of conditions like stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and dementia.

As we get older, the risk of developing these conditions increases. The health check looks for ways to reduce that risk and keep you healthy.

The NHS Health Check is for people aged 40 to 74 who do NOT already have any of these conditions:

If you’re eligible, we’ll invite you to book your NHS Health Check.

Home visits only for patients who are genuinely housebound.

Whenever possible, we ask that patients are brought to the Surgery, where we have the right equipment and facilities to provide the best care. We expect all children to be brought to the Surgery. 

If you think you or someone you care for needs a home visit, please call Mattishall Reception on 01362 850227 before 10.30am. This helps our doctors plan their day and make the best use of their time. Each home visit takes the time of four to five appointments, so we need to reserve them for those who really need them.

We can’t guarantee which doctor/ANP will visit, as this depends on availability. The doctor will decide whether a home visit is appropriate based on your needs.

Please note, we cannot offer home visits due to lack of transport. If you need help getting to the Surgery, local Community Car Schemes may be able to help.

In a medical emergency, always dial 999 for an ambulance.

You may also be visited at home by a community nurse (if referred by your GP) or a health visitor (for example, if you’ve recently had a baby or have a child under five).

We understand that mental health is just as important as physical health, and we’re here to support you.

While we don’t have a mental health practitioner based at the practice, our team can still help. We can talk through your concerns and refer you to the right services, including:

If you’re struggling with low mood, anxiety, stress, or any other mental health concern, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to listen and guide you to the help your need.

We have selected GPs at the practice who are trained to carry out minor surgical procedures and joint injections.

If you think you may need one of these treatments, please speak to a member of our reception team. They’ll be happy to advise you and help arrange the right appointment.

Some services we offer are not covered by the NHS and may incur a charge.

These include (but are not limited to):

Fees for these services are set according to the British Medical Association (BMA) guidelines.

If you need a non-NHS service, please speak to our reception team for more information on current charges.

Our physiotherapy team is here to help with muscle and joint problems, like back, hip, knee, or neck pain – and you don’t need to see a GP first.

They can:

Appointments are available at Swanton Morley, North Elmham, Orchard, or Shipdham surgery – and we’re happy to book one for you!

Sometimes a little extra support can make a big difference. If you’re dealing with things like loneliness, money worries, or housing concerns, we can refer you to one of our friendly social prescribers.

They can help with:

If you think this could be helpful, just speak to a member of our team – we’ll be happy to refer you. You don’t have to face things alone.

Before you travel, it’s important to check any health risks linked to your destination. We recommend getting travel advice at least 8 weeks before your trip, as some vaccines need time to take effect and offer full protection.

While our practice doesn’t offer a full travel clinic (as this isn’t covered under standard NHS services), we do provide NHS-funded travel vaccines, including:

For anything not covered above – such as malaria tablets or other travel-specific vaccines – you’ll need to visit a private travel clinic, which may charge for their services.

Before your appointment, please check the latest travel health advice for your destination at travelhealthpro.org.uk.

If you’re unsure what you need, feel free to contact us – we’re happy to guide you.

We offer a range of important NHS vaccinations to help keep you and your family protected:

Flu Vaccine
Flu jabs are available every autumn for:

Covid Vaccine
Covid vaccines are available if you are eligible and you will be invited for your Autumn vaccine:

Pneumococcal (Pneumonia) Vaccine
This vaccine helps protect against serious types of pneumonia and is usually:

Shingles Vaccine
The shingles vaccine helps prevent this painful skin condition. Everyone aged 70 to 79 is eligible for the shingles vaccine.

If you’re eligible for any of these vaccines, we’ll invite you when it’s time. If you would like to check yourself, please follow the link below:

RSV – Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Designed to protect against severe illness caused by RSV, you will be invited for your vaccine if you are eligible: