SURGERY TIMES - (Times may vary)

Closed between 1.00 and 1.50pm

The doctors spend a lot of their time working outside the surgery especially on visits as well as hospital wards, outpatient and casualty work.

Dr T EASTBROOK Monday 8.50am - 10.40am - - Tuesday - - - Wednesday 11.00am - 12.40am 2.00pm - 4.30pm - Thursday - - - Friday 8.50am - 10.40am 2.10pm - 4.00pm -

Dr C MAH Monday 8.40am - 11.00am - 4.00pm - 6.00pm Tuesday 8.40am - 10.30am - - Wednesday 8.40am - 11.00am - 4.00pm - 6.00pm Thursday 8.40am - 10.30am 2.00pm - 4.00pm - Friday 8.40am - 10.30am 2.15pm - 4.00pm -

THE SICK CHILD

It is often difficult to know when to seek help about a poorly child, especially your first. Here is some general advice we hope is helpful. There are no hard and fast rules and if in doubt speak to your doctor, health visitor or NHS Direct.

In general a child who is drinking, playing or happily watching television is unlikely to have anything seriously wrong. Your child will not be made worse for being brought to the surgery.

Children whose parents smoke have more coughs, chest and ear infections than those whose parents don't.

Babies should not be placed on their stomachs in the cot and if unwell should be kept in the parents' room at night. A child with a temperature should have clothing reduced until cool and (if over three months) given paracetamol syrup (Calpol or Disprol).

Important symptoms are a refusal to drink, a faster rate of breathing, persistent stomach pains or vomiting, neck pain or stiffness, unusual drowsiness. It is important to note that in small babies an illness can develop quickly without the above, and persistent crying or refusal of food, if the child appears unwell, should lead you to contact the doctor.

Earache will usually settle with paracetamol or ibuprofen (Nurofen for children) but if associated with a fever or persisting for several days should lead you to come to the surgery. Earache is not an emergency though it is distressing with no magic answer.

MENINGITIS

Meningitis is a rare but serious disease caused by a variety of different germs.

Bacterial meningitis can come on very quickly. The symptoms are a very ill looking child (or adult) with a severe headache, neck pain or stiffness which is made worse by bending forwards, light hurting the eyes, vomiting, drowsiness, confus ion or a rash like a little blood blister or bruise which does not fade on pressing. If you suspect meningitis contact the doctor straight away. A child with a headache without the above symptoms should initially be treated with paracetamol. Close contacts of proven bacterial meningitis will often be contacted by the public health department. Contacts of contacts who are not ill are not at increased risk.

Immunisation can prevent some forms of this disease.

DISABLED PATIENTS

There is access for the disabled. The surgery is designed for wheelchair access on the ground floor, including disabled toilets. If the doctor is "upstairs" he / she will come down to see any patients who are unable to climb stairs.

NHS DIRECT

This service is available 24 hours a day and can be contacted for medical advice on 0845 4647 or online at www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

EMERGENCIES AND OUT OF HOURS SERVICES

If you have an emergency, telephone the normal surgery number and you will be put through to speak to a doctor, if available, or the receptionist will take a message and the doctor will be contacted as soon as possible. In a life-threatening emergency eg suspected heart attack, you should dial 999. Out of hours, the surgery number will be put through automatically to the doctor on duty. The out of hours service is for MEDICAL EMERGENCIES ONLY.

At present the out of hours service can be accessed by using the practice telephone number or dialling 0844 800 1234. A receptionist at the on-call service will record the details and you may speak to a doctor on the telephone, have a home visit, or be asked to attend at the Base depending upon the nature of the problem you have. You can also contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

The new service will run between 6.30pm and 8.00am weekdays and all weekend and the surgery will not open on Saturday morning. Medical cover will be provided by nurse practitioners, paramedics and doctors. Please remember the doctor on duty has worked the day before and will work the day after without a break. If you need advice out of normal surgery hours please contact NHS Direct which is staffed by trained professionals.

Their number is 0845 4647 and they can advise you whether you need to contact the duty doctor, go to a Casualty Department or if your problem can wait until normal surgery hours. The doctors take part in the local out of hours service and the doctor on duty is not always a partner of the practice. Often the on-call doctor wll ask you to travel to the casualty department at Buckland Hospital or Deal Hospital rather than visit you at home. Calls to the on-call service are recorded.

MINOR SURGERY

All the doctors are registered for this and usually carry out minor operations at Deal Hospital by prior arrangement.

MINOR INJURIES

Please attend Deal Hospital Minor Injuries Unit (open 8.00am to 6.00pm every day). Contact telephone no: 01304 865420/865437. If in doubt speak to your doctor.

PARKING

We regret there is no parking at the surgery. However, the main town car park is within walking distance of the surgery premises and disabled patients park on the road in front of the surgery.