If you have problems that are not primarily medical then the following services may be able to help you without seeing your GP first:
Adult Social Care Services Tel: 0300 123 2224
They can help with arranging care for your or your family at home such as home helps, care assessments, disabled car badges, etc
Community Rehabilitation Services Tel: 0300 323 0028
If you need help with mobility within your home, home aids or physiotherapy (if housebound) then community rehabilitation services should be able to help you
Community pharmacies (chemists)
Chemists can help you with a wide range of minor health problems and dispense a wide range of medications without a prescription form your GP udner the NHS Minor Ailments scheme
District Nurse Tel: 0300 124 5600
District nurses provide nursing care for patients who need it and who are housebound – either permanently due to a long term health problem, or temporarily e.g. after a major operation.
Eye problems:
Opticians (Robert Frith, Yeovil [01935 478463] or Boots)
These two opticians are approved to provide free NHS eye assessment for a wide range of eye problems such as conjunctivitis, red eyes, blurred vision, floaters etc. You need to telephone them and they should see you under the NHS funded ACES scheme, usually within 24 hours.
ACES Information Leaflet: ACES-A5-LEAFLET-MAY-2022-ICB-UPDATE.pdf (nhssomerset.nhs.uk)
List-of-ACES-Participating-Practices-Jan-2022.doc (live.com)
Health visitor Tel: 0300 3230119
The health visiting service can provide you directly with a wide range of help and advice with baby and child care. This includes feeding advice, growth, development/behavioural problems or concerns and many other areas from birth to five years.
Where to get help
We provide GP services in line with the national GP General Medical Services Contract. We also provide some additional services. GP practices vary as to which additional services they provide depending on their size, staff, training, resources and capacity. For example, unlike many Somerset practices, we provide comprehensive contraceptive services but we do not provide warfarin monitoring . This is provided by another local GP practice for our patients, who have been commissioned to do so by Somerset CCG.
Anticoagulation (warfarin) monitoring, including blood taking and dose changes: telephone Ryalls Park Medical Centre, Yeovil on: 01935 434000, stating that you are a West Coker patient.
Post-operative care, Please make an appointment through reception.
Practice Nurses and Health Care Assistants are available on most days. Appointments with them or for the clinics shown below should be made through reception.
Disease Clinics: As a small practice we have flexibility to offer patients with chronic diseases (such as diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) appointments in any nurse clinic; patients are not restricted to specific clinics.
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) with a health care assistant.
Childhood Immunisations: The Health Authority will advise patients when you need to ring the surgery to make an appointment for your child with the practice nurse. These appointments are available on a Tuesday afternoon.
Your GP supports the Department of Health’s recommended programme of full immunisations for babies and children. Your GP and/or the Health Visitor would be happy to discuss any concerns with parents.
Our practice's services
Antenatal Clinic with the Midwife most Wednesdays 13:30 - 15:30. The Community Midwifery Team (01935 384489), offers antenatal, classes for parents-to-be, labour care & support at home following birth; they liaise with the GP and Health Visitor.
The Health Visitor (0300 3230119) offers information, support and guidance to individuals and families on a wide range of health related topics, and has a particular responsibility to families with babies and children.
Specialised Contraception (coils, implants etc.) by arrangement with the GP; a chaperone will always be offered.
Travel Vaccinations: The Practice Nurse is happy to advise on and give the appropriate vaccinations once you have completed a travel plans information sheet which can be obtained on line or from reception; see the above page for more details.