Patient Information
Veteran Friendly
Sloan Medical Centre are certified Armed Forces veteran friendly.
According to the Armed Forces Covenant, veterans should receive priority treatment for a condition which relates to their service, subject to clinical need and they should be cared for in a way that reflects the nation's moral obligation to them. We are committed to following the NHS Patient Charter to ensure that our veterans have access to the help and support they may need following their service.
Patient Charter
Please tell us if you are a military veteran so that we can make sure you are offered the support and assistance you may need, now or in the future, as a result of your service. It would help us to know in which of the Armed Forces you served, the dates of your service and whether you were discharged or retired due to ill health.
If you are a veteran please let us know!
Veterans gateway can be found HERE
What is the Armed Forces Covenant?
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise that together we acknowledge and understand that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy, and society they serve with their lives.
Its two principles are that, recognising the unique obligations of, and sacrifices made by, the Armed Forces:
Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services.
Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.
Armed Forces Covenant website can be found HERE
Thank you for your service
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Test Results
Getting your test results
We will contact you by telephone, or by letter, only if a result is abnormal and you require treatment or further investigations.
You will not be contacted if your result is normal.
Once a doctor has reviewed your test results, you can view them in your NHS App and your NHS account - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Blood Tests
A blood test is a common medical procedure where a small sample of blood is taken from a person's arm or hand to be tested in a laboratory. Blood tests are used for multiple purposes, such as:
1. Assessing General Health: Blood tests can provide information about a person's overall health status.
2. Detecting Infections: They can help confirm the presence of bacterial or viral infections in the body.
3. Organ Function: Blood tests can evaluate how well certain organs like the liver and kidneys are functioning.
If you want to learn more about blood tests, their purposes, and how they are performed, you can visit
Blood tests
X-Rays
An X-ray is a widely used diagnostic test to examine the inside of the body. X-rays are a very effective way of detecting problems with bones, such as fractures. They can also often identify problems with soft tissue, such as pneumonia or breast cancer.
If you have an X-ray, you will be asked to lie on a table or stand against a surface so that the part of your body being X-rayed is between the X-ray tube and the photographic plate.
An X-ray is usually carried out by a radiographer, a healthcare professional who specialises in using imaging technology, such as X-rays and ultrasound scanners.
You can find out more about x-ray tests, how they are performed, their function and the risks by visiting the NHS Choices website.
Fit Note
Fit for Work - Please check out the below link for information regarding self certification, maternity leave and long term sick.
From this website you can print off and complete the required form to return to work. If you are unable to print please ask a reception for a copy: www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/fitnote-gp-computer.pdf
Self Certification Sick / Fit Note for less than 7 days
If you have been ill for 7 days or less you don't need to see a Doctor. You can complete a Self Certification form yourself. However some employers insist on a Doctor's note regardless. A Doctor's note under these circumstances may involve a charge.
Many employers have their own self-certification forms. If your employer doesn't have its own form you can download the Self Certification Form. Please print it, fill it in and hand it in to your employer. You do not need to see a Doctor. Download here
Home visits
If you are housebound and would like to request a visit please telephone Patient Services before 10am.
A doctor or nurse may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or indeed arrange a hospital attendance.
House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.
Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the Health Centre.
Healthcare Abroad
By law, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for the medical care of patients when they leave the UK.
People traveling within Europe are advised to carry an authorised European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) at all times and this gives entitlement to reduced cost (and sometimes free) medical treatment. Patients should be advised to check specific entitlements prior to travel.
The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA), and some other countries, on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay.
The UK GHIC has replaced the existing European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). If you have an existing EHIC you can continue to use it until the expiry date on the card. Once it expires, you'll need to apply for a UK GHIC to replace it.
You can apply for a new card up to 9 months before your current card expires.
A UK GHIC is free and lasts for up to 5 years. Apply for your new card through the NHS website. Avoid unofficial websites - they may charge you a fee to apply.
If you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, you can choose to apply for a new UK EHIC instead.
The UK GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance. We advise you to have private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip.
We also recommend you check FCDO travel advice on GOV.UK for the country you're visiting.
Apply here
You can apply for a UK GHIC if you're a resident in the UK. You can also add your family members to your application when you apply.
You'll need to provide your:
- full name
- address
- date of birth
- National Insurance number
- Health and Care number (if you're from Northern Ireland)
Medically necessary healthcare includes things like:
- emergency treatment and visits to A&E
- treatment for a long-term or pre-existing medical condition
- routine medical care for pre-existing conditions that need monitoring
- routine maternity care, as long as you're not going abroad to give birth
- oxygen therapy and kidney dialysis
You'll need to pre-arrange some treatments with the relevant healthcare provider in the country you're visiting - for example, kidney dialysis or chemotherapy.
Check the Foreign Office country guides on GOV.UK for information on how to access treatment in the country you're visiting
For patients who will be out of the country for less than 3 months, it is reasonable to provide sufficient medicines for an existing condition (i.e. asthma, diabetes)
For patients leaving the country for more than 3 months, they should be advised to register with a local doctor for their continuing medical needs. It is reasonable for GPs to provide sufficient medication to give patients time to do this.
GPs are not required by their Terms of Service to provide prescriptions for the treatment of a condition that is not present and may arise while the patient is abroad. Persons who have left the UK, or who are intending to leave the UK, for more than 3 months are not normally allowed to continue to be registered with a practice.
The NHS accepts responsibility for supplying ongoing medication for temporary periods abroad of up to 3 months. If a person is going to be abroad for more than three months then all that the patient is entitled to at NHS expense is a sufficient supply of his/her regular medication in order to get to their destination, where they should then find an alternative supply of that medication.
If you're planning to visit or move to another country please see the NHS advice HERE