Clinics & Services

Immunisations

The health visitors hold immunisation clinics at Linwood Health Centre.

Well Baby Drop-In Clinics

2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month: Linwood Health Centre, 11.00am -1.00pm.

For further information, please contact the health visiting team on 01505 821405 or 01505 821412.

Other services

All GP practices are contracted to provide 'essential services', that is, basic treatment of ill people. We also provide the following 'additional services':

• Child health surveillance, together with the health visiting team.
• Contraception services.
• Maternity services in the antenatal and postnatal period, together with midwives from Paisley Maternity Hospital.
• Routine immunisation of children, together with the health visiting team.
• Immunisation for adults in relation to travel (not all travel immunisations are available on the NHS).
• Cervical smears.
• Annual flu immunisation programme to protect the elderly and those at risk.
• Regular monitoring, by blood and urine tests, for patients on a range of drugs for arthritis and bowel problems.
• Annual comprehensive reviews for patients with heart disease, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, asthma, COPD or chronic bronchitis, hypothyroidism, cancer, hypertension, and mental health problems.
• Well man and well woman checks, if indicated.
• Smoking cessation advice.
• Weight reduction advice.

Specimens & Investigations

If you are asked to bring any kind of specimen to either surgery, please do so before 10.30am (please ensure that the correct forms are enclosed with the specimen), at which time a van from the laboratory collects all specimens.

The doctor or other member of staff will advise when results of investigations are likely to be available and at which surgery.

For test results, please phone after 11.30am.

Please allow one week for blood, stool or urine results, and four weeks for smear results.

Results will be given only to the patient (unless the patient is under the age of 16) and not to a representative of the patient unless written permission is received by the practice.

Non-NHS Services

The NHS does not cover certain services provided by your doctor. Please ask the receptionist, who can tell you the fee involved, which will be in accordance with British Medical Association recommendations. Examples of these services are:

PATIENTS OVER 65 STILL TO BE VACCINATED. PLEASE CLICK HERE

Vaccine Cohort Extension

Patients aged 60 to 64 cohort are now invited to attend for flu vaccination. St Mirren vaccination centre has re-opened and is available for drop in vaccination Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4pm with late opening on a Wednesday until 7.30pm. Further information can be found on the HSCP website. Please click the link below for more details

 (http://www.renfrewshire.hscp.scot/Flu) 

This year due to COVID19, the Flu Vaccine will be delivered differently from any other year.

Under government guidance, the practice will only vaccinate patients between the age of 18-64 in the 'at risk' category'. Eligible groups are below. All other patient cohorts will be vaccinated by another health professional team. Details of which are at the bottom of this page.

Chronic Respiratory Disease

Asthma that requires continuous or repeated use of inhaled or systemic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission.

COPD, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema; bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, interstital lung fibrosis, pneumonitis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Chronic Heart Disease

AF, Congenital heart disease, hypertension with cardiac complications, chronic heart failure, individual requiring regular medication and/or follow up for ischaemic heart disease.

Chronic Neurological Disease

Stroke, TIA

Diabetes

Type 1, Type 2 requiring insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs, diet controlled diabetes.

Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic Liver Disease

Immunosupression

Asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen

Morbid Obesity

The vaccine for the 18-64 'At Risk' Group is now in stock. We would like to invite those patients within that group to make an appointment.

Please be aware there are large numbers of patients to vaccinate and we will only have limited capacity on a weekly basis but can ensure we will vaccinate everyone eligible within the flu season.

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Patients aged 65 or over by 31/03/21 will be contacted by the HSCP via letter with details of an appointment. Please visit the link below for further details and transport links to the vaccination venue

http://www.renfrewshire.hscp.scot/Flu

Pregnant Women will be vaccinated by the Maternity Teams. Please contact your Midwifee for more information.

Children aged 6 months to 2 years with a health condition, will be contacted by the local Pre-School Immunisation Team with an allocated apppointment for their child.

Children age 2-5 will be vaccinated by the HSCP Childhood Teams. All parents/Carers will receive a letter with an allocated appointment in the next 8-10 weeks.

Children Primary 1-7 will be vaccinated at school from the beginning of October until Mid December. If a child misses their flu immunisation at school, for whatever reason, a flyer will be sent home with information about how the parent/carer can arrange an appointment.

Children 12 to 17 years old with a health condition, should call 0141 532 8768 to make an appointment

Patients 55-64 (new cohort) will be vaccinated in the second phase and will be contacted in due course by the HSCP.

Please read the information below which stresses the importance of having a flu jab if you are over 65, are pregnant or have a long-term condition such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease etc.

flu info

Dr Cowie is able to provide contraceptive implants to relevant patients.  If this is something you are considering, please make a telephone consultation with Dr Cowie in the first instance to discuss this.

The patient is responsible for self-certification for the first seven days of illness, using form SC2 available from his/her employer or the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP). Thereafter, certificates are obtained from the doctor as part of the consultation.  This "fit note" was introduced on 6 April 2010.  With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

Please note that the provision of private certificates and school letters etc are outwith NHS regulations and an appropriate charge will be made for supplying these documents.  Please ask at reception for more details.