Women’s Health Services (Bedford)
Complex Menopause
If you are registered with a GP practice in Bedford, you can be referred directly by the practice team to our complex menopause team or for further information you can email us directly blmkicb.patientcontact@nhs.net.
Cervical Smears/Other Intimate Examination
Do you or someone you know or care for need a bit more time and care for your smear test or other intimate examination? Here at bedoc healthcare we are pleased to offer a specialist NHS smear clinic for women who have experienced trauma or who have a disability that means they need extra care and attention. This female nurse led clinic will take place in a quiet private setting with plenty of parking - please get in touch for further information. blmkicb.patientcontact@nhs.net.
Ring Pessary Clinic
This service is offered by our team of experienced clinicians; appointments can be booked directly by your registered practice (Bedford). For more information please contact us on blmkicb.patientcontact@nhs.net.
Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Service
(LARC) Our LARC clinic provides expert advice and safe, long-lasting contraception options such as coils and implants. Book through your GP Practice or contact us at blmkicb.patientcontact@nhs.net.
Mirena Coil Fitting Clinic
Our Mirena coil service as a treatment tool for heavy bleeding, period pain, womb lining protection, and as part of HRT. Can be booked directly through your GP practice or contact our team blmkicb.patientcontact@nhs.net.
bedoc healthcare appointments
bedoc collaborates with a number of GP Surgeries & NHS Commissioners to deliver primary care health appointments.
We offer a wide range of appointment times including evenings and weekends.
The care we provide is very similar to what you would expect from your own GP surgery during normal opening hours.
When you come to see us, the bedoc healthcare professional will be able to view your medical record. This means they have the right information about your health to give you the best possible care. The GP or healthcare professional will add details of your visit straight into your record. Your GP practice can then see this information right away, so your notes are always kept up to date. We work hand in hand with local GP practices to offer specific & general appointments.
For general appointments, just ask your practice to book an evening or weekend appointment with bedoc.
Hypertension: If you have been contacted to make an appointment in the Hypertension Review Clinic (High Blood Pressure Clinic), please call 01234 889094, you may need to leave your name and telephone number, and we will call you back (please do not use this number for other services).
Physical Health Check: If you have been contacted to make an appointment for a Physical Health Check and need to change or book your appointment, you can call our team on 01234 331494.
Who will I see?
We have many clinicians making up the bedoc team; we offer a single episode of care and update your notes so that your registered GP practice can see them in real time.
General Practitioners (GP)
GPs offer advice, support & examinations where clinically appropriate, issue acute medication, and make onward referrals
Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACP)
Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACP) are highly experienced, registered healthcare practitioners such as Nurses, Pharmacists, Paramedics, and other allied health professionals. ACP roles involve a high degree of autonomy and clinical decision making.
In addition to practicing their professional discipline (e.g., nursing) at an advanced level they can:
- Assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate treatment/interventions and care for patients.
- Diagnose and manage both acute and chronic conditions, integrating both drug- and non-drug-based treatment methods into a management plan.
- Treat patients with minor illnesses.
- Prescribe and review medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to patient needs.
- Make some onward referrals to secondary care services.
- ACPs cannot assist with pregnancy or related conditions or sign fit notes (Only Doctors can do these by law).
Practice Nurses
Practice nurses provide a broad range of nursing and medical care to patients:
- Review conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart conditions, skin.
- Women’s health: Contraceptive reviews, smear tests, vaginal swabs.
- Wound care.
- Injections and vaccinations including depos.
- Lifestyle and long-term condition advice i.e., blood pressure, weight management.
- Patient health checks.
Receptionists
Our wonderful team of Receptionists ensure the sites run smoothly, looking after both patients and the clinical team.
Minor Illness Nurse (prescriber)
Minor illness nurses are qualified to cover most minor illness conditions. They can give advice and where appropriate prescribe or action a prescription after a discussion with a GP/ACP.
- The red or painful eye.
- Ear problems such as hearing loss and ear infections.
- Sore mouth. Bacterial and fungal infections including cold sores and ulcers.
- Upper & lower respiratory tract lung conditions including painful sinuses, asthma exacerbation, sore throat, cough, and bronchitis.
- Head, neck and back pain including joint pain.
- Skin conditions including eczemas, psoriasis, wounds, burns, infestations, insect bites, shingles, bacterial, viral and fungal infections.
- Acute abdominal pain covering diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, indigestion.
- Urine tract infections.
- Headlice.
- Threadworms.
- Headaches and dizziness.
- Gynaecology overview covering vaginal discharge, pelvic pain including delaying periods and emergency contraception.
Health Care Assistants (HCA)
HCAs are commonly trained to undertake clinical procedures, such as blood pressure and new patient checks, health promotion, urinalysis, weight and height recording.
- Blood pressure check.
- Hypertension review.
- Dressings simple.
- Lifestyle advice.
- New patient health check.
- NHS health check.
- Suture/staple removal.
Social Prescribers
Many things affect your health and well-being. GPs often say a lot of people visit them feeling isolated, lonely, or stressed by work, money, and housing problems.
A Social Prescriber is a new kind of health professional to help improve your health and well-being. They offer you the kind of help and support that doesn’t come in a tube or a bottle; they are there to listen to you and put you in touch with people and activities that might help you to feel better.