New walk-in medical centre opens 18 May

The prescription thing bugs me too = it is annoying to pay for an appt just to get one, and even more annoying to have to waste a lunch hour queueing in the chemist once a month to fill the script. Why can’t we be trusted to actually get a 3 month supply? It isn’t as if this is a painkiller, or anything with any value except to me.

I find chemists very old fashioned, and assume everyone has all the time in the world for a bit of shopping.

Can’t wait – I have noticed that it’s a rare doctor these days that actually bothers to do hands-on medicine – checking chest sounds, ears, throat etc – but I bet the nurses will.

However, I’m kinda surprised they can’t prescribe. I hate spending all that money on a doc just to get a prescription renewal for a medication I’ve been on for over five years and will probably be on for life (it has always struck me as a rort, though they ‘say’ the doc should check if you still need it). And you would think the nurses clinic could prescribe the standard antibiotics when they detect an infection such as tonsillitis.

Still, I will be going there for medical certs.

They do have some prescribing ability. Quite protocol driven, but they can do vaccinations, treat a urinary tract infection, ear infection tonsillitis etc. They will be able to treat and assess minor injuries, check out sick kids, and have clear referral pathways to the ED, and to the orthopaedic and plastic clinics.

Der cleo, I meant it’s cheaper than seeing CALMS if your family GP is booked out for a week.
I assume the limits to treatment are because it’s a nurse clinic, not a GP clinic. You’d be amazed at how many things a nurse can do though. Most of the things I need in a hurry seem to be kids with coughs or rashes or fever, and I just want advice on treat at home vs go to hospital.

I think it sounds great. Perfect for those times with sick babies etc, where you just aren’t sure if they are really sick, or just a cold. Or for kids with deepish cuts, where you just need one or two stitches, and don’t want to sit there for 5 hours.

Geez is it just a St John’s tent??

I have never need to make an appointment with CALMS a week in advance, I have rang after lunch and got in at 8.30 that night.

cannot provide prescriptions or referrals.

They don’t do much. Aside from the sick cert you’d do just as well to go to a pharmacy.