Self Referrals
If a GP or another member of our health care team believes you need hospital treatment or specialist care elsewhere, they will agree with you on a referral to an external healthcare or specialist team. Some specialist referrals will require you seeing or speaking with a GP. However, there are a number of services attached to our medical centre, available locally and listed below that you are able to self refer to, or book an appointment with.
Hospital Waiting Times
If you have been referred by the GP or clinician for further hospital treatment, you can keep track of your referral on the NHS App.
You can also find out the average waiting times at the local hospitals by visiting My Planned Care NHS
Alcohol
You can contact the Warrington Pathways to recovery team on 01925 415176. or 07919 558644 out of hours to self refer for alcohol support.
For further information please visit: https://www.changegrowlive.org/pathways-to-recovery-warrington/info
Anxiety & Depression
Mental Health Practitioner
Eric Moore Partnership offers appointments with our dedicated specialised Mental Health Practitioner, Melanie Tripkovic.
She is best placed to see adults aged 18 or over who are struggling with mental health, stress or anxiety. You do not need to see a doctor beforehand.
Please contact our Patient Care Advisors on 01925 303199 to book an appointment.
If you require medication, further tests or referrals onwards for further treatment, our MHP can do this for you.
Other services available to help
Adults and children can contact Mental Health Matters to self-refer for psychological therapy on 01925 401720
or visit www.mhm.org.uk/talking-matters-warrington.
You can also look at very useful website for where to get help at http://www.happyoksad.org.uk/
A 24/7 mental health crisis line for people in Halton, Knowsley, St Helens and Warrington is available by calling 0800 051 1508 (Freephone).
Audiology (Hearing) – Children
Parents can self-refer their child to the NHS Bridgewater Children’s Audiology Service. The service can see any child or young person where hearing is a concern or an identified issue. The Children’s Audiology Service is available for all Warrington residents and/or people registered with a Warrington GP practice aged 0-16 years. If a young person has been provided with hearing aids or have additional needs that require the expertise and testing facilities of Children’s Audiology they can be seen up to the age of 19 years.
Telephone 01925 946727 to self-refer or visit https://bridgewater.nhs.uk/warrington/childrensaudiology/ for more information.
Bereavement
We are very sorry to hear of your bereavement. For information, advice and support for your recent bereavement, please visit the Cruse website who offer specialist advice and telephone support: https://www.cruse.org.uk/
St Rocco’s also provide a local support group in Warrington, please click the button below for more information.
Bladder and Bowel Services
Patients and parents can self refer to the NHS Bridgewater Community Healthcare Team for bladder and bowel care. The Bladder and Bowel Care Service is a community based team of experienced specialist Nurses and Healthcare Assistants who provide specialist assessments, support and advice about bladder and bowel dysfunction.
Adult team: telephone 01925 946343 or visit: NHS Bridgewater website for more information and to self refer.
Paediatric team: telephone 01925 946343 or visit: NHS Bridgewater website for more information and to self refer.
Bowel Screening
NHS bowel cancer screening checks if you could have bowel cancer. It’s available to everyone aged 60 or over and 56 year olds. Everyone aged 60-74 and who turn 56 registered with a GP and lives in England is automatically sent a bowel cancer screening kit every 2 years. Please make sure the medical centre has your correct address so your kit is posted to the right place.
If you have not returned your testing kit or have not received your testing kit please contact 0800 707 60 60.
If you’re 75 or over, you can ask for a kit every 2 years by phoning the free bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 60 60.
For more information please visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer-screening/
If you’re worried about a family history of bowel cancer or have any symptoms, speak to a GP for advice.
Breast Screening
Anyone registered with a GP as female will be invited for NHS breast screening every 3 years between the ages of 50 and 71.
You’ll get a letter in the post inviting you.
If you have not been invited for breast screening by the time you are 53 and think you should have been, or if you have missed your breast screening appointment, you can contact our local breast screening service on 01925 275500.
For more information visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/breast-cancer-screening/
Carers
You’re a carer if you look after someone who has an illness or disability, usually a family member or close friend. You might do this round-the-clock or just for a few hours a week. It might be in your own home, in their home, or they might live quite far away. You may be balancing your unpaid caring role with other things like your children, work or education.
It doesn’t matter what your situation is, if you look after someone then you’re a carer – and you should be, and feel, supported.
Don’t forget to let us know if you are a carer so that we can add you to our Carers register.
Adult Carer Support
The Warrington Adult Carers service provides free support to adult Carers (including Parent Carers and Young Adult Carers in transition), the service focuses on identifying Carers and supporting them to access services to assist them in their caring role and to help them to maintain and improve their health and wellbeing. The overall aim of the service is to improve the quality of life for Carers in Warrington, supporting them to sustain their caring role and enhancing their ability to enjoy a life outside of their caring role.
Visit: Warrington Voluntary Action or Cheshire & Warrington Carers Trust (cheshireandwarringtoncarers.org) for more information
Young Carer Support – Under 18 years
A Young Carer is a young person 18 years or under who helps to look after someone who has a disability, mental health condition, illness, or addiction. Warrginton WIRED Young Carers is a local service that supports young carers and young adult carers (up to the age of 25) in their caring role.
Visit: Warrington Voluntary Action or Cheshire & Warrington Carers Trust (cheshireandwarringtoncarers.org) for more information
Dental Care
Unfortunately GP Practices are not licensed or indemnified to treat dental problems. We recommend contacting your dentist if you are registered at a local dental practice (or) you can contact the emergency dental telephone line on 0161 476 9651 which operates from 9:00am – 9:30pm 7 days a week.
Diabetes
Healthy Living for people with Type 2 Diabetes
Healthy Living is a free, online NHS programme that supports people to live well with type 2 diabetes.
It includes information and advice about:
- type 2 diabetes
- eating well
- becoming more active
- how to look after your body and mind
- other NHS services and support
- living with diabetes, including driving, working and travelling
You can use the Healthy Living programme whenever suits you, and for as long as you need – there is no limit to access so you can learn at your own pace. It can also be used alongside any other diabetes programmes or education you may be taking part in.
Diabetic Foot Screening or Problems
Patients who are diagnosed with Diabetes can contact the Podiatry department to arrange diabetic foot screening or for specialist help with foot problems such as ulcers, blisters, open sores, numbness.
Please contact the podiatry department on: 01925 946682 to arrange an appointment/assessment.
Opening hours:
Monday, 8.30am – 5.00pm
Tuesday and Wednesday, 8.30am – 7.00pm
Thursday, 8.30am – 5.00pm
Friday, 8.30am – 4.30pm
Dressings, Wound care, Suture & Stitch removal
Patients can self refer to the Bridgewater Treatment room for dressings by contacting 01925 946323.
Please visit the following page for the clinic locations, contact details and more information:
Drugs
Pathways to Recovery
Patients can self refer to the Warrington Pathways to Recovery team for support with drugs and addiction. You can call the team on 01925 415176. If it’s out of hours, please call 07919 558644 or visit https://www.changegrowlive.org/pathways-to-recovery-warrington/info for more information.
Narcotics Anonymous
Patients can also self refer anonymously to Narcotics Anonymous. You can call the team on 0300 999 1212 and the helpline is open from 10.00am until midnight. The service also hold drop in sessions if you wish to attend a meeting, the details are below. Visit the Narcotics Anonymous UK website for more information.
Open to all meetings:
Venue: Making Space, 46 Allen Street, Warrington, Cheshire, WA2 7JB – Rear entrance. There are bungalows that run on Troutbeck avenue. The meeting is down a pathway leading to the Community centre. Parking is available.
Day/time: Sundays (6.00pm-7.30pm)
Ear Syringing
You can self-refer for ear syringing on the NHS by contacting:
- Bath Street Health & Wellbeing Centre on 01925 946323 – the approximate wait time is currently 12 weeks.
- Orford Jubilee on 01925 946421 – the approximate wait time is currently 12 weeks.
You can also opt to contact a local hearing service to to have this completed privately.
Unfortunately, we are unable to recommend any specific private services.
Eyes
Primary Eyecare Services provides NHS funded eye care services across large parts of England. The services are available from the majority of local opticians (also known as optometrists), from the smallest independent practice to the largest national chains. For more information and to self-refer please visit: Primary Eyecare Services
Services available also include urgent eyecare such as
- Red or painful eye or eyelids
- Recently occurring flashes and floaters
- Recent and sudden loss of vision
- Foreign body in the eye
Maternity
Congratulations on your pregnancy!
Pregnant ladies can self-refer to the Midwifery Services at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, you do not need to see a doctor to do this.
To self-refer, call 01925 662092 or use the link below to book online.
Due to staffing pressures, the service is currently running behind their normal processing time frames. They will aim to be in touch between 7-10 working days. If you are coming up to 10 weeks gestation please contact the team on 01925 662092, so that they can process your self-referral as soon as possible.
Further information, advice and support is also available on the NHS Warrington & Halton website and at NHS.uk.
Menopause – Mind & Movement
Did you know Livewire Warrington offers a Mind, Movement & Menopause course at Orford Jubilee Neighbourhood Hub?
The sessions are designed for women going through different stages of menopause with an approach that targets the entire mind and body, including exercise and health and nutrition advice.
The programme, which costs just £20, is six weeks long and is held on Wednesdays from 7:00pm to 8:30pm at the Orford Jubilee Neighbourhood Hub.
The sessions include a full workout tailored to heart and bone health, as well as a combination of core and muscle toning exercises. There will also be regular group support chats with specialist guest speakers.
Money & Social Problems
You can self-refer to the Citizens Advice for free, independent, confidential and impartial advice on: Benefits, work, debt and money, consumer and trading, family, housing immigration & law and courts.
Call the team on: 0300 330 9091 to arrange an appointment.
Physiotherapy
First Contact Physiotherapist
Do you suffer from any of the following?
- Soft tissue injuries, sprains, strains or sports injuries
- Arthritis– any joint
- Possible problems with muscles, ligaments, tendons or bone e.g. tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, ankle sprains
- Spinal pain including lower back pain, mid-back pain and neck pain
- Spinal related pain in arms or legs including nerve symptoms e.g. pins and needles or numbness
- Changes to walking
- Post orthopaedic surgery
- Patients currently waiting on physio waiting list
We have a First Contact Practitioner (FCP) based in the practice who would be the best placed clinician to see you.
You do not need to see a GP beforehand.
- First Contact Physiotherapists (FCPs) are qualified autonomous clinical practitioners who can assess, diagnose, treat and manage musculoskeletal (MSK) problems and undifferentiated conditions. Some FCPs and Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioners (APPs) can also provide extended scope services such as cortisone injections and the prescribing of medications.
- The FCP service strives to provide evidence-based, personalised care, which may include: first line management of a MSK problem from within the practice, further investigations and onward referral into specialist services.
- The FCP service is currently available in-person and via virtual/remote platforms. With face-to-face, telephone and video consultations available for all our patients.
- Our FCPs aim to create seamless links through to secondary care physiotherapy and orthopaedic providers, as well as to community health services. Their goal is to empower patients to address health and MSK concerns independently and to improve the overall population health.
Please contact the practice on 01925 303199 to book an appointment.
If you require medication, further tests or referrals onwards for further treatment, our FCP can do this for you.
Podiatry
Patients can now self refer to the Podiatry department for help with foot problems.
To be eligible for an assessment, you must meet one of the following criteria:
- Have an in-growing toe nail that is not responding to conservative treatment and requires nail surgery, an open / weeping sore or an inflamed or infected area of the foot
- Have diabetes
- Take anti-coagulants, e.g. warfarin, heparin
- Have haemophilia
- Be on long-term steroid medication, e.g. prednisolone tablets
- Be at risk of infection as a result of chemotherapy, transplant operation or medical condition, e.g. HIV
- Have impaired foot circulation, also known as Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD).
- Severe foot deformity (this does not include bunions and hammer toes)
- Be registered blind
- Have a neurological condition, e.g. spina bifida, cerebral palsy
- Have rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (an inflammatory autoimmune disorder that may affect the skin, joints and internal organs; also known as “lupus”) or a similar disorder
Please visit the link below to access the self-referral form to send to the service.
If you would like some assistance completing or sending your form, please contact our Secretarial Team on 01925 303199
Sexual Health
Patients can self refer to our local sexual health clinic for testing, treatment, routine contraception, emergency contraception and general advice.
To self-refer please call 0300 323 1300 or visit axess sexual health – Axess Sexual Health
Smoking Cessation
The Orford Jubilee Centre provides a friendly and helpful Stop Smoking service, telephone 0300 030 818
You can also access support, information and useful tools to help you stop smoking on the NHS.uk website.
Remember….you are four times more likely to quit successfully with support rather than going it alone.
Speech & Language Therapy (Child)
Parents can self-refer their child to the NHS Bridgewater Paediatric Speech & Language Therapy Service.
The service can provide advice and support for parents and children from 0-16 years (0-19 years if attending special schools) who show difficulties in the following areas:
- Understanding of language
- Spoken language
- Speech sounds
- Stammering
- Voice problems
- Attention and listening difficulties
- Social communication difficulties
- Children with feeding and swallowing difficulties
- Hearing impairment
Telephone the service on 01925 946686 to make a referral.