Full-time Professional Circus Training - Medical Services & Health

Your Initial Physical Assessment

From past experience we have found that intensive training can highlight physical issues / weaknesses that are not immediately apparent.
The aim of your Initial Physical Assessment is therefore to enable us all to be as aware as possible of any existing issues in advance of training.
Please contact the Circus Maniacs office on arrival, to sort out your appointment a.s.a.p.

You will need to pay for the cost of your Initial Physical Assessment, plus a written report of the findings. This is likely to cost in total, about £18-30.
The report will be offically yours to keep, but we ask that you allow us to make a copy for our records, so tutors can refer to it and in particular discuss your report with one of our Trapeze Trainers who is also a qualified Doctor.
The information from an Initial Physical Assessment often proves to be valuable for both students & teachers, and your conditioning program may be adapted to help rectify specific weak areas to help prevent injuries occurring during training.

Follow-ups

Although we have a good National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, which is normally excellent for most all medical issues, the UK system for referral to a physio or osteopath, is not so good.
It is unfortunate but it usually seems to take too long to get seen by a medical specialist to assess and treat you; by which time the problem may have compounded, resulting in more time off training / work.

If you think you may have an issue physically that is affecting your training, you need good information feedback to you - fast!
Circus Maniacs holds a list of about 6 'Private' local practitioners (Sports Masseurs, Physiotherapists, Osteopaths), that we can recommend, that already have an understanding of the training that you will be doing, and most will see/treat you at very reasonable discounted rates.

We strongly recommend you allow a contingency in your budget for these types of medical fees just in case. If issues arise and are ignored due to lack of personal funds, this can sometimes cause greater problems, and huge disappointment if you have to stop training.

Recommended Osteopaths & Physiotherapists

David Adler MCSP SRP Chartered Physiotherapist
Heath & Healing
355 - 359 Two Mile Hill Road
Kingswood
BRISTOL
BS15 1AF
Tel: 0117 - 914 5590
- Our locally recommended Physiotherapist who kindly offers extremely good rates for Circus Maniacs Students.

GP's and other Medical Services

A 'GP' stands in short for 'General Practitioner'. A GP is a doctor who is based at a local surgery or medical centre, working with the local community, and who is normally the first point of contactof you have any medical concerns.

Registering with a local GP

Firstly, all students who do not have a local doctor are strongly advised to register with a GP Practice close to where they are going to live. Please do not wait until you are ill before remembering that your normal family doctor is too far away to visit. If you have moved to the area to study at Circus Maniacs, you should be registered with a doctor here and not back home where you have come from, since you will normally now spend most of your time at the place of your studies.

Catchment Area
Please note, GP's do have a 'catchment area' that is based on your personal address, rather than your place of work / study.
We recommend that you phone first to check that you live within the boundaries.

Registration
Registration is simple. Once you have checked your address with them, you can simply turn up, ask if your name can be added to their NHS list, and sign their registration forms.
It is not necessary to have a "New Patient Check' appointment with the nurse unless it is suggested. A couple of weeks later you will receive a medical card with your NHS number on it, which you should keep safely.

Students may choose to register with a GP at:
The Orchard Medical Centre
MacDonald Walk
Kingswood
BS15 8NJ
Tel: 0117 - 980 5100
- This is the closest to Circus Maniacs & next to a local supermarket!

Opening Hours
Surgery times at the Orchard Medical Centre:
Monday - Friday:

N.B. The Surgery is closed at weekends.

Appointments
At Orchard Medical Centre, you can book an appointment 2 weeks in advance if available.
Alternatively ring on the day from 8.30am as appointments are released.

Out-of-Hours:
Please ring Orchard Medical Centre first, for the up-to-date out of hours number left on the ansa-phone.

Opening Hours
Orchard Medical Centre's Prescription line is open Mon to Fri 12noon - 2pm,
Tel: 0117 - 9805101 or visit the reception desk at the surgery to request one.

Alternatively, here is a mini list of other local GP's:

A full list of Medical Centres or Doctors' Surgeries in Bristol can be obtained from the Avon Health Authority, King Square House, King Square, Bristol BS2 8EE, Tel: 900 2400.
Alternatively you can look in a local phone directory, phone 'NHS Direct' on 0845 4647; or visit the NHSDirect website: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Seeing a Doctor

Normally appointments are needed to see a doctor, or any of the local Practice's healthcare professionals at Doctors' Surgeries and Medical Centres in Bristol.

All consultations with doctors are free, but if you need any medicine you will be given a prescription, which you take to a chemist.
A standard charge of £6.40 will be made for each item on your prescription.
Prescriptions are free for students under 19 or pregnant women.

Seeing The Practice Nurses

You can make an appointment with a Practice Nurse for: New Patient Check, travel vaccines, contraceptive advice, diabetes, asthma, weight checks, cervical smears.

Patients are normally seen by appointment with the Practice Nurse. Please phone as early as possible on the day you would wish to be seen, or book ahead for a convenient appointment time.

Further information & Health Promotion

Most Medical Centres print a booklet giving you information about their particular Practice.

Also, at most GP Surgeries and Medical Centres, you will find a range of free leaflets and information on various health matters including: asthma, blood pressure, diabetes, epilepsy, dietary advice, giving up smoking, sexual health and contraception (including access to free condoms).

If you wish to see a health professional in respect of any of the above matters, please arrange an appointment with the Practice Nurse at your GP's surgery.

Walk-in Clinics

Broad Walk, Central Bristol

Hospitals

Hospitals provide specialist treatment or treatment for which any kind of extended stay is required. Treatment is free for conditions which arise within the UK.
In Britain you cannot go straight to a hospital (except in emergencies), or to see a specialist. You should first consult your doctor who will then refer you to a hospital/specialist.

Treatment for accidents and emergencies is free for everyone.

Emergencies

In the event of an accident or emergency, dial 999 (the UK Public Emergency number) on any land-line phone for immediate help on any telephone.
The call is free and you will be asked if you require an ambulance, the police or the fire brigade.
You should be prepared to give your name and address and the nature of the emergency.

N.B. If you generally carry a mobile phone around with you, the emergency services number may be different. If this is the case, it would be prudent for you check this number with your mobile service provider and have the number set it up as a short cut dial on your phone - just in case.

If you are at Circus Maniacs and an emergency arises, please follow 'Circus Maniacs Procedures for dealing with Accidents and Emergencies' as displayed on the Health & Safety Board in our space. You can dial '999' on the land-line phone in our circus training studio, or use the phone in our office.

If you are not seriously injured, you are expected to make your own way to a hospital casualty or emergency department.

First Aid

Students who are unwell should seek appropriate medical help from their doctor. Those who are unable to attend their doctor's surgeries should telephone their surgery to request a home visit.

If you are in need of First Aid whilst at Circus Maniacs, a list of qualified 'First Aiders' is on our Health & Safety Board in the main training space, along with a fully stocked first aid cabinet. A smaller first aid kit is also held in our office. Please remember to make a record in the 'Accident Book'.

Dental Treatment

Finding a local Dentist

The majority of dentists require people to register as private patients, and charge for treatment on a full-cost basis.
NHS (National Health Service) Dentists are harder to come by, and many will not take on new patients.

Dentists who work within the National Health Service and charge according to prices laid down by the NHS (80% of the cost of treatment, up to a maximum of £378).
When booking an appointment with an NHS dentist, you should make it clear that you require treatment under the NHS, as some dentists also treat patients privately.
It is advisable to ask how much a course of treatment is likely to cost before going ahead with it.

Currently the following local Dental Centre is enrolling New NHS & Private patients:
Lodge Causeway Medical Centre
358 Lodge Causeway
Fishponds
BRISTOL
BS16 3PL
Tel: 0117 - 958 6878
Opening Hours: Mon - Thurs 8am - 5pm, Fri 8am - 1pm
- Offers Implants, Whitening, Cosmetic and Surgical Treatment, Wrinkle Management and Sedation.

If this doesn't work out, the quickest way to find up-to-date information regarding a local NHS Dentist who is open to take on new patients is to consult NHSDirect on: 0845 4647.
Alternatively visit their website: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Registering with a Dentist

You can put your name on a dentist's list in the same way that you can register with a family doctor (GP). Find a dentist, ring them to check they offer NHS treatment and ask to put your name on their list.

Some dentists will only register you as a patient after an initial examination. When you visit the surgery you should remind them that you want to be registered as an NHS patient.

Your period of registration will last for 15 months. If, after registering with an NHS dentist you have not made an appointment within 15 months, your registration will no longer be valid and you will have to register again.

If you see your dentist regularly, you will not need to do this.

Emergency Dental

Emergency treatment only for patients not registered with a dentist in Bristol is available at:-

Bristol Dental Hospital
Lower Maudlin Street
Bristol, BS1
Tel: 923 0050

Which is open from:-
09.00 - 10.30 and 18.00 - 19.30 weekdays
09.00 - 10.30 weekends and Bank Holidays

Dental Access Centres

Dental Access centres are one form of Personal Dental Services (PDS) pilot. At these centres patients can expect:

Any patient who is not currently registered with a NHS dentist will be able to seek treatment from the centres. Both adults and children will be treated.

All treatment available in the general dental service will be available through these centres. However, in some areas the pressure may be such that the priority initially may be to see and treat those patients with a more urgent need for dental treatment.

The centres will not register patients but anyone who is in need of dental treatment who is not already registered with a dentist will be able to receive the full range of treatment at the centres.

The Dental Access Centre for Bristol is:

Dental Access Centre
Broad Street
(City Gate Walk in Centre)
BRISTOL
Tel: 906 9612 (appts. only)

Out-of-hours Emergency Dental Treatment

Out of normal surgery hours, Dentists can have an emergency service. This service is only for urgent dental treatment that cannot wait until the next working day to be treated.

For emergency dental treatment outside normal working hours, registered patients should contact their dental surgery. Most surgeries have an answering machine message referring you to out-of-hours information. If there is no message please ring NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

If you are not registered with a dentist, or are away from home, you can ring NHS Direct (24 hours) on 0845 4647 for local out-of-hours information

Exemptions from NHS Charges:

To be exempt from NHS charges, students who are 19 and over (Full- or Part-Time) must fill in an HC1 form. Students who are under 19 must be able to prove their age and student status. HC1 forms are available from the Circus Maniacs Office.

Opticians

Opticians can ..

A minimum charge is payable for an eye test on the NHS of around £20 unless you are under 19 and in full-time study.

After testing your eyes, if needed, some Opticians will also fit and supply spectacles to a prescription.

Most opticians operate through shops or stores like 'Boots the Chemist' where you can have your sight tested and buy frames from a qualified optician.
It pays to shop around as prices vary.

Chemists (Pharmacists)

Pharmacists are are experts in medicines and how they work. They play a key role in providing quality healthcare to patients, and are a good source of advice and information for minor ailments.

Pharmacists dispense your prescriptions, provide a range of services related to specific health issues, and can offer advice on healthy living and minor ailments.

Pharmacists can also recommend and sell suitable medicines (often at prices lower than the £6.40 prescription charge).

You can find where you local Pharmacy is located, when they are open and the services that they provide by visiting the NHSDirect website: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Eating Healthily

Organic Food

Vegetable & Fruit Boxes
For those of you who like to eat Organic Foods, you may like to know that once a week - every Thursday - there is an excellent free delivery service of Organic 'Best Value' Fresh Vegetables and /or Fruit Boxes, from 'Riverford' that can be arranged to dropped off at our site.
Riverford's organic Fruit & Veg is mainly locally grown, picked within 48 hours, and normally of better value and fresher produce than the organic equivalents you can get from local supermarkets or health food shops. [BBC Food Programme, "Farmer of the Year 2004"]
For further information Tel: 01803 - 762 720, or check out their website: www.riverford.co.uk

Food & Heath Shops

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Office 8a, Kingswood Foundation, Britannia Road, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 8DB, England. info@circusmaniacs.com
UK Company Limited by Guarantee (not for profit). Reg: 05551548.