Patient Services
Chronic Disease Management
As medical care advances, we are seeing increasing numbers of people living long and active lives while dealing with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, COPD among others.
Our doctors are highly trained and experienced in managing these conditions and the complex care needs arising from managing multiple chronic medical issues.
Through regular health checks comprising history, examination, medication review, monitoring blood tests and liaising with your hospital team, we aim to ensure our patients with chronic conditions receive the very best in medical care.
Acute Medical Care
We, at Douglas Medical Centre, understand the importance of having timely access to a trusted doctor when you or your child are unwell with an acute illness.
With this in mind, we do our upmost to ensure that our patients can be seen on the same day when they are unwell. This can usually be facilitated by making an appointment with one of our friendly receptionists in Douglas for either the Douglas or Ringmahon surgeries.
To help ensure we have capacity to offer this service, we ask that you contact us at least 24 hours before you hope to be seen if your issue is non-urgent.
Women’s Health
Dr Helen Twomey and Dr Alison Twomey are both highly experienced in managing women’s health issues.
We offer a wide range of patient services to our female patients including:
- Menopause management and HRT
- Cervical Smears
- Fertility problems
- Coil insertion and removal (Mirena/Jaydess/Kyleena)
- Implanon insertion and removal
- Contaceptive Pill
- Breast Check
- Pre-Pregnancy Planning
- Unplanned pregnancy and crisis pregnancy
- Breast check
- Ante and Postnatal care
Pregnancy and Postnatal
Douglas Medical Centre is a member of the HSE Mother and Child scheme which provides free antenatal care to all expecting mothers, a two-week postnatal baby check and a six-week postnatal check for mother and baby.
If you are pregnant it is advisable that you receive the flu vaccine and a pertussis booster to help ensure that mother and baby have a healthy pregnancy and postnatal period.
Please ask one of our doctors about this and we will be happy to advice you about this in addition to any other issues or concerns you may have regarding your pregnancy.
Ante Natal Care Schedule - Number of weeks pregnant
- Before 12 weeks: Visit to GP
- Before 20 weeks: Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician
- 24 weeks: Visit to GP
- 28 weeks: Visit to GP (Unless 1st pregnancy); Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician (in case of first pregnancy)
- 30 weeks: Visit to GP
- 32 Weeks: Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician
- 34 Weeks: Visit to GP
- 36 weeks: Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician
- 37 Weeks: Visit to GP
- 38 Weeks: Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician
- 39 weeks: Visit to GP
- 40 Weeks: Visit to maternity Hospital / Obstetrician
Ante Natal Care Schedule - Birth of Baby
- 2 Weeks postnatal: Visit to GP (for baby)
- 6 weeks postnatal: N/A (for both mum and baby)
If you have a significant illness, e.g. diabetes or hypertension, you may have up to 5 additional visits to the GP.
Care for other illnesses which you may have at this time, but which are not related to your pregnancy, is not covered by the Scheme.
Baby and Children
At Douglas Medial Centre we aim to provide our patients with the very best in family medicine.
We are experienced in dealing with the wide range of issues that can arise in childhood and offer timely appointments to help ensure your child’s needs are looked after in a timely and caring manner.
We offer a full vaccination schedule that will be administered by one of our doctors.
If your child is under 6 years of age, they are entitled to be seen free of charge at Douglas Medical Centre once they have obtained their Doctor Visit Card (see the link below).
Under 6 Doctor Visit Card Application: https://www2.hse.ie/services/gp-visit-cards/under-6s-gp-visit-card.html
Childhood Vaccination Schedule: https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/pcischedule/immschedule/
Occupational Medicine
A growing area in the practice is occupational medicine.
We also offer independent medical assessment in chronic injuries and disabilities.
We pride ourselves on a quick turnaround of these exams so as to prevent delay to employer and employee.
Dr Niall O' Sullivan is an Occupational Physician in addition to his role as a General Practitioner. He leads the Occupational Health service in practice. Having completed the Licentiateship of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (LFOM) he is ideally positioned to deliver a cost effective, personalised service to any business of any size and in all sectors.
Our services include:
Pre-placement medical examinations.
Injury assessment and Fitness to return to work examinations and reports.
Screening Medicals
Surveillance Medicals
Seasonal and Travel vaccinations
Work Place Assessments
Please consider our service for any of your occupational medicine needs.
Student Health
We cater for student health and offer a discounted rate to full time students presenting with a valid student card. As doctors practising in a university city, all of our doctors are familiar with the full range of medical issues that go hand in hand with student life, including but not limited to:
- Contraception
- Emergency contraception
- Unplanned pregnancy
- STD screening
- Recreational drug abuse
- Travel Vaccines
- Stress management
- Mental Health issues
Joint Injections
Living with chronic joint pain can be debilitating with potentially detrimental effects on both physical and mental well-being.
Our doctors at Douglas Medical Centre are all proficient at performing joint injections in suitable patients for medically appropriate conditions.
If you have private health insurance this may offset the cost of the procedure.
Venesection
We offer a venesection service for patients with a diagnosis of haemochromatosis.
Haemochromatosis is a genetic condition where the body retains iron, resulting in iron overload and if not treated, damage to vital organs such as the liver, pancreas and heart in addition to affecting energy levels and causing joint pains.
Haemochromatosis can be effectively managed by regular venesection (a procedure similar to blood donation).
We screen for haemochromatosis using a simple blood test. If you have Haemochromatosis and want to arrange a venesection, or if you are interested in getting screened for Haemochromatosis, feel free to arrange an appointment with one of our doctors to discuss this further.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is a service offered by all the doctors at Douglas Medical Centre.
It is a safe and effective way to remove unsightly skin lesions such as warts and skin tags, in addition to treating pre-malignant “sun damaged” skin in carefully selected patients.
Blood Pressure Monitoring
High blood pressure (Hypertension) is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease including heart attack and stroke.
While regular blood pressure checks are important to allow for early detection of this often symptomless condition, readings in the clinic can occasionally be misleading. In light of this, we offer a 24 Hour Blood Pressure Monitor service which is the gold standard test for diagnosing Hypertension.
This involves two visits to the practice. At the first visit you will be fitted with the monitor which you wear for the following 24 hours while you proceed with your usual daily routine. At the second visit, 24 hours after fitting the monitor, it is removed. The results are analysed and will be reviewed by your doctor who will advise on what if any intervention is required to ensure your blood pressure is optimally managed.
Travel Medicine
Douglas Medical Centre is an approved Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre.
Wherever in the world you are setting off to, we can advise you on how best to safeguard your health and administer the vaccinations that are appropriate for your trip.
It is important to remember that most vaccinations take some time to take effect. With this is mind, we would advise you to contact the Travel Medicine Bureau to decide which vaccinations you need based on your destination, and arrange an appointment with one of our doctors to discuss your travel vaccinations as soon before your trip as possible.
Six weeks or more before travel is ideal. Four weeks is often sufficient but even if you need to travel at short notice, we recommend that you speak to a doctor to discuss how you can protect yourself against illness while away.
Ingrown Toenail Removal
An ingrown toenail can cause inflammation and soft tissue infection in the affected toe which often results in severe pain.
While treating soft tissue infections as they arise, and availing of input from Podiatry can often help this issue, surgical excision of the ingrown toenail is often required to prevent recurring infections and persisting pain. Dr Crowley has decades of experience in performing this procedure which is done under a local anaesthetic.
If you have private health cover, your insurer may offset the cost of the procedure.