The Surgery Pod, located in the Practice lobby, enables patients without clinical supervision, to perform their own checks such as blood pressure, weight, pulse, alcohol usage etc, which are then instantaneously updated into your patient records and can be immediately viewed by the doctors and nurses.

The Surgery Pod allows you to perform these simple checks at your own convenience, without making an appointment during our opening hours of 0800 - 1830 hours and therefore allows you to spend more high-value time with the doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional when necessary.

You may no longer need to arrange appointments or attend at inconvenient times for simple checks these can now be done at your convenience. You may wish to do your BP before you go in to see the doctor or nurse or you can come in any time to use it.

• Take your blood pressure
• Take your weight and calculate your BMI
• Enter information regarding your lifestyle i.e. smoking, alcohol, exercise and diet
• Carry out a series of stress and anxiety questionnaires

It is very simple to use for those that would like to use it and instructions are display at the pod. If you have difficulty you can ask a member of staff to help you.

If any of the information you have entered means you need to see a doctor then the pod will direct you to make an appointment at reception, which doesn't need to be on the same day as using the pod.

All this information is entered directly into your medical notes.

So in order to help your doctor and to keep an eye on your own health visit the pod today.

The Surgery Pod uses a touch screen, so you can press on the screen and it will recognise the selection you made. By following the instructions on screen, you can easily find your way around the Surgery Pod.

If you’re newly registered to the practice then the receptionist might ask you to do a ‘New Patient Check’. This helps the admin staff to gather information about you without having to fill out lots of forms. If you are an existing patient, start off by using the ‘Standard Checks’ test so you can get used to using the equipment. Your GP may direct you to other tests if needed.

During some checks, the Surgery Pod will ask you to use the Blood Pressure Machine. It’s the large white device next to the Surgery Pod, with a hole for you to put your arm through. It’s called an Arm-In Blood Pressure Machine. 

The Surgery Pod will have on screen instructions for how to use the Arm-In BP, but we’ll explain it here as well. When the Surgery Pod asks you to put your arm through the machine, put it in all the way up to the shoulder. You should be sitting comfortably. The Surgery Pod is good because you don’t have to be in the doctor’s office while your blood pressure is being measured, so if a visit to the doctor makes you nervous now is a chance to measure your blood pressure while you’re undisturbed and relaxed. It also saves time in the consultation.

After that screen shows how to place your arm in the blood pressure device, there is a screen with blank boxes and ‘Systolic’, ‘Diastolic’, and ‘Pulse rate’ next to them. This is when you should use the blood pressure device. Press the green button on the top of the machine to begin. The cuff inside will close around your arm and tighten, it might be a bit of a squeeze but don’t worry: it has to be quite tight to get the measurement right. As it tightens you should see the numbers on the screen rise, and then once it’s stopped tightening the numbers will go down at then eventually it should stop, and it will show your Systolic and Diastolic blood pressure, and your pulse rate. And you’ll notice, they’ve automatically appeared on the Surgery Pod screen. And you’ve measured your Blood Pressure using the Surgery Pod. Once you’ve finished using the Pod, the results can be accessed immediately by your GP.

The scales are very simple to use. When the Surgery Pod tells you to, press the grey button on the front of the scales. You can do this with your foot if you like, to avoid having to bend down uncomfortably. Once the on button has been pressed, wait for the display to reach zero – and then stand on the scales. Stand still and try not to move. The scales will take a few moments to measure your weight, and then it should appear on the scales: as well as on the Surgery Pod’s touch screen. Easy!

And that’s it! You should have everything you need to use the Surgery Pod. The Surgery Pod doesn’t replace your doctor but it is a convenient and efficient way to help you and your doctor better look after your health.