Barnstaple Health Centre

Barnstaple Health Centre

Barnstaple Health Centre was built in 1978, originally as two doctors’ surgeries. We are no longer a G.P Practice and we are not a Minor Injuries Unit. Barnstaple Health Centre is basically an extension of North Devon District Hospital. Opening hours are Monday to Thursday 08.30am to 5pm and Friday 08.30am to 4.30pm.

More about us

There is a small Admin/Reception team on the ground floor.

Barnstaple Health Centre has an atmosphere all of its own which is created by the staff in the building, not the surroundings. It is a happy, caring environment. Most of the two hundred or so staff know each other and we get to know our clients quite well too as many return regularly. As you can see Barnstaple Health Centre has many services within its’ four walls.

Clinics and services

It houses the following clinical services:

  • Podiatry
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Children’s Physiotherapy
  • Community Paediatrics
  • Sexual Health comprising G U Medicine and Family Planning
  • Lymphoedema Nurse Service
  • Community Adult Speech and Language Team
  • Complex Care Team comprising  the Cluster Manager, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Reablement Nurses, Community Matron, District Nurse Lead, Social Workers, Elderly Care Doctor specialising in Falls and  Dental Access
  • Occupational Health
  • Midwifery Hub
  • Leg Ulcer Clinic

Getting here

The centre's address and postcode is:

Barnstaple Health Centre
Vicarage Street
Barnstaple
EX32 7BH

If possible, we encourage people to use public transport and other sustainable means of travel. 

We are easily accessible by local bus routes.

For help planning your journey please see the following websites:

Parking

We have a small Car Park (charges apply) and ask that you only park here when attending the Health Centre. Alternative public Car Parks are situated nearby.

Car parking charges

Daily rate
£2.20 up to 2 hours
£4.40 up to 4 hours
£8.00 all day

Free parking for registered carers

Carers accompanying the cared for person to clinics or appointments at Bideford Hospital and Barnstaple Health Centre can have free parking when they display their Devon Carers Alert Card on the dashboard so the parking attendant can see it.

For more information about the alert card please visit Devon Carers: devoncarers.org.uk/information-and-advice/support-for-me/emergency-planning/alert-card/

Complex Care Team

The Health and Social Care Directorate has three Clusters in North Devon. The Barnstaple Cluster comprises of the Pathfinder Team and a Complex Care Team, as mentioned above. The other Clusters have two Complex Care Teams each. Recently we have seen the expansion of the Complex Care and Pathfinder Teams which is in line with the Government’s emphasis on caring for people in the Community instead of the hospital setting.

Community Matron Team

The Community Matron Team is a nursing team within the Complex Care Team. It cares for a selection of patients deemed to be at high risk of hospital admission, both avoidable and unavoidable. They are identified by GP’s and referred to the matron’s caseload using the Virtual Ward model. The patients have long term conditions and usually have co-morbidities which add to the complexity of their case management. Working jointly with therapists, social services and local community nursing teams in Barnstaple patients are supported to remain living at home safely and at their optimal health. The team consists of Louise Scantlebury, Community Matron, and Julie Williams, Community Nurse.

Community Paediatrics

The Community Paediatric Team consists of two Specialist Community Paediatricians with skills and expertise in child development, social and educational needs and neurodisability.

The service does not usually deal with one-off, short term illness but rather offers long term support, co-ordination of services and management on a continuous basis to many children with additional needs such as a disability or long term illness.

Much of community paediatric work is of a statutory nature, carried out under the Children Act, the Education Act and Adoption regulations.

The team have specific expertise in neurodisability and looked after children and have specialist clinics for children in care and autistic spectrum disorder.

We work closely with colleagues in primary care, Children and Family Health Devon and Social Services.

Children are seen at the North Devon District Hospital, community hospitals, special schools along with Integrated Children’s Services for multidisciplinary assessments

The team is supported by two part time secretaries who also have responsibilities for safeguarding and paediatrics.

Barnstaple NHS Dental Access Centre

Barnstaple NHS Dental Access Centre – “the DAC” – is a dental clinic with a difference. Although we’re purely NHS, we don’t carry out routine NHS dental care like most dental practices. Instead, we’re dedicated to improving the oral health of people in North Devon who can’t access dentistry in the usual way. At the DAC we have a busy team of five Dentists, one Oral surgeon, one Dental therapist, seven Dental nurses- three of which deliver Oral health education, two Receptionist's and a Operational manager, all committed to keeping the teeth of North Devon’s most vulnerable groups clean and healthy.

A big part of our job is treating children and adults with special needs: learning disabilities, medical problems that make dentistry more complicated, mental health issues, behavioural problems and so on. Our team are specially trained to meet the needs of these more complex cases for which a general dental practice isn’t always the best place to receive care. We treat some people under sedation, and also carry out some treatments under general anaesthesia at North Devon District Hospital.

That’s what we call the ‘Special Care Dental Service’. The other side of our service is ‘Urgent Care’ – treating people who don’t have a regular dentist and find themselves in need of treatment ASAP. We provide appointments to get people out of pain and advise them on how to seek dental care in the future. This can get quite busy – particularly in the summer, as you’d expect for a holiday destination like North Devon.

We’re part of a wider service which stretches all the way to clinics in Tiverton, Honiton, Okehampton, Crediton and Exmouth, as well as another DAC in Exeter. We have a very active Oral Health Promotion team who work with patients, schools and care homes towards preventing decay and gum disease. We also go out to some schools to screen children with special needs for oral disease, plus the occasional home visit for domiciliary care.

North Devon Lymphoedema Service

The North Devon Lymphoedema Service is part of the Health and Social Care directorate and covers the population of North Devon and North Cornwall. It is a nurse led service consisting of a full time Lymphoedema Clinical Nurse Specialist and Lymphoedema Specialist Practitioner with a part-time dedicated Administrator. The service is provided Monday – Thursday during the hours of 08:00 – 17:00 hours and Friday 08:00-13:30 with appointments held in clinic at Barnstaple Health Centre.

The team aims to provide evidence based, high quality, best practice for people with the long term conditions of cancer and non-cancer related lymphoedema and lipoedema in line with local, national and international guidelines. They also provide advice, support, education and developmental opportunities to other professionals.

What is lymphoedema?

The lymphatic system is a network of vessels and glands, forming part of your immune system but is also responsible for helping to maintain the balance of fluid within your body, by draining excess fluid from the tissues. When the lymphatic system is not working correctly fluid builds up within the tissues and causes the affected area to swell, this is called lymphoedema. It can affect any part of the body but is most commonly seen in an arm or a leg.

There are two types of lymphoedema: primary or secondary. Primary lymphoedema is due to a defect within the lymphatic system, present since birth but can develop without obvious cause at different stages of life, usually up to early adulthood. Secondary lymphoedema is damage caused to the lymphatic system, for example through; trauma, infection, reduced mobility, cancer and some cancer treatments.

What is lipoedema?

Lipoedema is the abnormal buildup of fat cells in the legs, thighs and buttocks, with occasional arm involvement but excludes the hands and feet. The cause is not known but is considered an inherited condition, as in 50% of cases there is a family history, almost exclusively affecting women. It tends to start at puberty or times of hormonal change and develops gradually. A person with lipoedema may eventually develop lymphoedema if the fat cells prevent drainage of the lymph fluid.

The service aims to provide evidence based, high quality, best practice for people with lymphoedema both cancer and non-cancer related and lipoedema, in line with local and national guidelines.

Contact details

Tel: 01271 371761

Postal address:

Barnstaple Health Centre,
Vicarage Street,
Barnstaple,
Devon.
EX32 7BH

Last updated: November 17, 2023

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