We are a friendly and dedicated team made up of doctors, nurses, dispensers, allied healthcare professionals, administrative staff, and receptionists.
Together, we work collaboratively to provide high-quality, compassionate care to our community. Welcome to Tavyside Health Centre, Tavistock - a new facility with seven General Practitioner partners, serving the community of Tavistock and its surrounding areas.
12/12/2025
As winter approaches, it’s more important than ever to take action to avoid slips and falls — especially for older adults. 👣❄️
From improving lighting and removing trip hazards to building strength & balance, it’s all about staying steady and safe. Let’s keep moving with confidence this season. 💪🧤
10/12/2025
🧬💊 Keeping on top of your medicine cabinet and daily medications is more important than you might realise. From having the right medicines at home to organising your routine and checking expiry dates — it all matters.
Staying organised means you’re ready, safer and more in control of your health. ✅
09/12/2025
Dear Patients
We wanted to let you know that we are currently experiencing a high level of sickness across the practice. Many patients and staff have been affected by a variety of bugs circulating at the moment.
At the same time, flu rates are much higher than usual for this time of year. According to the latest data from the NHS, influenza-positive tests have jumped sharply, and hospitalisations in London have already tripled compared with the same period last year.
If you haven’t already had your flu jab, it’s not too late. The free NHS flu vaccination programme is still running and the flu jab remains one of the best ways to protect yourself against serious illness or hospitalisation.
Please get in touch to arrange your flu vaccination if you’re eligible, or check with your local pharmacy for a convenient appointment.
Stay safe, and remember to catch coughs and sneezes with a tissue, bin it, then wash your hands. (It really helps reduce the spread!)
08/12/2025
🧼✨ Good hand-washing is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself and others from illness.
Take 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice) to lather, rub all surfaces, rinse & dry — and you’ll make a big difference. 💧👌
05/12/2025
🎄 Christmas is coming! Don’t forget your prescriptions 🎄
The festive season is a busy time for everyone, including pharmacies. To make sure you have all the medication you need over Christmas, please remember to order your prescriptions in plenty of time.
💙 The quickest and easiest way to order is through the NHS App:
✔️ Request repeat prescriptions
✔️ Choose your nominated pharmacy
✔️ Track when your prescription has been issued
Avoid last-minute stress and enjoy a smooth, healthy Christmas season.
Download the NHS App today and get your medication requests sorted early! 🎅📱
Stay well and have a wonderful holiday! 🌟
05/12/2025
👂💡 Ear infections can be painful and frustrating, but knowing the facts can make all the difference! Whether it’s a common middle ear infection or a less common fungal type, it’s helpful to recognise the signs and take steps early.
From itching and discharge to muffled hearing, symptoms vary. And when it comes to treatment, you’ll often hear about pain relief and keeping the ear dry.
Remember: if symptoms persist, worsen or include hearing loss, get medical advice. 👍
03/12/2025
💙 Feeling connected and supported matters more than ever. Social isolation can deeply affect mental health, especially for people living with disabilities - but there are ways to stay active, engaged and supported. 🌈✨
Whether it’s joining a local group, finding an accessible exercise routine or learning what support is available, small steps can make a big difference. 💪💬
01/12/2025
🌍❤️ This World AIDS Day 2025, let’s come together to fight stigma, share knowledge and stand in solidarity with everyone affected by HIV. 💪✨
Together, we can end stigma and empower healthier futures. ❤️🕯️
28/11/2025
🩹😣 Got a splinter? Whether it's a tiny piece of wood, glass, or metal, a splinter can be surprisingly painful - and if left untreated, could lead to infection 🦠
👉 In this helpful video, you’ll learn:
✔️ How to remove a splinter safely using tweezers
✔️ Tips to prevent infection
✔️ When to get medical help
💡 Don’t ignore it! Even a small splinter can cause problems if not removed correctly.
🧼 Always wash your hands and clean the area before & after removal.
If redness, swelling, or pus appears - seek medical advice 🧑⚕️
🫁💙 Living with COPD? While there’s no cure, there’s plenty you can do to manage it and improve your quality of life. COPD happens when the lungs become inflamed, damaged and narrowed - often due to smoking, long‑term exposure to dust/fumes or genetic factors.
Here are some ways to live well with COPD:
🔹 Stop smoking - the single most effective step.
🔹 Take inhalers and follow your treatment plan to reduce flare‑ups.
🔹 Stay active, eat well, keep weight in check and avoid triggers like pollution or cold air.
🔹 Be alert to symptoms like persistent cough with phlegm, shortness of breath or wheezing - mention them to your GP.
🤢💧 Vomiting and diarrhoea affect both children and adults, but the risks and care needs can differ. Here’s what to watch out for and how to respond 🧠
👶 Children vs 🧔 Adults - What’s Different?
Children:
‑ Dehydrate more quickly - loss of fluid builds up faster
‑ More vulnerable to electrolyte imbalance
‑ May refuse drinking or have a harder time telling how they feel
‑ Risk signs: dry nappies, sunken eyes, irritability, listlessness
Adults:
‑ Might manage symptoms longer before seeking help
‑ Risk of complications if they have chronic conditions (e.g. diabetes, kidney disease)
‑ The underlying cause can vary (infection, foodborne, side effect of meds)
✅ What to Do (For All Ages)
🛌 Rest & stay home
💧 Sip small amounts of fluids frequently
🍚 Once able, introduce bland, easy-to-digest foods
🧼 Wash hands often, especially after bathroom or caring for sick
❌ Avoid preparing food for others until 48 hours after symptoms subside
⚠️ When to Seek Medical Help
Watch for these red flags (in both children & adults):
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhoea lasting more than a few days
• Blood in vomit or stool
• Unable to keep fluids down
• Signs of dehydration (dizziness, extreme thirst, low urine output)
• High fever or unexplained pain
🥦🧠 It’s Malnutrition Awareness Week - and while it’s often associated with undernutrition, malnutrition can affect anyone, even those trying to lose weight.
Healthy eating isn’t just about cutting calories - it’s about getting the nutrients your body needs to thrive 💪
💡 Did you know?
⚠️ Weight loss medications like Mounjaro, Wegovy or Saxenda can reduce appetite so much that people may miss out on essential nutrients.
⚠️ Malnutrition symptoms can be subtle - like fatigue, slow healing, or feeling cold all the time.
⚠️ Even if you're eating, you could be missing key vitamins or minerals.
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Tavyside Health Centre has a long tradition of providing high quality and comprehensive primary healthcare services for its patients. The practice can trace its origins back at least as far as Dr Lewis Lindsay, who established a surgery in 1930 on Plymouth Road. Stannary and Wharfside Surgeries (direct descendants of Dr Lindsay's surgery) merged to form Tavyside Health Centre in 2010, and moved into brand new premises on the site of the former Stannary Surgery in 2011.
In 2016, Tavyside Health Centre merged with Lifton Surgery before Dr Sparrows retirement in 2017. Lifton Surgery was established in the early 1950's by Drs. Charles and Mary Sutherland, who continued to work together until the early 1980's. Following Dr Charles' death, Dr Mary Sutherland continued to practice single-handed until the advent of Dr Sparrow in 1988. She retired three years later. Dr Robert Gardner joined Lifton Surgery in 1992, adding his unique brand of medicine to the practice. He departed in 2002. Dr Jonathan Carty joined the Practice in 2006 and continued working at the practice until 2015.
The practice is keen to maintain these long established traditional values of a family doctor service. The demands on the NHS increase every year, both from increasing expectations brought on by medical advances and by the political responses to meet these expectations. The service has to adjust to meet these constantly shifting goalposts, and as a practice contracted by the NHS we expect (and you expect us) to meet the demands, without losing sight of the need to be caring and attentive to the individual.
At Tavyside we work as a team of health professionals, and the days of primary healthcare being delivered by the doctor alone are in the past. Indeed, sometimes your care will be delivered exclusively by our pharmacist or by a nurse, but the service will always be led by the practice doctors. Prevention is an essential component of primary care - by advising on lifestyle and by targeting patients with specific needs, we hope to promote better health in the future for our patients.
Through education, training and regular appraisal of all staff we aim to ensure a continuing high standard of medical care is delivered. However, if the problem demands more complex investigation or treatment than we can offer at Tavyside, we shall refer you to a specialist service for an opinion and treatment whenever it is appropriate to do so.
