Local, Health and Government Services
This section provides information about the services you may need to contact before you start your new post in Bangor. The Accommodation Section has information about various accommodation options such as estate agents, hotels and bed and breakfasts in the area. The Government Office section lists the web sites of the local government offices, the Inland Revenue and local Benefits Offices. The health section contains a list of local doctors’ surgeries, dentists and hospitals.
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Local Government Offices
For information about Council Tax, planning, education and refuse collection.
Inland Revenue
Social Security Offices
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Post Offices
Post Offices are open every day except for Sundays and holidays. The Post Office offers a range of services beyong the normal postal services these include paying bills such as: electircity, water, gas and telephone and road tax.
In some post offices you can also exchange money to foreign currency, however you may have to put in an order for this in advance.
For more information and to find your nearest post office visit the Post Office web site.
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Health
How do I access health services?
The first thing you will need to do is to register with a local Doctor’s surgery/Dental practice. You can use the following Web Site to search for a local General Practitioner (GP/Doctor) / Dentist / Optician:
http://www.wales.nhs.uk/ourservices/directory/betsicadwaladruniversityhealthboard/
As the process for making an appointment at a doctor’s surgery varies you may wish to ask for the surgeries appointments policy before deciding which GP surgery you register with.
NHS Wales Directory
Steps to follow for Registering with a GP
- Get a list of surgeries in your area.
- Call or visit the nearest surgery to you.
- If the doctor accepts you as a patient, they will ask you for your name and address to send you a registration form or give it to you if you went personally. You will have to complete and return that form.
- Then an appointment with the nurse will have to be made to register in the surgery.
- A few weeks later, you will be sent a medical card, which you should keep safely. You don`t need to use this card to go along to the doctors, giving your name should be enough.
Immunisation Status – Please make sure you are up to date with your immunisations – specifically the meningitis men ACWY and MMR vaccinations (including booster)
MMR – Recent measles and mumps outbreaks in Wales have reaffirmed the importance of ensuring you have had TWO doses of Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccination (MMR)
Current Public Health advice recommends that all individuals under the age of 25 should
received TWO MMR immunisations in their lifetime. Measles especially, can be a very
unpleasant disease and may cause long term problems. Protect yourself, your family and others by
ensuring you are fully immunised. NHS 111 Wales - Vaccinations
What if I have a medical emergency?
If you need to call an ambulance, dial 999. You will be admitted to the Accident and Emergency Unit (A&E) and will be seen an treated by a doctor. You do not necessarily need an ambulance to get admission to the A&E unit, if you are able to make your own way to the hospital then you can self admit. You should only use the A&E route if it truly is an emergency.?
For all other medical requirements you should contact the GP surgery with whom you are registered. If the GP decides you require specialist intervention i.e. X-Rays, Scans etc they will send your details to the local hospital who will contact you in due course with an appointment.
What are the charges?
As you are paying National Insurance contributions automatically from your salary, access to GP's and the Hospital services are free.
NHS Direct Wales provides information about local GPs and NHS Dentists. They also give a confidential health advice and information, 24 hours a day seven days a week.