Information leaflet about the Physical Health Monitoring Clinic in Greenacres Centre, Ashington; including services offered, who the clinic is for and how to be referred.
This leaflet is about the Physical Health Monitoring Clinic in Central Northumberland. It tells you what the clinic does. It also tells you what may happen at your visit and how to contact us. Please ask a member of staff if you have any questions.
The clinic runs in community places across Northumberland. You will be invited to the clinic nearest to you. The clinic checks your medicines, side effects and physical health. These checks are part of your care and treatment.
Clinic staff work with other people who care for you. This may include your care co-ordinator, your mental health doctor and your GP (your family doctor).
The clinic is for people who are not staying in hospital. Your care co-ordinator or consultant psychiatrist must refer you.
It is for people who need health checks because of their mental health medicine. This may include checks for clozapine or lithium. It may also include checks when a person takes a high dose of antipsychotic medicine. This medicine is used to treat some mental health problems. You may also have a slow-release injection, a blood test, a heart test or other health checks. The heart test is called an electrocardiogram (ECG).
The clinic may provide:
- clozapine monitoring and support when starting clozapine
- blood tests
- lithium monitoring and support when starting lithium
- high-dose antipsychotic medicine monitoring
- depot injections
- physical health checks, including blood pressure, height, weight and body mass index
- an electrocardiogram, also called an ECG. This test checks how your heart is working
- advice and information about wellbeing, medicines and side effects.
The checks you need will depend on your medicines and treatment plan.
Your care co-ordinator or mental health doctor must ask the clinic to see you. This is called a referral. We will then tell you which clinic to go to and where it is.
Access arrangements may be different at each clinic site. Before your visit, phone the clinic on 01670 844 600 to check wheelchair access, accessible toilets, accessible parking and hearing support. Tell staff what you need so they can plan support with you.
We will send you a letter. The letter will tell you when to come and which clinic to go to. You will usually need to plan your own travel. Your care co-ordinator can give you help or advice about travel.
Please contact the clinic if you may find it hard to attend. Staff can arrange an interpreter.
You can also ask for changes that will help you use the service. You can also bring someone to the appointment with you.
Your visit will usually last between 15 and 45 minutes. The time will depend on the care you need. You will meet a mental health nurse. The nurse will explain what will happen.
The nurse may ask about your health and medicines. They may ask if your medicine makes you feel unwell. You may have a blood test. Staff may check your blood pressure. This shows how hard your heart works to move blood around your body. Staff may also check your weight and height. They may use these to work out your body mass index (BMI). This can show if your weight may affect your health.
Staff may check that your medicines are safe for you. You may have a depot injection. This is an injection that gives you medicine slowly over time. You may also have an electrocardiogram (ECG). This is a heart test. Staff put small sticky pads and wires on your chest. The test checks how your heart is working.
Staff may give you advice about looking after your health and wellbeing. This may include advice about healthy eating, being active, sleep, smoking or drinking alcohol. They may also explain your medicine, possible side effects and why you need regular health checks. You can ask questions at any time. Please tell staff if anything is unclear or if you would like them to explain it in a different way.
You will meet a trained mental health nurse who works at the clinic. The nurse will carry out your planned checks or treatment. They will ask about any side effects. They will also give you information and advice about your health.
Clinic staff work with the other people who care for you. This may include your care co-ordinator, mental health doctor, GP and pharmacy staff. A pharmacy supplies medicines and gives advice about them.
Your checks will depend on your care plan and the medicine you take. You may need more checks when you first start a medicine.
- Clozapine: you need close checks for the first two weeks while your dose is slowly increased. You must have regular blood tests. This is because clozapine can sometimes cause a serious problem with white blood cells. White blood cells help your body fight infection.
- Lithium: tests are needed before treatment starts and blood tests are usually needed every three months. Staff will also monitor side effects.
- High-dose antipsychotic medicine: this means a higher dose of medicine used to treat some mental health problems. You may need tests and blood samples every three months. Staff will also check for side effects.
- Other antipsychotic medicines: physical health checks may be needed at least once a year.
Staff will explain your health checks. They will answer your questions. Tell the clinic if you are worried about your care, medicine or side effects. You can also speak to your care co-ordinator, mental health doctor, GP or pharmacy team.
We will listen to you. We will include you when choices are made about your care. Staff will explain any checks or treatment they think you need. They will give you information in a way you can understand. You can ask questions and talk about your choices. You can also tell staff what help you need.
You can ask for more time or help to understand the information. Some medicine checks are very important for your safety. Talk to the clinician in charge of your treatment if you do not want a check. They will explain what this may mean for your care.
We will treat you with dignity and respect. We will protect your privacy during checks and treatment. We will not treat you unfairly because of who you are, your health, a disability, your beliefs or your background.
Staff will explain each check or treatment before it starts. They will ask if you agree. We will keep your care information safe. We will only share it with staff who need it to care for you. This may include your care co-ordinator, mental health doctor, GP and pharmacy staff.
Staff will usually ask before they share your information with other people. Sometimes they must share it without asking. This may happen if someone could be badly hurt. It may also happen if the law says they must share it. Ask a member of staff if you have questions about your information.
You have rights over your personal information. These can include asking to see your records, asking for wrong information to be corrected, and raising a concern about how your information is used. Read the Trust’s privacy information at www.
You can contact the Trust’s Data Protection Officer by email at DPO
Tell the clinic before your visit if you need a reasonable adjustment. This is a change that helps you use the service. For example, you can ask for Easy Read or large-print information, an interpreter, a British Sign Language interpreter, extra time, a quiet place to wait, help to hear what is said, or support from someone you trust.
To ask for an adjustment, phone the clinic on 01670 844 600 or speak to your care co-ordinator. Staff can record your communication and information needs in your health record and flag them so staff can see them. With your consent, these needs can be shared with other NHS or social care services involved in your care. Staff should check with you and review the information if your needs change.
If you agree, clinic staff can tell your carer about the treatment or checks you need. A family member or carer can also tell the team about any worries they have.
Staff must keep your personal information private. They may not be able to share details with your carer unless you agree. Staff can still listen to your carer and give general advice. You do not have to involve a family member or carer if you do not want to.
Please contact the clinic as soon as possible if you cannot attend. Use the contact details in your appointment letter or telephone the clinic at Greenacres Centre on 01670 844 600.
Your visits may end when your checks are finished. They may also end if your treatment changes. Another service may take over your checks. You and the staff who care for you will talk about this together.
We will tell you what happens next. We will also tell you who will care for you. If you need help again, contact your care co-ordinator, mental health doctor, GP or the clinic.
The Physical Health Monitoring Clinic is not an emergency service.
- If you need urgent medical advice and it is not an emergency, contact NHS 111.
- If someone’s life is in danger, call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
- If your worry is not urgent, contact the clinic. You can also contact your care co-ordinator, mental health doctor, GP or pharmacy team.
Physical Health Monitoring Clinic
Greenacres Centre
Green Lane
Ashington
Northumberland
NE63 8BL
Phone: 01670 844 600
Other useful contacts
Pharmacy, clozapine enquiries: 0191 245 6606
Pharmacy Medicines Information Line: 0191 245 6604
You can talk to a staff member or use the contacts listed below.
See other ways to give feedback at www.
Your Voice
You can tell us what you think about your care. This can be good or bad. You can also ask us to tell you what happens after you send feedback.
Website: yourvoice.cntw.nhs.uk
Email: yourvoice
Comments and complaints
If something went wrong, please tell us. This will help us improve services.
Phone: 0191 245 6672
Email: complaints
Write to: Complaints Department, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, St Nicholas Hospital, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 3XT.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS is a free and confidential service. They help if you have worries about your care. They support patients, families, and carers.
North of Tyne
(services in Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and North Cumbria)
Phone: 0800 032 0202
Email: pals@nhct.nhs.uk
South of Tyne
(services in Sunderland, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Lotus Ward, Middlesbrough)
Phone: 0800 328 4397
Email: pals
You can ask for this information in another format. This includes Braille, audio, large print, Easy Read, British Sign Language or another language. Phone the Patient Information Centre on 0191 246 7288.
Published by the Patient Information Centre
2026 Copyright: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref: PIC/711/1026 October 2026 V6
Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0191 246 7288
Review date 2029