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.
02/02/2026
Sexual Violence Awareness Week is a time to highlight support for anyone affected by s*xual assault or s*xual violence, including women and men. 💜
Help is available if you have experienced abuse, are worried about someone else, or need advice on staying safe. Confidential support, medical care, forensic services and s*xual health checks (including STI testing) can be accessed through specialist services.
You may also see emergency alert test notifications on your phone during national testing. Opting out can help some people keep phones hidden and safe, as these alerts override silent and do not disturb settings.
You are not alone, and support is there when you are ready. 🕊️🩺✨
Turning on NHS App notifications is a simple way to help the NHS save money while staying informed about your healthcare. 💙
Notifications can remind you about appointments, test results, prescriptions and important updates, helping reduce missed appointments and unnecessary letters or texts.
Using the NHS App makes it easier to manage your health in one place, saves time for NHS services and helps resources be used where they are needed most. Making this small change can have a big impact for you and the NHS. 📱
Parental Minds online skills workshop, Supporting Someone Who Causes Harm to Themselves
The sessions will take place on:
2nd February 2026, 7.00pm - 9.00pm
9th February 2026, 7.00pm - 9.00pm
16th February 2026, 7.00pm - 9.00pm
(Online via Zoom)
This workshop is designed to provide guidance and support for parents and caregivers whose young people hurt themselves when overwhelmed by their emotions. Across three sessions, we’ll explore practical ways to help you support your young person and ways to look after yourself. To get the most out of the experience, we strongly encourage participants to attend all sessions.
These sessions are being funded thanks to Devon County Council.
28/01/2026
NHS 111 is there to help when you need urgent medical advice but it’s not an emergency. You can use NHS 111 if you’re unsure what to do, where to go, or if you need help outside of GP opening hours. 🩺💙
Trained advisors and healthcare professionals can assess your symptoms, give advice, book appointments, or direct you to the right service quickly and safely. You can access NHS 111 online or by phone, and it’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 📞✨
Use NHS 111 online: https://111.nhs.uk
Contact NHS 111 by phone: Call 111
26/01/2026
💛 Breastfeeding Peer Support in Tavistock 💛
We’re happy to share details of a local breastfeeding peer support group for new and expectant parents.
Mama to Mama is a free, friendly group open to everyone — whether you’re breastfeeding, bottle feeding, expressing, or just looking for some social support.
📍 Where: Seventy Six, Tavistock High Street
🗓 When: Fridays, 10:00–11:30
Pregnant people are very welcome to come along, meet friendly faces, and see what the group is like before baby arrives. You don’t need to have a feeding issue to attend — many people come along simply for the company and a chat ☕
Peer supporters are available if needed, and support includes:
• Breastfeeding
• Bottle feeding
• Expressing
• Milk storage
• And yes — someone is always happy to hold a baby while mum enjoys a hot drink 💕
Tavistock Breastfeeding Support - for all, including new or expectant mums, combi-feeding and pumping
Fridays 10-11.30am, SeventySix at 76 West St
26/01/2026
Regular exercise plays a vital role in maintaining both physical and mental health, and it does not have to mean spending hours in the gym. Being active can help reduce the risk of long-term conditions, improve mood and boost energy levels, while also supporting independence as we age.
Examples of regular exercise include:
🚴♂️ Brisk walking or cycling to improve heart health
💪 Strength exercises like carrying shopping or resistance training to build muscle
🧘♀️Balance and flexibility activities such as yoga or stretching to reduce falls and stiffness
💙 Low-impact activities like swimming or chair-based exercises, especially later in life
Staying active in ways you enjoy makes it easier to keep exercise as part of everyday life.
Looking after your mental wellbeing is just as important as caring for your physical health. The Better Health – Mind Plan Quiz helps you create a personalised plan with simple, practical actions to support how you’re feeling right now. From managing stress and anxiety to improving sleep and boosting mood, trusted advice and resources can help you take positive steps for your mental health. 💙🧠✨
Cervical Cancer Prevention Week is a reminder of the importance of taking steps to protect your health. Cervical screening helps detect abnormal cells before they can turn into cancer, and attending when invited can save lives.
Understanding the facts, challenging common myths and knowing what to expect from screening can help reduce anxiety and encourage more people to attend. Reliable information and support are available to help you make informed choices about your cervical health. 💗🩺✨
Sinusitis can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as facial pain or pressure, a blocked or runny nose, headaches and reduced sense of smell. While many cases improve on their own, treatments like pain relief, nasal sprays, steam inhalation and self-care can help ease symptoms, and medical advice may be needed if symptoms last longer or worsen. Knowing the signs and treatment options can help you manage sinusitis more effectively and understand when to seek help. 🤧💧🩺✨
During National Obesity Awareness Week, the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme highlights the support available to help people achieve and maintain a healthier weight. This free, online programme is designed for eligible adults and focuses on practical tools for healthier eating, increasing physical activity and making sustainable behaviour changes that last. 🚶♂️💙
Taking part can help improve confidence, boost energy levels and support both physical and mental wellbeing over the long term. Support is flexible, accessible from home and built around real-life routines, making healthier changes more achievable. 🥗✨
You can get oral contraception and emergency contraception directly from participating pharmacies, without needing a prescription or GP appointment. This makes accessing contraception quicker and more convenient, helping you stay in control of your s*xual health. Trained pharmacy teams can offer confidential advice and support to help you choose the right option for you. 💊🩺
Emergency contraception can stop you getting pregnant after unprotected s*x (s*x without contraception or when contraception might have failed). If you need emergency contraception after having unprotected s*x, speak to your local pharmacist as soon as you can. You need to use emergency contraception within 3 to 5 days of having unprotected s*x. ✨
Living well is about taking care of your health in ways that fit into everyday life, and trusted NHS advice can support you at every step. 💙✨
Whether you want to eat a more balanced diet, reach or maintain a healthy weight, move your body more, improve your sleep, quit smoking or cut down on alcohol, there is practical guidance to help you make lasting changes.
Support is also available for addiction and s*xual health, helping you look after both your physical and mental wellbeing. Making small, positive changes today can lead to a healthier, happier future. 🌱💪
Explore NHS Live Well advice on healthy eating, exercise, sleep, addiction and s*xual health: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/
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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.
