Blood Tests

The way patients get blood tests are changing from the NEW DATE of 24th August 2023.

Patients will now need to go onto the swiftque app and book an appointment at Gracefield Gardens or Guys and St Thomas's hospital to have their blood tests done. This is no longer a walk in service.

You must speak with a GP before hand so they can give you the correct form to take with you to your appointment.

Please use the link below to see further information.

Swiftque patient information

Flu Vaccines

We can confirm we have now received our Flu Vaccines for this season. For those patients who are eligible, you will receive a text from the practice in the upcoming weeks where patients will be able to book their appointments with us at the surgery online.

We believe as a practice it is important for patients to have their Annual Flu Vaccine so we have made many appointments available.

Please contact the surgery before the end of March to book your Flu Vaccine!

Nursing Services

We provide full nursing services including cervical smears, childhood immunisations, flu jabs, diabetes and asthma/COPD checks.

Child Health

Dr Holman holds a weekly clinic for babies 6-8 week checks only. These are booked by appointment only.

Community Child Health clinics are held at:

Clapham Manor Health Centre on Tuesdays 09:30-11:30am

Contraceptive Advice

Confidential contraceptive advice is available, regardless of age, and is given by the practice nurse or GP’s. 

Emergency postcoital contraception is available, up to 120 hours after unprotected sex by hormonal methods, or 5 days by fitting IUCD (coil).

Click here for more information

• http://www.fpa.org.uk/helpandadvice/contraception/emergencycontraception
• http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/emergency-contraception/Pages/Introduction.aspx

An appointment will always be made for you as necessary. We can refer for termination of pregnancy, where appropriate, regardless of age. We can also give details of specialist contraceptive services.

Well Person

This is an opportunity to have a health promotion check and discuss lifestyle, run by a practice nurse.

Mental Health

We are able to refer to community mental health services within the area. We also work closely with a number of services offering support and treatment for people with drug or alcohol problems, and now have a weekly specialist clinic on Wednesdays offering advice for any drug or alcohol problems. Ask at reception for an appointment.

Our NHS counselling service is provided by the Awareness Centre www.theawarenesscentre.com . The Awareness Centre provides counselling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, psychology and psychosexual and relationship therapy. They work with individuals, couples, families and groups

Useful Mental Health website: http://www.mentalhealthcare.org.uk/ 

Diabetes

The practice provides diabetes checkups for all those affected by, or have a family history of diabetes. We are fortunate to be supported by the Lambeth Diabetes Intermediate Care Teamto support the practice.

For more information on diabetes click here

• http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Diabetes/Pages/Diabetes.aspx
• http://www.diabetes.org.uk/

If you are keen for a check up, then please book an appointment for blood tests and then a second appointment with the nurse or a GP to get the results.

Local Services Finder

You can find other local services via the link below

Find services near you - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Other Services

We have dedicated services for people with asthma, COPD, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and hypertension.

We also provide an enhanced service for people with addictions, and for people with learning difficulties.

Self Referral through getUBetter:

The Lambeth MSK app (powered by getUBetter) is provided free of charge by

Lambeth CCG for patients registered at Hetherington Group Practice. It can be accessed on a Smartphone or on the Web and guides you day-by-day through a sequence of exercises and tips to help you get better from a range of new or recurrent musculoskeletal conditions:
• Lower back pain
• Back and leg pain
• Neck Pain
• Shoulder Pain
• Ankle Pain
• Knee Pain
• Soft Tissue Lower Limb
• Hip

You will be referred to the app by one of our GPs or Physio, or you can self-register by clicking on this link https://app.getubetter.com/request-access/1/d709f38ef758b5066ef31b18039b8ce5 or the app image Please use an email address that is unique to you and select the condition you need help to manage. You will then be sent an email with all the information you need to get started.

You can download the getUBetter app to your Smartphone for easiest access. If you develop another condition select your new condition from within the app and it will be added to your account. The app will also connect you to your local; treatment, healthcare providers or
support services if needed like Physiotherapy.

Non NHS Services

The NHS may not cover certain things; for instance, visitors from abroad may not always be eligible for free treatment (although emergencies are always covered). We can also provide certain services outside the NHS, such as LGV or Taxi medicals, insurance examinations, for which a fee is payable. Our charges for these are listed in reception and attached. We do not countersign passports. Private Fees

Travel Vaccinations

2024 UPDATE - WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY OFFERING TRAVEL VACCINATIONS AT THE SURGERY.

We provide travel vaccinations to our registered patients.

Please contact us at least 5-6 weeks prior to your trip where possible as some vaccinations require multiple appointments and time to become effective.

You can find information on www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk about your travel health and vaccinations

Vaccine charges

The following travel vaccinations are usually available free on the NHS:

• Diphtheria, polio and tetanus (combined booster)
• Typhoid
• Hepatitis A – including when combined with typhoid or hepatitis B
• Cholera

These vaccines are usually free because they protect against diseases thought to represent the greatest risk to public health if they were brought into the country.

For other travel vaccinations please enquire at reception regarding prices as these prices are subject to change depending on changes in purchase costs.

Here are some other resources you may find helpful when planning your travels:

www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk information on vaccinations and advice on travel.

www.ehic.org.uk request a European Health Insurance Card for free emergency care within the EU.

www.fco.gov.uk the FCO provide current safety advice on travelling to other countries from the UK.

NHS Lambeth CCG no longer supports the routine prescribing of malaria prevention or the routine prescribing of the following vaccinations for travel abroad.

• hepatitis B vaccine (monovalent vaccine and combination vaccine with hepatitis A)
• meningitis ACWY135 vaccine
• yellow fever vaccine
• Japanese B encephalitis vaccine
• tick-borne encephalitis vaccine
• rabies vaccine

Please refer to the travel health web pages for patients and position statements.

Travel health http://www.lambethccg.nhs.uk/your-health/keeping-well/Pages/Travel-health.aspx 

• Position Statement for Prescribing Malaria Prevention Medicines on the NHS for Travel Abroad
• Position Statement for Prescribing Selected Vaccines on the NHS for Travel Abroad

Europe & Russia	North America
Central America	South America
Caribbean	Africa
Middle East	Central Asia
East Asia	Australasia and Pacific

Patient self referrals

My Community Directory is now offering patients to be able to self referral to services in your area. You can use the following link below to see what is available to you.

MyCommunity Directory

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

Chargeable Non NHS Services

Why do GPs charge fees? Your questions answered.

Isn't the NHS supposed to be free?

The National Health Service provides most health care to most people free of charge, but there are exceptions.

Prescription charges have existed since 1951, and there are a number of other services for which fees are charged.

Sometimes the charge is made to cover some of the cost of treatment, for example, dental fees.

In other cases it is because the service is not covered by the NHS, for example, medical reports for insurance companies, claim forms for referral for private care and other letters and forms which require the doctor to review the patient's medical records.

Surely the doctor is being paid anyway?

It is important to understand that GPs are not employed by the NHS, they are self employed, and they have to cover their costs - staff, buildings, heating, lighting etc - in the same way as any small business.

The NHS pays the doctor for specific NHS work, but for non-NHS work the fee has to cover the doctor's costs.

What is covered by the NHS and what is not?

The government's contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients.

In recent years, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a whole range of non-medical work.

Sometimes the only reason that GPs are asked is because they are in a position of trust in the community, or because an insurance company or employer wants to be sure that information provided is true and accurate.

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge are:

• Travel fees, Certificates and Forms
• Full Medical Examination & Reports
• Copies of Medical Records

Why does it sometimes take my GP a long time to complete my form?

Time spent completing forms and preparing reports takes the GP away from the medical care of his/her patients. Most GPs have a very heavy workload and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time.

I only need the doctor's signature - what is the problem?

When a doctor signs a certificate or completes a report, it is a condition of remaining on the Medical Register that they only sign what they know to be true. Therefore, in order to complete even the simplest of forms, the doctor needs to check the patient's entire medical record. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor, with the General Medical Council or even the Police. At Hetherington Group Practice we are unable to sign passport application forms.

What will I be charged?

The BMA recommends that GPs tell patients in advance if they will be charged, and how much. It is up to the individual practice to decide how much to charge, but the BMA produces lists of suggested fees for the Doctors to use as a guideline.

What can I do to help?

You can complete the form to the best of your ability in pencil, so the doctor just has to quickly verify your entries against the information we hold.

Do not expect your GP to process forms overnight, urgent requests may mean that a doctor has to make special arrangements to process the form quickly, and this will cost more.

Test Results

When you take your test your doctor or nurse will tell you how long it will be before the results are returned to the practice this can usually take up to 5-7 working days. The GP will usually book you a future appointment with your to discuss the results. Alternatively you can ask reception to pre-book you a telephone consultation with the GP for when your results are back.

Note that the practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection and we will only release test results to the person to whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission for the release of this data or they are not capable of understanding the results.

It is your responsibility to check your results and to make an appointment to discuss them with your doctor if your are advised to do so.

Blood Tests

A blood test is when a sample of blood is taken for testing in a laboratory. Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of medical test. For example, a blood test can be used to:

• assess your general state of health
• confirm the presence of a bacterial or viral infection
• see how well certain organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are functioning

A blood test usually involves the phlebotomist taking a blood sample from a blood vessel in your arm. and the usual place for a sample is the inside of the elbow or wrist, where the veins are relatively close to the surface. Blood samples from children are most commonly taken from the back of the hand. The child's hand will be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.

You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.

X-Ray

An X-ray is a widely used diagnostic test to examine the inside of the body. X-rays are a very effective way of detecting problems with bones, such as fractures. They can also often identify problems with soft tissue, such as pneumonia or breast cancer.

If you have a X-ray, you will be asked to lie on a table or stand against a surface so that the part of your body being X-rayed is between the X-ray tube and the photographic plate.

An X-ray is usually carried out by a radiographer, a healthcare professional who specialises in using imaging technology, such as X-rays and ultrasound scanners.

You can find out more about x-ray tests, how they are performed, their function and the risks by visiting the NHS Choices website.

Treatment Access Policy

This policy deals with treatment & procedures - if a procedure is not listed then it is not commissioned and not available.

Treatment Access Policy