The surgery offers a full range of healthcare advice including specific clinics for:

• Well Persons & Health Screening
• Travel Flu Advice
• Smoking & Stop Smoking Management
• Weight Management Clinic
• Diabetics & Asthma
• COPD
• Antenatal & Postnatal, Family Planning including Cervical Smear
• Baby Clinic
• Minor Surgery

Emergency Contraception
The ‘morning after’ pill is available from the surgery. If the surgery is closed, emergency contraception is also available from the out-of-hours service, walk-in centres and pharmacies. But using a condom is safer and more effective.

Immunisations

The NHS offers a range of immunisations to protect you and your family from potentially serious illnesses. We strongly recommend that you take up the offer and make sure all of your family have had the relevant immunisations. Please talk to a clinician if you have any questions about immunisations.

Childhood Immunisations
Between the ages of 2 months and 3 years 4 months children should have a programme of immunisations to protect against:

Girls aged 12 to 18 are offered the HPV vaccine to protect against cervical cancer later in life – available either through schools or the surgery. This is a new programme; if you think your daughter has missed the vaccine please contact the surgery.

Boys and girls aged 13 to 18 should also have a diphtheria, tetanus and polio booster (whether or not they have had previous immunisations as a child).

Non-routine immunisations
Immunisations to protect against TB and Hepatitis B are offered only where children are considered at high risk.

Adult Immunisations

• Flu vaccine is offered to people over 65, people with certain long-term medical conditions (for example, chronic respiratory and cardiac disease), health and social care workers, and those who work in close contact with poultry. Flu clinics begin in October, patients eligible for the free vaccine will be contacted directly.
• Pneumococcal vaccine is offered to people over 65 and people at higher risk due to other illnesses and medical conditions. The vaccine protects against a range of illnesses such as pneumonia, septicaemia and meningitis, when these are caused by the bacterium Streptococcus Pneumoniae.

Full details are available at: www.immunisation.nhs.uk

Screening

The NHS offers routine screening for some of the most common cancers. Screening can pick up problems early, sometimes even before they develop into cancer. Screening saves lives and we strongly recommend that everyone accepts invitations to screening appointments.

Breast - Women over 50 are invited for breast screening every three years.

Cervical - Women are invited for screening (smear test) from the age of 25. From 25 to 49 screening is every three years. From 50 to 64 it is every five years. After 65 only women who have not been screened since 50 or have had an abnormal screen need to continue.

Bowel - A bowel screening programme operates in Hammersmith and Fulham. Men and women aged 60 to 69 are offered screening. The programme uses a simple self-testing kit which patients use at home and post back for analysis. Results are returned within two weeks.

TB (Tuberculosis) - Not common in the UK but levels of the disease are high in other parts of the world. NHS Hammersmith and Fulham has a new programme to offer TB screening to new residents arriving from countries with high levels of tuberculosis. Information is provided when registering; please ask reception for details.

Vascular Screening - Available to patients aged 40 to 74. The screening involves a series of simple checks including blood pressure and cholesterol plus questions about lifestyle. The aim is to identify people at risk of serious illnesses such as stroke, diabetes, heart disease and offer advice and where appropriate treatment to reduce the risk. If you are over 40 look out for more details or ask your doctor at your next appointment.

Chlamydia - This is a very common sexually transmitted disease – one in ten sexually active young people are believed to have it. There are often no symptoms but if left untreated in can cause infertility and other health problems. Testing is done by a quick urine sample and is free for all 16 to 24 year olds. Treatment is a single tablet of antibiotics. Ask the doctor or practice nurse if you would like a test or visit www.check-kit.org.uk to request a confidential postal testing kit.

Full details are available at: www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk

Ancillary Services

The following services can be contacted through the surgery:

• Health Visitors
• District Nurses
• Community Midwife
• Community Psychiatric Nurse
• Chiropody Services
• Occupational Therapist
• Home Help, Meals on Wheels
• Social Services/Social Workers