Health Screening
Screening involves the detection of the first signs of illness before it has a chance to damage your health. There are a variety of ways in which this is offered at our practice. All of our adult patients are invited to make an appointment with a member of the nursing team for health screening. Checks will be made of your height, weight and blood pressure. The nurse can advise you on diet, exercise, smoking and other aspects of your lifestyle that may affect your health. If necessary they can carry out various blood tests or refer you to the doctor for specific problems. NHS Health Checks are also available to all patients aged between 40 and 74 years of age without a pre-existing condition.
If you have not seen a doctor for a long time, or would like a health screen, please make an appointment in the usual way.
Well Woman Check
These are carried out by our nursing team by appointment only. Please bring a urine specimen and feel free to discuss general health and ask for advice. Mammography (routine x-ray examination of the breasts for women between 47 and 73 years of age) is available in this area. Appointments for the screening centre will be sent to you by post. However, it is a good idea for women of all ages to examine their breasts regularly for lumps. If you are not sure how to do this, a member of our nursing team will be happy to show you and give advice on how to reduce your risk of developing disease. Our Nurses can also offer you help to lose weight and give up smoking. NHS Health Checks are also available to all patients aged between 40 and 74 years of age without a pre-existing condition.
Cervical Smear Tests
Smears are taken either by the doctors or the practice nurse. Smears for women involve a simple quick test to check for changes which occur before cancer develops. These changes can be easily treated in an outpatient clinic and cancer prevented.
We recommend that all women up to the age of 65 should have regular smears unless advised otherwise by the doctor. All patients who are eligible for this test are sent a letter by the Cervical Screening Service.
Your test result will automatically be sent to you by the CSS. (If you do not wish to have any correspondence sent, please make this fact known to the doctor/nurse.)
Well Man Check
These are to be carried out by our nursing team by appointment only. Our Nurses will be pleased to advise you on any aspect of your general health and provide you with information on testicular examination. The Clinic is intended for any male between 16 to 74 years of age. Please bring a urine specimen. The Nurse will also check your height, weight and blood pressure. If you are at particular risk of having heart problems, she will give you advice on how to reduce your risk of developing disease. NHS Health Checks are also available to all patients aged between 40 and 74 years of age without a pre-existing condition.
Contraceptive Services And Family Planning Clinic
The practice offers a full range of family planning care and advice including the fitting of diaphragms (caps), coils (IUCDs), implants and the 'morning after pill' (within 72 hours of intercourse). We prefer you to receive your family planning care at the surgery rather than from a family planning clinic as much of this care is preventative medicine and it makes good sense to receive it from the same doctor who is giving you your general medical care.
If you simply need the contraceptive pill, you can see your doctor or Ruth Morgan, practice nurse, at a normal surgery appointment.
Child Health Clinic
Childhood vaccinations are given at the surgery by our Practice Nurses. To make an appointment please contact the surgery reception.
Developmental Checks And Vaccinations
| Age |
Check |
Carried out by |
| 10 to 14 Days |
New Birth Visit |
The Health Visitor |
| 6 to 8 Weeks |
Developmental Check |
The Health Visitor |
| 6 Weeks |
Developmental Check
Mother's Postnatal Check |
The Doctor |
| 2 Months |
First Injection
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), hepatitis B, Meningococcal group B (MenB) and Rotavirus
|
The Practice Nurse. (To make sure that babies are fully protected, it is important that they have all three injections.) |
| 3 Months |
Second Injection
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, hepatitis B, Pneumococcal and Rotavirus
|
| 4 Months |
Third Injection
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, hepatitis and MenB
|
| 12 Months |
Developmental Check |
Health Visitor |
| 12 Months |
Hib and MenC, Pneumococcal, Measles, mumps and rubella and MenB |
The Practice Nurse. (We recommend that all children aged under 5 years who have not had this injection should be vaccinated soon, even if they have had the Measles or had the Measles vaccination.) |
| 2 & 3 years |
Flu vaccination |
Practice Nurse |
| 27 Months |
Developmental Check |
The Health Visitor (at home) |
| 31/2 to 4 Years |
Pre-school Booster
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio, Measles, mumps and rubella
|
Practice Nurse |
Girls aged
12 to 13 years |
Cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 & 18 and genital warts caused by types 6 and 11 |
School Nurse |
14 years
(school year 9) |
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio & Meningococcal Groups A, C W & Y |
Practice Nurse |
The health visitors run ‘drop in’ child health clinic at various venues across the Bexley Borough and details of these can be found on their website; www.bexley0to19.co.uk. The Health Visiting Service can be contacted on 0300 330 5777 or by email; bromh.bexley0to19@nhs.net
Adult Vaccination And Immunisation
We are committed to preventative medicine and therefore encourage all patients to make sure that their vaccinations are up to date.
All adult vaccination requirements including vaccination for travel abroad (with the exception of Yellow Fever) are carried out by the nursing team. Ideally we require 6 weeks notice for travel vaccines to be administered. We are not obliged to give travel vaccines at short notice and we will not administer travel vaccines to patients giving less than 2 weeks notice. We do not offer travel vaccines to non-registered patients. If we are unable to offer an appointment, patients will be referred to a travel clinic, details of which can be obtained from the internet. All patients are required to complete and return a travel vaccination questionnaire before their appointment date. Patients who do not return a questionnaire may not been seen.
The following travel vaccinations are available at the surgery under the NHS:
- Hepatitis A vaccine
- Combined Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccine
- Typhoid vaccine
- Combined Tetanus, Diphtheria and Polio vaccine
- Cholera vaccine
The following travel vaccinations are available at the surgery on a private basis and prices are available upon enquiry:
- Hepatitis V vaccine
- Hepatitis A and B combined vaccine (Adult and Child)
- Meningitis ACWY135 vaccine
- Rabies vaccine
The following travel vaccinations are not available at the surgery and therefore you will need to source a private travel clinic
- Yellow fever vaccine
- Japanese B encephalitis vaccine
- Tick-borne encephalitis vaccine
Travel Health Questionnaire (DOCX, 21KB)
Complete the travel questionnaire online.
It is especially important that all gardeners are covered against Tetanus. We also recommend that all adults should have a Tetanus booster at least every 10 years. If you have never had a Tetanus injection, it is important for you to have a course of three injections to give you full immunity.
It is also important that patients under the age of 40 (or older, if travelling abroad) make sure that their Polio immunisation is up to date. We recommend a booster dose be administered every 10 years.
Any woman who may be thinking of having children should consider having a blood test to check that she is immune to German Measles (Rubella) before she becomes pregnant, as the result may indicate that a Rubella vaccination is advisable.
Anyone planning holidays abroad should check with us well before they are due to travel (a minimum of two months) in order that we can make sure any necessary vaccinations are completed in time.
An Influenza vaccination is offered completely free of charge to all our patients over 65 years of age and those patients who fall within the ‘at risk’ categories. This is done in September/October every year.
If you have any questions about vaccinations it is better to ask rather than just hope you are protected.
Chronic Disease Management
All patients with chronic illnesses are required to attend the surgery for an annual check. This includes patients with heart disease, asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, blood pressure, diabetes and epilepsy. Even if you are also seen at the hospital for an annual check-up, we may still request that you attend for a review at the surgery in order to complete any outstanding investigations or checks. Our Practice Nurses are trained to assess, review and alter treatments for most ongoing conditions and will be able to complete your review in one visit. They will of course be able to refer you to either your GP or for more specialist care, if they feel this is necessary.
Even if you feel that your condition is well controlled, we kindly request that you do book your review appointment when you are requested to do so, as treatments and care recommendations change over time.
Smoking Cessation
Bexley Stop Smoking Service is available to anyone who wants to stop smoking and who has a Bexley GP. They provide free, friendly and effective practical support as well as offering the full range of evidence-based smoking cessation medications. They also advise on vaping and can direct you to local Vape Shops.
For more information visit www.smokefreebexley.co.uk or call them on 0800 783 2514
Other Services
In addition to those already listed, our nursing team offers various other services. These include cervical smear tests, blood pressure checks, prevention of heart disease and advice regarding losing weight. Our nurses can also advise you on reducing your alcohol intake and giving up smoking.
Patients Over 75 Years Of Age
If you are over 75, you receive special attention and are offered the opportunity to book an appointment with your doctor or our healthcare assistant for an annual check-up. Please book an appointment via the reception staff, stating that it is for an “over 75 check-up”.
Minor Surgery
Certain minor operations will be done at the surgery in order to ease waiting lists at the hospital. These are undertaken by the doctors after an initial consultation in the surgery.&
Non-NHS Medical Services
We provide a number of services to our patients that fall outside the remit of the NHS, such as completion of holiday cancellation forms, private insurance claim forms, fitness to attend gym forms, countersigning documents such as passports and driving licence applications, examinations for HGV and PSV licences, completion of private medical certificates, provision of ‘To whom it may concern’ letters etc. Please note that the GPs do not provide personal references or sign shotgun licence application forms.
These services are provided at the discretion of the GPs on a private basis and are done outside normal consulting hours. A fee will be payable and a list of current private fees is displayed in the waiting room. Our fees are in line with those suggested by the British Medical Association.
All applications for non-NHS medical services require an authorisation form to be completed and signed, which also confirms that you are happy to pay the appropriate fee. Failure to complete and sign an authorisation form will delay provision of the service required.
Whilst the GPs endeavour to complete requests within 10 working days, clinical work must take priority and therefore during busy periods and annual leave periods this timeframe will be extended.
If you are making an appointment for a medical examination, please tell the receptionist as special arrangements must be made.
If you have any queries about fees, please refer them to the practice manager.
Requests for medical certificates, 'To whom it may concern' letters etc can also be requested by email. Please send your request to lyndhurst.surgery@nhs.net.