Senior Health

Nursing Services

If you would like to see our nurses please make an appointment at reception or call the surgery on 020 8542 5201.  

Our practice nurses are able to deal with:

• Baby Immunisations - appointments bookable at reception.
• Children's Immunisations
• Adult Immunisations
• Cervical smear tests
• Well woman advice and checks
• Asthma treatment and advice
• Diabetic checks and advice 
• Travel vaccinations - the practice is an approved and accredited yellow fever centre. (Please note that fees are payable for some travel vaccinations.)
• Removal of stitches
• Ear syringing
• Dressings
• Blood pressure checks
• General health checks
• Dietary and other health advice
• Chlamydia Screening
• Quit Smoking advice

Sister McCandlish is also approved as a specialist practitioner. She provides minor illness appointments and is able to prescribe a range of drugs and medications.

Travel Advice

Our practice nurses will be pleased to give advice to those patients going abroad. The practice is a registered and approved yellow fever centre. Ideally travel vaccinations should be given at least six weeks prior to the date of travel. Please note that charges apply in relation to certain travel vaccinations.

Before You Go
Well before travelling abroad you should check with your travel agent or the tourist office/embassy of the country you intend to visit on any special precautions you may need to take. Any vaccinations can be given by the Practice Nurses.  Please note that vaccinations should ideally be given at least six weeks before departure. Pack a small first aid kit containing adhesive dressings, insect repellent, antiseptic cream and water purification tablets etc.

When Abroad
Check on the quality of the drinking water. If in doubt either drink only bottled water or use water purification tablets. Avoid ice in drinks as this may well have been made from suspect water. Raw vegetables, salads and fresh fruits should be carefully washed in clean water. If in doubt stick to freshly cooked food. Beware of the sun! Use a high factor sunscreen particularly in the first few days of exposure. 
Children in particular should be closely monitored in this respect. In hot climates, drink plenty of non-alcoholic drinks. If you are not passing water regularly you are not
drinking enough.

On Your Return
If you fall ill, don't forget to tell your doctor that you have travelled abroad. If you have received treatment abroad, advise your own doctor on your return. When donating blood, tell the transfusion staff which countries you have visited.

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Immunisations for Adults

Adults

Every 10 years Tetanus booster (up to a maximum of five injections and sometimes following a tetanus-prone injury).

If you have never been immunised against tetanus please arrange a primary course of injections with the nurse.  

The MMR vaccine can be given to non-immune adults and should be considered for those in long-term institutional care who may not have developed immunity.

Students

Entry into college, university or other centres for further education provides an opportunity to check the individual's immunisation history.  Students who have not received vaccination against measles and rubella with or without mumps vaccination, should be offered MMR vaccination, and are eligible for a Meningitis C vaccine.

Flu Vaccinations

The Department of Health now recommends that people aged 65 and over, and younger people in certain at risk groups – asthma, chronic bronchitis, heart problems, diabetes, kidney disease, neurological and degenerative disease– should be vaccinated for influenza each year.

They also recommend Pneumonia vaccination for all patients over 65 and younger people in certain at risk groups. This injection is a once-only dose of vaccine which can be given at the same time as the Influenza vaccine