Social prescribing is a service that enables staff in primary care to support their patient’s wellbeing through non-medical “prescriptions”. As link workers they will spend time with each patient, to focus on listening to them, understanding what’s important to them at the moment and explore together what could help support them with the issues they are facing.

Examples of reasons for referral are:

• Mental health issues.
• Managing long term conditions.
• Weight management.
• Social needs, and more.

Link workers adopt a holistic approach and most often the conversation does not remain on one issue. I think it’s powerful for patients to be able to voice their concerns and hear them said out loud, it enables thought processes and can help boost the confidence needed to be able to tackle things one step at a time.

This service is provided via our Primary Care Network through Enable.

What is Health and Wellbeing Coaching?

Health and Wellbeing Coaching is a service that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. It supports people to change behaviours and lead healthier lifestyles.

Who is Health and Wellbeing Coaching for?

Health and wellbeing coaching is here to support people to make lifestyle changes. You may benefit from seeing a health and wellbeing coach if you:

• Would like to make changes in areas such as diet, physical activity, exercise, sleep or stress
• Would like support with a long-term health condition, whether that be new or existing

What will the sessions involve?

Your health and wellbeing coach will offer up to 6 sessions which can take place in your GP practice or over the phone. Your coach will work with you to understand what your health and wellbeing goals are and together you can decide which areas you would like to discuss.

Over the course of the sessions with your coach you will explore why you would like to change your behaviours. You will discuss what matters to you most and discover how you would like to achieve your goals based on your lifestyle and values.

Mental health is incredibly important. If you have any concerns about your mental health or someone else’s mental health, the MIND website and the NHS: Mental health offer lots of useful information.

If this does not answer your concern or you feel that it would be an appropriate next step, please book an appointment with one of our doctors.

If it is an urgent issue, you can request an urgent appointment when we are open. Alternatively, call 111 if we are shut. We are not able to respond as quickly as emergency services, and so if you are concerned that it is an emergency, call 999.

Our doctors, nurses or other healthcare professionals are trained to support people with mental health issues. We work closely with services from charities, Talk Wandsworth and our local specialist mental health teams to support our patients. We also have a member of Wandsworth Community Drug and Alcohol Service who attends the practice weekly to support any of our patients who would like help with regard to their use of alcohol or recreational drugs.

If you have had an invite to book in for your annual review appointments, please call the surgery or come to the practice to arrange these. When you do so, please let the member of staff you are speaking with know that this is the reason you are calling or have come in.

This will allow us to make sure the right appointments are booked for you and hopefully save you having to come back more than is needed.

You will be invited for annual review appointments if you have one or more of the following conditions:

• Asthma
• Atrial Fibrillation
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease (COPD)
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Heart Failure
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
• Ischaemic Heart Disease
• Learning Disability
• Previous stroke or mini-stroke (also known as a transient ischaemic attack, TIA)
• Psychotic illness
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Schizophrenia

We will usually invite you for a review around the month of your birthday. Please do contact the practice if you would like to be invited at another time of the year. We are aware that we are a bit out of schedule following COVID, so please bear with us as we try to catch up even if that means your review comes a little earlier or later than expected this year.

Some people will need an initial appointment with one of Health Care Assistants or Nurses, for example to take blood tests or check your weight. You will then be booked in for a review appointment at least 1 week later with one of our team to go through these results and discuss how you are getting on. If you do not need any initial monitoring checks, you will be booked directly in with one of our team to discuss your chronic condition.

If you have asthma or COPD we may send you a questionnaire via SMS or email for you to complete prior to your appointment.

If you have other medical issues that you wish to discuss that are not related to your long term health conditions, it may be best to book a further follow up appointment as the review appointment is set up to review your long term health conditions.

Our doctors and nurses provide a full range of contraceptive services, including coil fitting, depot injections and implants. We offer a symptom based sexual health service for both men and women.

We can test for sexually transmitted diseases in surgery using simple non-invasive tests. We are part of the national chlamydia screening programme for 16 to 24 year olds.

We are currently not commissioned to do routine sexual health screens. You will need to go to local Sexual Health clinics for these.

Oral Contraception

The most popular form of contraception is still the pill. We like to check all new patients to whom we prescribe the pill, taking a full history and measuring blood pressure.

We take the opportunity to do a cervical smear and chlamydia test as appropriate. We follow up after three or six months. If the pill is well tolerated, we only need to check you every year.

Condoms

We cannot prescribe condoms on the NHS. You can buy them from chemists or obtain them free from family planning clinics.

Coil Fitting

We are fitting more and more intra-uterine devices these days, especially Mirena and Kyleena, the progesterone-releasing coils. Please make an appointment to discuss the coil.

If you decide to have one fitted, you will need a coil fitting appointment with Dr Lucas and a nurse, at the appropriate time in your cycle. Please remember to take a painkiller before you come for the fitting, as the procedure can be uncomfortable and give some period like cramps afterwards.

Cap Fitting

We can fit you with a contraceptive diaphragm, or ‘cap’, and teach you how to use it. Nuva ring and Evra. We can also offer the new vaginal ring which is the equivalent of the combined pill and the contraceptive patch if other methods don’t suit.

Injectable Contraception

We offer three monthly progesterone injections, which provide very reliable contraception. They are particularly suitable for people with high blood pressure, people who are likely to forget the pill, and people who don’t want a coil.

Contraceptive Implant

Dr Lucas and Dr Carter offer Nexplanon progesterone implants, which provide very reliable contraception. They are particularly suitable for people with high blood pressure, people who are likely to forget the pill, and people who don’t want a coil. They last 3 years.

The times when you are trying to become pregnant, have lost a pregnancy, are pregnant or have recently given birth are incredibly important and can be overwhelming or and very difficult. We want to support people in these times, please do contact us if you have any particular concerns.

Trying to Conceive

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/trying-for-a-baby/trying-to-get-pregnant/ has up to date information about trying to conceive and when to contact us at the practice.

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Care During Pregnancy

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/finding-out/ has up to date information regarding what important information when you first find out that you are pregnant and what you should do.

Information about the care you can expect to receive during pregnancy can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/your-pregnancy-care/your-antenatal-care/. The best way to book your pregnancy care appointments is directly with the hospital where you would like your midwives to be based.

Our nearest hospitals are:

• St George’s Hospital, Blackshaw Rd, London SW17 0QT

Refer yourself at: https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/pregnancy-referral-form/

• Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Rd, London SW10 9NH.

Refer yourself at: https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/services/maternity/self-refer-online/maternity-self-referral

• Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7EH

Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT

Refer yourself at: https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/our-services/maternity-care-during-pregnancy/antenatal-appointments

Most of your care will be given by the midwife teams at the hospitals.

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Pregnancy Loss, Miscarriage and Stillbirth

Pregnancy loss is sadly very common and is never easy. People will often feel sad, and potentially shocked, guilty or angry. It is common to feel tired, lose appetite and have trouble sleeping. We want to support you, please do contact us to book an appointment to access support through our Practice.

Pregnancy during the first 23 weeks of pregnancy is called a miscarriage. You can find more information about this at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/miscarriage/.

The Miscarriage Association is the largest UK charity supporting people who have experienced miscarriage. Their website has lots of useful information and advice and tells you how to access the support they offer. https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/

Pregnancy loss after 23 weeks of pregnancy is called stillbirth. You can find more information about this at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stillbirth/.

Sands is the largest UK charity supporting people affected by stillbirth or the death of a baby. Their website has lots of information and tells you how to access the support they offer. https://www.sands.org.uk/.

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Care After Giving Birth

You will be supported by midwives and health visitors after birth.

There is also lots of good information:

• About how to care for a newborn baby: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/
• About what to do if you are concerned your child is unwell: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/health/ 

In addition, we carry out the following checks:

• NHS 6 week postnatal check. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/support-and-services/your-6-week-postnatal-check/
• 8 week baby check. We try to book this the same day as their first vaccinations.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/babys-development/height-weight-and-reviews/baby-reviews

https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations

How to Chase a Hospital Appointment or Referral

Sometimes you may get referred for an appointment with a service based at a hospital or other provider. This is usually done through an electronic system called the NHS E-Referral service (previously called Choose and Book).

You can manage your referral online using the Manage Your Referral website. This website allows you to book, change, and cancel appointments online without help from practice. You can also use the NHS App.

If you are having difficulty using either of these services, or you would like assistance finding out more information regarding your referral, please either fill in our online consultation form, Monday to Friday from 6am to 5:30pm, or call our reception team on 020 7622 9295. Our reception is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 6:30pm.

Patient Choice

My Planned Care NHS (www.myplannedcare.nhs.uk) is an NHS website which has been designed to support patients who are being referred for out-patient services and provides waiting times which are updated weekly. Some patients may wish to use this service to help decide who they would like to be referred to. If you would like to be referred to a specific hospital or outpatient provider, please let your doctor know or inform the reception team so they can manage your referral accordingly.

• Please complete our online request form, the medical query form is the most appropriate form for this
• Phone or visit the surgery from 8am to 6.30pm

You can give our team specific details about who you would like to see and why. Our team may be able to do the referral without any additional information.

They may request further information, including potentially booking you for a telephone or face to face appointment if this is needed.

Self-Referrals

Minor Illnesses – Pharmacy First:

Find a pharmacy at https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy.

Most pharmacies are now able to provide assessment and treatment for 7 common minor conditions. The conditions treated are:

• Ear infections (people aged 1-17 years)
• Impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
• Infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
• Shingles (aged 18 years and over)
• Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
• Sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (women aged 16-64 years)

You can attend the pharmacy without speaking with us. They will be able to see you and start treatment if this is appropriate.

Minor Injuries:

• Queen Mary’s Hospital Roehampton – you can call and book an appointment with an emergency practitioner. They can dress wounds, assess burns, do X-Rays to look for fractures, and deal with any other minor injury. Enhanced Primary Care Hub at Queen Mary’s – St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Mental Health:

• Talking Therapy – https://www.talkwandsworth.nhs.uk/
• Digital Mental Wellbeing Support– https://www.good-thinking.uk/
• Battersea Youth Clinic (Age 11-24) – https://lhgp.org.uk/navigator/book-an-appointment-with-our-youth-link-worker/
• Youth Counselling (Age 11-18) https://www.catch-22.org.uk/services/wandsworth-young-peoples-health-agency/
• Wandsworth Bereavement Service – https://www.wandsworthbereavement.org.uk/

Musculoskeletal:

• Online Physiotherapy Programme – https://app.getubetter.com/request-access/1/19ca14e7ea6328a42e0eb13d585e4c22

Pregnancy:

• Antenatal Chelsea and Westminster self-referral – https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/services/maternity/self-refer-online/maternity-self-referral
• St Thomas’ Hospital Antenatal self-referral – https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/GSTTMaternityReferral/
• St George’s Antenatal self-referral – https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/pregnancy-referral-form/

Carers:

• Wandsworth Carers – https://carerswandsworth.org.uk/for-professionals/referrals/

Weight Management:

• Wandsworth Weight Management Service – https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/public-health/your-health/healthy-lifestyle/weight-management-groups-and-support/. Email health@wandsworth.gov.uk

Drug and Alcohol Support:

• Wandsworth Drug & Alcohol Service – http://www.wcdas.com/

Smoking Cessation:

• London ‘Stop Smoking’ Service – https://stopsmokinglondon.com/
• Wandsworth ‘Stop Smoking’ Team – email StopSmokingteam@wandsworth.gov.uk

Sexual health:

• Sexual Health London – for home testing kits and a map of all clinics in London – https://www.shl.uk/
• Falcon Road SW11 – https://shswl.nhs.uk/clinic-locations/falcon-road
• Dean Street W1 – https://www.shl.uk/clinic/56-dean-street

Getting your test results

Once a doctor has reviewed your test results, you can access them:

• in your NHS account (through the NHS website or NHS App)
• by calling the surgery on 020 7622 9295 between 2pm-4pm. Please note test results are confidential and will only be given to the patient, unless previously agreed with the patient’s consent.

Questions about your results

If you would like to discuss your test results in more detail, please fill in our online request form. We will book an appointment with the person who requested the tests wherever possible.

If you’ve been off sick for more than 7 days

To request a sick note:

• Please complete our online request form
• Phone or visit the surgery from 8am to 6.30pm

If you’ve been off sick for less than 7 days

• You do not need a doctors’ sick note (‘fit note’).
• You should fill in a ‘self-certification’ form yourself when you return to work.

Find out more about sick notes on the NHS website.