Services

Antenatal care is the care and help you receive from health professionals during the course of your pregnancy. It is important you take good care of your own health and that of your unborn baby during pregnancy.

As soon as you find out you are pregnant, you should get in touch with us to find out more information on the services and support that are available to you.

For more information, please visit the following websites:

• Pregnancy Week-By-Week
• NHS Pregnancy Guide

We hold clinics to diagnose and to help patients to manage their asthma or COPD.

We like to see all our patients who have been diagnosed with these conditions at least once a year, depending on the severity of your condition, we may invite you to come to the clinic more often in order to ensure we give you the care you require.

Our Asthma and COPD Clinics are held by our practice Pharmacists and Nurses during surgery opening hours. Please phone the surgery to make an appointment.

Breast screening is offered to women aged 50 to 70 to detect early signs of breast cancer. Women over 70 can self-refer.

Anyone registered with a GP as female will automatically be invited for NHS breast screening every 3 years between the ages of 50 to 71. You will get a letter in the post inviting you.

If you are 71 or over you will not automatically be invited but you can still have breast screening every 3 years if you want to. You will need to call your local breast screening service to ask for an appointment.

Learn more about Breast Screenings

How do I contact the Breast Screening Service?

Visit the London Breast Screening website for further information and contact details

What happens at your appointment

NHS breast screening video: what happens during a mammogram

Information in other formats

• Breast screening: helping women decide in English and other languages
• Breast screening easy guide - information for people with learning disabilities, people with low levels of literacy and non-English speakers

The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme checks if you could have bowel cancer. The earlier cancer is found, the more effective treatment is likely to be.

Bowel screening is offered to everyone aged 54 to 74 years (50 to 74 by 2025) every 2 years.

If you’re 75 or over, you can ask for a kit every 2 years by phoning the free bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 60 60.

Learn more about Bowel Cancer Screenings

How to do a bowel screening test

If I have symptoms

Always see a GP if you have symptoms of bowel cancer at any age, even if you have recently completed an NHS bowel cancer screening test kit. Do not wait to have a screening test.

See symptoms of Bowel Cancer

Cervical screening, also known as a smear test, checks for abnormal (pre-cancerous) cells in the cervix to prevent cervical cancer. The cervix is the entrance to the womb from the vagina.

Women aged 25 to 49 should have cervical screening every three years. Women aged 50 to 64 should have it every five years, or more often if results show abnormal changes.

The screening is quick and painless and can be done at the Holland Park Surgery.

Cervical screening does not test for cancer. Instead, it checks the health of the cervix cells. Most women will have normal results, but about 1 in 20 will show some abnormal changes.

Most of these changes won't lead to cervical cancer. Often, the cells may return to normal on their own. However, some abnormal cells need treatment to prevent them from becoming cancerous.

Our nurses are trained to perform cervical screening and cervical smears.

When you are due a smear test you will be invited in, via letter, email or SMS.

Please make an appointment when you are not menstruating, or day 1-4 of your cycle.

These appointments usually take about 15 minutes. For more information or to book an appointment, please call the surgery.

If you are aged over 24 and never had a smear test, or it has been more than 3 to 5 years since your last screening, please call 020 7221 4334 to make an appointment with our practice nurse.

Learn more about cervical screening

One of the most important things that a parent can do for their child is to make sure that they have all their routine chilldhood vaccinations. It is the most effective way of keeping them protected against infection diseases.

Ideally kids should have their vaccines at the right age to protect them as early as possible and minimise the risk of infection. We can not do vaccines earlier than they are due.

Our nursing team vaccinates all our children and they are skilled in this area.

If you have any questions or queries regarding vaccinations please do make a telephone appointment with one of them and they will happily discuss it with you.

Learn more about vaccinations on the NHS website

My child has been fully vaccinated in another country why do they need any more vaccinations?

Many of our patients have lived abroad. Vaccination schedules can vary between different countries. This is because patters of disease and the number of people who have it can vary from place to place so the level of risk if different depending on where you are.

This might sound complicated. Don't worry, we are here to help. When you register your child, we will need their vaccine history, and our highly experienced nurses will be able to tell you in your child will need additional catch up immunisations to them in line with the UK Schedule.

BCG vaccination

We dont do the BCG vaccine at Grand Union Health Centre. You will need to book via the following details:

• Phone Number: 0208 214 1380
• Email: vul.london.bcg@nhs.net

Vaccines For Risk Groups

People who fall into certain risk groups may be offered extra vaccines. These include vaccinations against diseases such as hepatitis B, tuberculosis (TB), seasonal flu and chickenpox. See the NHS Choices pages on vaccines for adults to find out whether you should have one.

Contraception is free for most people in the UK. With 15 methods to choose from, you'll find one that suits you.

Contraceptive methods allow you to choose when and if you want to have a baby, but they don’t protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms help to protect against STIs and pregnancy, so whatever other method of contraception you're using to prevent pregnancy, use condoms as well to protect your and your partner’s health.

Learn more about getting contraception

Our family planning clinics offer free, confidential advice and information about contraception and sexual health.

We provide a range of services including:

• Confidential advice about contraception
• The combined oral contraceptive pill
• The Progestogen-only pill
• Progestogen injections
• Limited supplies of free condoms
• Free emergency contraception
• Confidential advice about STIs
• Cervical screening
• Unplanned pregnancy advice
• Free pregnancy tests
• Pre-conception advice and fertility awareness information
• Fitting and checking of caps, diaphragms, and coils (intrauterine devices, or IUDs)

Please book an appointment with your GP to discuss any of the above in more detail.

NHS: Everything you need to know about pregnancy

The NHS offers free flu and Covid vaccines to those at greater risk of serious illness.

Vaccines are our best protection against flu and Covid. Over the last few years, they have kept tens of thousands of people out of hospital and helped to save countless lives.

Who can get the vaccines?

The flu and Covid vaccinations are available to people who:

• are aged 65 or over
• have certain health conditions
• are pregnant
• live with someone who has a weakened immune system
• are a carer
• are a frontline health or social care worker
• live in a care home.

Most children can get the children's flu vaccine. This includes children aged 2 to 3 years, school-aged children (Reception to year 11) and children with certain health condition.

How to get the Covid vaccine

If you're eligible for the Covid vaccine, you can:

• Contact the Practice (to check for availability at our local Enhanced Access Hubs, St Charles and Violet Melchett)
• Book a vaccination appointment online
• Via the NHS App
• Calling 119
• Find a walk-in Covid vaccine service at some local pharmacies

How to get the flu vaccine

If you're eligible for an NHS flu vaccine, you can get your vaccine from:

• Your GP surgery
• A pharmacy that offers NHS flu vaccination (if you're aged 18 or over)
• Some maternity services (if you're pregnant)

You do not have to wait for an invitation before booking an appointment.

Get more information on your winter vaccines on the NHS website.

What we do

As your GP surgery we play a significant role in managing your long-term condition. We believe in working with you and specialists in the community to provide holistic, personal, and high-quality care.

Long term conditions or chronic diseases are conditions for which there is currently no cure, and that are managed with drugs and other treatments.

All patients with a long-term condition should have an annual review (or ‘health MOT’). The first part of this is with a health care assistant or a nurse. At this appointment we will take a blood sample, check your blood pressure, and update other health data.

A GP will review your results, looking at your medical history and medications, and consider how together we could improve your health/management of your LTC. This may include health advice, medication changes or referrals to a community service.

Your second contact with us will be to share and discuss the GP's recommendations with you. This appointment will also be with a healthcare assistant or a nurse. If you have more than one long term condition, we aim to make this second appointment with a nurse or GP.

Self referral

You can self refer yourself directly to the antenatal clinics at St Marys Hospital, Queen Charlottes Hospital, Chelses and Westminster Hospital and UCLH without seeing a GP or nurse.

Learn more about maternity self referral

Certain small surgical operations can be performed at the surgery. With minor surgery the recovery time is usually short and you will be back to your usual activities fairly quickly (depending on your procedure).

Before attending for minor surgery you will need to see a doctor for the diagnosis and then you will be given an appointment to attend for your procedure.

Working together to improve your health

The NHS Health Check is a free check for those aged between 40 and 74 without any pre-existing conditions. We aim to invite all those who are eligible to have a NHS Health Check to book an appointment once every 5 years.

Everyone is at risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and some forms of dementia. The good news is that these conditions can often be prevented – even if you have a history of them in your family. Have your free NHS Health Check and you will be better prepared for the future and be able to take steps to maintain or improve your health.

Find out more about NHS Health Checks

We have a team of nurses who can help you with:

• Family Planning
• Asthma
• COPD
• Diabetes
• Baby Immunisations
• Wound management
• Travel Immunisations
• Smear Tests

Postnatal care extends for between 6 to 8 weeks after the birth of your baby. During this period, routine checks are carried out by the health visitor and you and your baby’s recovery is monitored.

During your postnatal care you will find out about feeding, potty training, illnesses, safety and more. You will be able to ask your health visitor questions and request advice.

If you are planning to have a baby or you need to know more information about how to look after yourself and your unborn baby, please book an appointment with your GP.

We can provide you with all the information you need to know to have a happy and healthy pregnancy.

NHS Resources

• Before you try to get pregnant
• Everything you need to know about pregnancy
• Pregnancy Care Planner
• See how your baby will develop
• Work out your due date

A range of sexual health services are offered at the surgery including:

• Contraception and contraception advice
• Emergency contraception and emergency contraception advice
• Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhoea and genital warts
• Testing and counselling for HIV and AIDS

For full sexual health screening we refer to the Jefferiss Wing at St Marys Hospital. Imperial College and 56 Dean Street.

If you need advice and support with a sexual health matter or you think you have a problem you would like to discuss, please call the surgery to make an appointment with your GP.

Sexual health services are freely available for everyone.

External Websites

• Family Planning Association: Sexual Health Advice
• British Pregnancy Advisory Service

If you require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you need to make an appointment with the practice nurse to discuss your travel arrangements.

Visit our Travel Information page to learn more

Warfarin is a drug which can prevent life threatening conditions. However, it can be dangerous if people taking it are not monitored regularly and advised which dose to take. Recent changes have been made to the way we prescribe it.

When a patient requests a prescription for warfarin, the doctor must check that the necessary monitoring has been carried out. We can no longer prescribe warfarin "as directed" and the specific dose must be stated on the prescription.

Nurse led Warfarin clinics

We run Health Care Assistant led warfarin clinics for patients who are already classed as being stable on the drug. The nursess are supervised by a GP who leads this in the practice. Patients are booked in with the nurse at regular intervals and their blood levels are checked to ensure they can safely continue taking the blood thinning agents.