Services

FAMILY PLANNINGMATERNITYCHILD HEALTH
ADULT IMMUNISATIONSMINOR SURGERYCOUNSELLING
NURSE SERVICESSPOKEN LANGUAGESBLOOD TESTS
STOP SMOKINGMANAGING MOODS

FAMILY PLANNING AND WELL WOMAN CLINICS
Any of the nurses or doctors can advise you about methods of contraception. You will need to be seen before we can prescribe contraception or book a coil fitting. Diaphragms are fitted by nurses.
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MATERNITY
If you are planning a pregnancy, please make an appointment to see the nurse for health advice. We usually provide shared care with your hospital. You can see your doctor in a normal surgery for ante-natal and post-natal checks, or see a midwife at Balham Health Centre. To make an appointment with the midwife, phone 020 8725 2536 at either 9.00am or 3.00pm. Our Health Visitors have information on parent classes.
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BABY CLINICS AND CHILD HEALTH
Baby clinics are held by the health visitors at the following times:
1.30pm - 3.30pm Monday and Wednesday
9.30am - 11.30am Tuesday and Wednesday
These clinics are by appointment only.
One of our doctors is also there on Wednesdays for developmental checks. Your Health Visitor will tell you when these are due. If your baby is ill, please make an appointment to see the doctor during normal surgery hours.
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ADULT IMMUNISATIONS
These are mostly free and are given by the nurses. For travel vaccinations it is best to start 6 weeks before leaving the country. We recommend tetanus boosters every ten years. We can also give yellow fever immunisation, if necessary which costs £40. (Prices subject to change)
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MINOR SURGERY
Sara Moloney (Practice Nurse) does minor surgery here for skin problems such as warts, moles and skin tags. You will need to see one of the doctors first, before booking for the minor surgery clinic. Treatment is quick and easy.
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STRESS MANAGEMENT AND COUNSELLING
We have a team of 2 Psychologists based at the surgery. Please ask your doctor about arranging to see one of them.
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HOW THE NURSES CAN HELP YOU
Our nurses have clinics throughout the day, offering many services, some of which are listed here. If you would like to see any of them please make an appointment with reception. They are available from 08.00 to 6.30pm on weekdays. There is also a Saturday Nurse Clinic from 09.20 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. The receptionist will need to know which type of clinic you wish to attend.

  • Regular health checks for men and women.
  • Regular checks for people with diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure.
  • Advice on stopping smoking.
  • Advice on avoiding heart disease.
  • Advice on healthy diet / weight reduction.
  • Pre-pregnancy advice.
  • Nursing procedures such as dressings, removing stitches, injections and ear syringing.
  • Family planning and contraception.
  • Smears.
  • Emergency Contraception (Morning-after pill).
If you are newly registered with us please make an appointment to see the Health Care Assistant as soon as possible, to let us know about any illnesses you may have had, and also so that we can give you a general health check.

We recommend that all patients have a health check at least every 3 years, more often for certain conditions. Just make an appointment to see the Health Care Assistant.

If you are over 75 you should have a check up every year. Please make an appointment with one of the nurses.
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SPOKEN LANGUAGES
For patients whose main language is not English, the following languages are offered by the surgery.
  • Punjabi - Dr Chana, Daksha Makhecha (Health Care Assistant)
  • Spanish - Dr Swanne, Dr Fernandez
  • Gujarati - Dr Patel, Daksha Makhecha
  • Urdu - Daksha Makhecha
  • Swahili - Daksha Makhecha
Three days prior notification is required to use this service.
Please let the receptionist know when booking an appointment including the language required.
If you speak any other language apart from the list above and also require a translator, please let a receptionist know.
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WHERE TO GO FOR BLOOD TESTS
If you are asked to bring in a specimen please do so before 11:30am Mon - Fri. as they are collected and taken to St. Georges Hospital, Tooting.
If the doctor asks you to have a blood test you can go to any of the following clinics:

St George’s Hospital – Tooting Broadway:
Monday to Friday from 8:40am – 5:00pm in Lanesborough Wing. No appointment is necessary.

Bolingbroke Hospital – Bolingbroke Grove, Wandsworth Common:
Monday to Friday from 9:00am – 1pm. No appointment is necessary.

Balham Health Centre – 120 Bedford Hill:
Monday to Friday from 8:30am – 12:30pm. No appointment is necessary.

If you have been asked to go FASTING, you need to attend in the morning, having had nothing to eat from midnight the night before. You may have a drink of water on the morning of the blood test, but not tea, coffee, fruit juice etc.
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STOP SMOKING
Balham Park Surgery has a smoking cessation counsellor who has been trained and assessed as competent to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of addiction prevention in general practice.
  • Screen routinely and accurately for substance misuse.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of popular drug misuse and their possible impact on smoking cessation therapy.
  • Demonstrate knowledge, skill and competence in screening, assessment and appropriate intervention with smokers.
  • Use carbon monoxide monitor and explain results to patient.
  • Demonstrate clinical understanding and appropriate prescribing of nicotine replacement products.
  • Demonstrate the rationale for and safe prescribing of bupropion/zyban.
  • Demonstrate a working knowledge of brief intervention techniques, i.e., motivational interviewing and relapse prevention.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate onward referral to specialist services.
HOW TO ACCESS THE SERVICE
Patients may self refer to our in-house service by booking an initial 30 minute appointment via reception.
Clinicians are keen to promote this and other stop smoking services and our patients are encouraged to ask about support we can provide if appropriate to them.
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MANAGING MOODS
fed up? fretful?
depressed? nervous?
worried? anxious?
Are you troubled by a low mood you can’t shake off? Do you find you don’t get as much pleasure out of life as you used to? Do you find it difficult to relax? You may be suffering from mild depression or anxiety. Ask your GP about joining the Managing Moods group.
Managing Moods
The Managing Moods group will be run by a psychology team in Balham Park surgery, starting in February. The group will meet every Wednesday from
5:00 – 6:30 pm for 10 weeks. This is a free service.
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