Vaccinations

We offer a range of clinics and services here at Green Street Green Medical Centre for all your vaccination needs and advice.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine

Please click here for more information

Childhood Immunisations

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

Ideally, children should have their jabs at the right age to protect them as early as possible and minimise the risk of infection.

Find out which jabs your child needs, when they need them, and what the benefits of each jab are.

Please call the surgery to make an appointment.

For more information please visit the websites below:

Useful links

NHS Choice – Vaccinations for you and your family

Flu Immunisation

Seasonal flu is a highly infectious illness caused by a flu virus.

The virus infects your lungs and upper airways, causing a sudden high temperature and general aches and pains.

You could also lose your appetite, feel nauseous and have a dry cough. Symptoms can last for up to a week.

We offer ‘at risk’ groups the flu vaccine at a certain time each year to protect you against the flu virus.

You may be invited for a flu jab if you are:

  • over 50 years of age
  • pregnant

or have:

  • a serious heart or chest complaint, including asthma
  • serious kidney disease
  • diabetes
  • lowered immunity due to disease or treatment such as steroid medication or cancer treatment
  • if you have ever had a stroke
  • If you have any queries please contact the surgery.

For more information please visit the websites below:

Useful links

Pneumococcal Vaccine

The pneumococcal vaccine (or ‘pneumo jab’ or pneumonia vaccine as it’s also known) protects against pneumococcal infections.

Pneumococcal infections are caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae and can lead to pneumonia, septicaemia (a kind of blood poisoning) and meningitis.

Read more about why the pneumococcal vaccination is needed.

Who should have the pneumococcal vaccine?

A pneumococcal infection can affect anyone. However, some people need the pneumococcal vaccination because they are at higher risk of complications. These include:

  • all children under the age of two
  • adults aged 65 or over
  • children and adults with certain long-term health conditions, such as a serious heart or kidney condition

Read more about who should have the pneumo jab.

How often is the pneumococcal vaccine given?

Babies receive the pneumococcal vaccine as three separate injections, at 2 months, 4 months and 12-13 months.

People over-65 only need a single pneumococcal vaccination which will protect for life. It is not given annually like the flu jab.

People with a long term health condition may need just a single one-off pneumococcal vaccination or five-yearly vaccination depending on their underlying health problem.

Travel Vaccinations

Please see our dedicated Travel clinic Page

NHS Health Checks

Working together to improve your health

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.

Visit NHS Choices – Health Checks for further information.

Why do I need an NHS Health Check?

We know that your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and dementia increases with age. There are also certain things that will put you at even greater risk. These are:

  • being overweight
  • being physically inactive
  • not eating healthily
  • smoking
  • drinking too much alcohol
  • high blood pressure
  • high cholesterol

Both men and women can develop these conditions, and having once could increase your risk of developing another in the future.

  • In the brain a blocked artery or a bleed can cause a stroke.
  • In the heart a blocked artery can cause a heart attack or angina.
  • The kidneys can be damaged by high blood pressure or diabetes, causing chronic kidney disease and increasing your risk of having a heart attack.
  • Being overweight and physically inactive can lead to type 2 diabetes.
  • If unrecognised or unmanaged, type 2 diabetes could increase your risk of further health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease and stroke.

What happens at the check?

  • This check is to assess your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and stroke.
  • The check will take about 20–30 minutes.
  • You’ll be asked some simple questions. For example, about your family history and choices which may put your health at risk
  • We’ll record your height, weight, age, sex, and ethnicity.
  • We’ll take your blood pressure.
  • We’ll do a simple blood test to check your cholesterol level.

What happens after the check?

  • We will discuss how you can reduce your risk and stay healthy
  • You’ll be taken through your results and told what they mean. Some people may be asked to return at a later date for their results.
  • You’ll be given personalised advice on how to lower your risk and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
  • Some people with raised blood pressure will have their kidneys checked through a blood test.
  • Some people may need to have another blood test to check for type 2 diabetes. Your health professional will be able to tell you more.
  • Treatment or medication may be prescribed to help you maintain your health.

Questions you may have

Why do I need this check? I feel fine!

The NHS Health Check helps to identify potential risks early. By having this check and following the advice of your health professional, you improve your chances of living a healthier life.

But don’t these conditions run in the family?

If you have a history of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, or kidney disease in your family then you may be more at risk. Taking action now can help you to prevent the onset of these conditions.

I know what I’m doing wrong. How can the doctor help me?

If you would like help, we will work with you to find ways to eat healthily, reach your healthy weight, be more active, cut down your drinking, or stop smoking.

If I am assessed as being at ‘low risk’, does this mean I won’t develop these conditions?

It is impossible to say that someone will or won’t go on to develop one of these conditions. But taking action now can help you lower your potential risk.

Will everyone has this check?

This check is part of a national scheme to help prevent the onset of these health problems. Everyone between the ages of 40 and 74 who has not been diagnosed with the conditions mentioned will be invited for a check once every five years. If you are outside the age range and concerned about your health, you should contact your GP.

Minor Surgery

We are able to provide a comprehensive range of Minor Surgery procedures, most of which are performed with local anaesthesia.

An initial assessment by your Doctor will clarify what can be done and full information given to you so that you are able to ask any questions and fully understand what will be done and how it will be done.

You should only book a Minor Surgery Appointment on instruction from your doctor after a consultation.

NHS Physio services – self refer

Self-refer to NHS Physiotherapy services

You can now self-refer for Physio services if you are 16 years or older. Your doctor may ask you to self-refer after seeing you for various musculoskeletal problems.

You can contact Vita Health Physio group by phoning them on 01689 887710 or by completing an online form. Their website contains lots of advice and useful information while you are awaiting an appointment.

Special clinics available at the Medical Centre

If you would like to book one of these clinics, please contact us on 01689 850012.

Diabetic Clinic

If you suffer from Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes (Type 2) – that is diabetes controlled by diet alone or tablets, you are eligible to attend our Practice Diabetic Clinic. This is run by Nicky Whatley our Practice Nurse and supervised by Dr Peter Barker, who has a special interest in Diabetes. Patients on our Diabetes Register are sent an invitation to attend by the Medical Centre – usually annually. If you wish to check that you are on our Diabetes register please contact Reception. If you have diabetes that requires Insulin you would normally be under hospital follow up although some patients are now being discharged to general practice.

Remember also that FLU vaccination is recommended for all Diabetic patients and is available from September each year. Pneumonia vaccination is also recommended but this is a once-only vaccination in your adult lifetime.

Asthma & Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Clinics

These are run by one of our Practice Nurses – Shirley Edwards. Please feel free to make a appointment with her for a review of your Asthma or COPD. We encourage all asthmatics to see either their GP or our Practice Nurse at least once a year for a review.

Remember also that FLU vaccination is recommended for all Asthmatic patients and is available from September each year.

Travel Clinic

Well Woman/Well Man Clinics

These clinics are run by our Practice Nurses or Health Care Assistants who provide advice about a healthy lifestyle. They may offer a blood pressure check, urine tests and cholesterol tests. For women, cervical smears and breast awareness and for men advice about prostate cancer and testicular self-examination . We also run a special smoking Cessation Clinic to help you give up smoking.

NHS Health Checks

NHS Health Checks are now being offered to eligible patients aged between 40 and 74 with no pre-existing medical conditions. You will be contacted by the Medical Centre to arrange an appointment or feel free to ring and make one yourself.

Sexual Health & Contraception

Please see our dedicated Sexual Health pages

NHS Counselling services – Self refer

Counselling

NHS Counselling services within Bromley are provided by ‘Talk Together’. If you would like support from Talk together Bromley you can refer yourself either by calling 0300 003 3000 or completing an online self-referral form. See also the Talk Together Bromley website. Your GP may also sign-post you here after a consultation.

Please note that the Talk Together Bromley is for adults only (18 years+). For children and young people there is a separate service – Bromley Y (Bromley Community Wellbeing Service for Children and Young People) to which young people can refer themselves (or by their parents).

Travel Clinic

We can provide current information on vaccination requirements and administer most vaccines for the more common destinations at the Medical Centre.

To provide a comprehensive assessment of your needs we need you to provide certain information about yourself and your proposed trip.  Please complete an travel form for each traveller this includes children, these are available to collect from reception. We appreciate that this form does ask a lot of information but this will speed up the process of booking your vaccination appointments.

Non-urgent advice: Please note

Please contact Reception a minimum of 5 days after you return it to the Medical Centre.

We can then advise about necessary vaccinations and antimalarials. A full course of treatment can take up to 8 weeks so give as much notice as possible, preferably between 6-8 weeks ahead of your journey. If your trip is ‘last minute’ there may not be time to complete all the necessary vaccinations but we will advise you accordingly.

If you are travelling to multiple destinations for more than 4 weeks please contact us first before completing a travel form, provide a contact number and one of our nurses will telephone you to discuss further. You can either contact us by phone on 01689 850012 or you may find it much easier online by using our online consultation service from the home page

We suggest all travellers visit the NaTHNac travel website. This is commissioned by Public Health England and is an excellent resource which provides advice about vaccinations for the country you are visiting as well as a whole host of general travel advice. Use the ‘Country Information’ tab to see requirements for the country you are visiting. It may be that you don’t need any vaccinations if  your journey is within Europe and/or to one of the popular holiday destinations.

Most vaccinations are provided free of charge on the NHS but some special cases are outside these arrangements and you will have to pay a fee. This includes anti-malarial medication and certain vaccines such as Hepatitis B, Yellow Fever and Japanese B Encephalitis. If you require some of the rarer vaccinations you may need to visit a commercial Travel clinic. There are several available locally. We will advise you.

Our Travel Clinic is only available to patients who are registered at the Medical Centre.