Interpreting Service

An interpreting service is available free of charge for patients using GP and NHS Hospital Services in England. This includes interpreting for people who are deaf or deaf/blind.

We do not allow children to act as interpreters during your treatment or appointments. 

A member of the Team from the Practice or the Hospital Department dealing with your treatment or appointment will arrange the interpreter. To make sure we can support you effectively we need you to do certain things so please do let us know you need interpreting help as soon as possible. Preferably, this should be as soon as you make an appointment with your GP.

  • If you are going into Hospital, contact the Ward or Department to let them know you need an interpreter, as soon as you receive your hospital appointment. You may need a friend or relative who speaks English to tell us that you need an interpreter, the first time.
  • Be sure to let us know if you will not be coming for your appointment or treatment. If you do not tell us you might stop another patient getting the help they need.
  • Be sure to tell us if you will be late for your appointment or treatment. Another patient somewhere else might need the interpreter. If you are late the next patient might miss their appointment or not get the help they need.
  • Let us know if you have had any problems with communication during your appointment or treatment. This will help us improve the service.
  • Tell us if communication was good. This also helps us provide a good service.

Female Health

Cervical Screening Test

Cervical screening is a method of preventing cervical cancer by detecting abnormal cells in the cervix (lower part of the womb). Cervical screening is not a test for cancer, but it is a test to check the health of the cervix. Most women’s test results show that everything is normal. But for one in 20 women, the test will show some changes in the cells of the cervix. Most of these changes will not lead to cervical cancer and the cells will go back to normal on their own. In some cases, the abnormal cells need to be treated to prevent them becoming a problem later.

All your questions answered about cervical screening!

Useful Links 

HPV Vaccination

Since September 2008 there has been a national programme to vaccinate girls aged 12-13 against human papilloma virus (HPV). There is also a three-year catch up campaign that will offer the HPV vaccine (also known as the cervical cancer jab) to 13-18 year old girls. 
The programme is delivered largely through secondary schools, and consists of three injections that are given over a six-month period. In the UK, more than 1.4 million doses have been given since the vaccination programme started.

Human papilloma virus (HPV)

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the name of a family of viruses that affect the skin and the moist membranes that line your body, such as those in your cervix, anus, mouth and throat. These membranes are called the mucosa. 
There are more than 100 different types of HPV viruses, with about 40 types affecting the genital area. These are classed as high risk and low risk.

What HPV Infection Can do

Infection with some types of HPV can cause abnormal tissue growth and other changes to cells, which can lead to cervical cancer. Infection with other forms of HPV can also cause genital warts. Other types of HPV infection can cause minor problems, such as common skin warts and verrucas. Around 30 types of HPV are transmitted through sexual contact, including those that can cause cervical cancer and genital warts. Genital warts are the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK. HPV infection is also linked to vaginal cancer and vulval cancer, although both are rare conditions. 

Useful Links

Contraception

We provide coil insertion and cap fitting by special appointment.

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 do not protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms help to protect against STIs and pregnancy, so whatever other method you are using to prevent pregnancy, use condoms as well to protect you and your partener’s health.

The Methods of Contraception

There are lots of methods to choose from, so don’t be put off if the first thing you use isn’t quite right for you; you can try another. You can read about each of the different methods of contraception by visiting these pages:

Free NHS Health Checks

NHS Health Checks for Patients Aged 40 – 74 Years old

Please use the link below for details regarding the Free NHS Health Check to see if you qualify, or ask a member of our team. If you would like to book an appointment please contact our reception team who will be happy to help. Please be aware that you must have your blood test at least one week before you book your appointment for your health check.

Stop Smoking

Useful Link: Smokefree

NHS Free Smoking Helpline 0800 022 4332

7 days a week. 7am to 11pm. Here to help you!

The NHS have produced “Smoke-free”, a dedicated service to inform everyone of the dangers of smoking, the benefits to giving up and how they can help you kick the habit.

QUIT
QUIT is the independent charity whose aim is to save lives by helping smokers to stop. Smokers wanting to QUIT should call 0800 00 22 00 or email stopsmoking@quit.org.uk for free, individual, same-day advice from our trained counsellors. 

  • NHS Stop Smoking Tracker – This desktop application will help you to stop smoking successfully by providing a 30-day course of daily messages, information and tips straight to your computer. 

Eating Well & Exercise

You don’t have to spend lots of money to eat well. Watch this video to see dietitian Azmina Govindji explain how you can eat healthily for less.

Useful Links: NHS – Good Food Guide 
Information on a healthy diet and ways to make it work for you.

BBC Healthy Living – Nutrition 
A good diet is central to overall good health, but which are the best foods to include in your meals, and which ones are best avoided? This section looks at the facts, to help you make realistic, informed choices.

Change for Life

These days, ‘modern life’ can mean that we’re a lot less active. With so many opportunities to watch TV or play computer games, and with so much convenience and fast food available, we don’t move about as much, or eat as well as we used to. Which means that 9 out of 10 kids today could grow up with dangerous amounts of fat in their bodies. This can cause life-threatening diseases like cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease – so it’s really important that we do something about it.

Click here to visit their website

Smoking Cessation

The Speedwell Practice runs a Smoking Cessation service by appointment only. Please ask to speak to one of our Healthcare Assistants. For more information on how to quit read ‘Stop Smoking” in the Wellbeing section.

Hypertension

There are 2 ways of checking your blood pressure:

  1. In the waiting room there is a self-service blood pressure machine that you can use; write your readings down on the available form and hand it into reception for the clinicians’ attention.
  2. Book a routine appointment with our Healthcare Assistant.

Remember to check your blood pressure whilst you are waiting to be seen by the doctor or the nurse.

Diabetic Clinic

We offer our patients regular Diabetes reviews in the One Stop Shop. From 2021 you will be invited to one of our morning appointments with a Healthcare Assistant who will do your foot check, take your bloods and blood pressure, all in a single appointment.

We believe this change allows us to look and care for our patients in the best way.

For more information about Diabetes please use the link below.

Post Natal Checks

Mum and Baby

We offer routine mum and baby checks 8 weeks after the birth. One of our Administrators will contact you to book an appointment with a Doctor and Nurse on the same day for your child’s 1st set of immunisations.

If you haven’t heard by the time when baby is 5 weeks old, please contact the reception on 020 8445 7587.

Child Immunisation 

Here is the updated list of vaccinations that are routinely offered to children in the UK for free on the NHS. This schedule shows the new changes that are being implemented from June 2013.   

If a vaccine is given when a baby still has antibodies to the disease, the antibodies can stop the vaccine working. This is why routine childhood immunisations do not start until a baby is two months old, after the antibodies a baby gets from its mother have stopped working. This is also why it is important for parents to stick to the immunisation schedule, as a delay can leave a baby unprotected. A delay can increase the chance of adverse reactions to some vaccines, such as pertussis (whooping cough).

Here’s a checklist of the vaccines that are routinely offered to everyone in the UK for free on the NHS, and the ages at which they should ideally be given     

Vaccination Checklist 

Here’s a checklist of the vaccines that are routinely offered to everyone in the UK for free on the NHS, and the age at which you should ideally have them. 

2 Months: 

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib, a bacterial infection that can cause severe pneumonia or meningitis in young children) given as a 5-in-1 single jab known as DTaP/IPV/Hib 
  • Pneumococcal infection 

3 Months: 

  • 5-in-1, second dose (DTaP/IPV/Hib) 
  • Meningitis C 

4 Months: 

  • 5-in-1, third dose (DTaP/IPV/Hib) 
  • Pneumococcal infection, second dose 
  • Meningitis C, second dose 

Between 12 and 13 Months: 

  • Meningitis C, third dose 
  • Hib, fourth dose (Hib/MenC given as a single jab) 
  • MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), given as a single jab 
  • Pneumococcal infection, third dose 

3 Years and 4 Months, or Soon After: 

  • MMR second jab
  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio (DtaP/IPV), given as a 4-in-1 pre-school booster 

Around 12-13 years: 

  • Cervical cancer (HPV) vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer (girls only): three jabs given within six months 

Around 13-18 years: 

  • Diphtheria, tetanus and polio booster (Td/IPV), given as a single jab 

June 2013:   Men C – Booster dose previously given at 4m now given at 13-18y            

Rotavirus – Minimum age 6w, Maximum age for 1st dose 14w6d. Not to be started in infants 15w. Not for infants over 24w.

Further Reading 

There are some excellent websites that will answer all your questions and queries about immunisation and vaccination.  www.immunisation.nhs.uk 

The most comprehensive, up-to-date and accurate source of information on vaccines, disease and immunisation in the UK. If you are worried about giving the MMR vaccine, you should access the MMR site. www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Vaccines/MMR 

This website has been put together to answer any questions you might have about MMR. You can look for information and resources in the MMR library, ask an expert panel a question, and read up on the latest news stories relating to MMR.