This service is for patients who are suffering from joints or muscles pain. If you have a problem that affects your neck, back, joints or muscles you are able to directly see a First Contact Practitioner (FCP) instead of a GP.
What is a First Contact Practitioner (FPC)?
An experienced physiotherapist or osteopath who has the advanced skills necessary to assess, diagnose and recommend appropriate treatment for problems that affect your neck, back, joint or muscles. They act as your first point of contact and offer advice and referrals for further treatment and scans.
Why see FPC instead of a GP?
Around one in five people book to see their doctor with a neck, back, joint or muscle problem, and often have to wait for a GP referral to get access to physiotherapy advice for their conditions. Seeing an FPC gives you the opportunity to see the right person at the right time. The expertise of the FPC means that you will have quicker access to the treatment you need.
To book an appointment with a Fist Contact Practitioner, please speak to reception on 020 8675 3521.
FCP can help with the following symptoms/conditions:
- Pain affecting the neck, jaw (TMJ), back, ribs, hips, knees, ankles, feet, shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands
- Muscle, ligament, tendon, cartilage (meniscus) and bursitis injuries
- Headaches due to musculoskeletal causes (neck problems commonly cause headaches)
- Postural problems
- Physical conditioning advice including core training and shoulder conditioning etc.
- Pregnancy related musculoskeletal pain
- Common conditions including sciatica, trapped nerves, ‘slipped’/herniated/prolapsed discs, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, osteoarthritis/arthritis/’wear & tear’, planter fasciitis, shoulder impingement, repetitive strain, frozen shoulder, bunions
- Spine care advice
- Rehab advice/exercise prescription
- Prehab advice/exercise prescription (physical conditioning prior to surgery)
- Assessment of movement patterns – what patterns people use to bend/lift etc.
- Musculoskeletal MOTs e.g. does someone have sufficient mobility and stability to overhead press etc. and are their joints healthy and so on.
Clinical Pharmacist Services
Our Clinical Pharmacist is qualified expert in medicines and can help patients in a range of ways. This includes carrying out structured medication reviews with ongoing health problems and improve patient safety, outcomes and value through a person-centred approach.
Service provided:
- Checks if bloods tests are required for monitoring/ form printing and checks results when received.
- Medication reviews and queries
- Health checks
- Reviews medications changes following hospital letter
- Deals with discharge summaries and dosette boxes/changes
- Blood pressure monitoring
To book an appointment with a Clinical Pharmacist, please speak to reception on 020 8675 3521.
Social Prescriber (SP) is a new role to General Practice. The Social Prescriber gives people time, focusing on ‘what matters to me’ and taking a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. They connect people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. Social Prescriber also works for wide range of people, including people:
- With one or more long-term conditions
- Who need support with their mental health
- Who are lonely or isolated
- Who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing
- Help patients find local support services such as community groups and charities for people to go to.
- Helps patients with; addiction support, anti-social behaviour, anxiety/stress, befriending, cleanliness/hygiene, coping with chronic illness, disability support, employment advice, fall prevention, financial & benefits advice, garden/property maintenance, hoarding, life skills development, loneliness and isolation, low confidence, motivation for learning, personal development, physical inactivity, post cancer support, post stroke support, prevention of chronic disease, property/housing support, social isolation, volunteering and weight reduction.
To receive this support, please ask your GP to refer you to Social Prescriber.
Health Visitors Services
The Health Visitors at Thurleigh Road Practice are nurses based in Falcon Road (next to the sexual health services, inside the same building). At present they do not have space in their to see patients and therefore, it’s either at home or on Zoom calls.
Their working hours are from 9am to 5pm. However, during the Covid time they are available for telephone consultation and are not visiting at the weekends and will offer telephone call or Zoom call on Saturday and Sundays.
Their contact number is 03300 581 679 (Please be patient with this number as there is only one admin staff and one health visitor covering whole of Wandsworth and Richmond area). However, you are able to leave a message and the team will return your call as soon as they can.
Following checks are available for children:
- The new birth contact at about day 10-14. It used to be a home visit, but now its a Zoom call or a home visit.
- The MMR at 6-7 weeks maternal mood assessment via Zoom call or a telephone call.
No further checks are offered even in non-Covid times until baby is 1 year old and then 2 years. These are being carried out by Zoom call on universal babies. Home visits will be discretionary.
- The one and two year reviews have not been carried out in Thurleigh Road Practice for the past 2 years. Its just the baby clinic at Thurleigh Road, which at presently is not available. Reviews take about 40 minutes as they are detailed. These were carried out at children centres for the space. They will go back there eventually. Mums at present are receiving Zoom call by the nursery nurse. Mother will be sent a questionnaire pre Zoom call. If nursery nurse have any concerns, she will refer them to the health visitors team.
Health visitors can advice on the following;
- Height and Weight Checks
- Gives support and advice to Mother and Baby
- One Year Review Checks – one of our Administrators will contact parents directly and about booking this appointment.
- Advice on Health and Wellbeing
- Development Assessments
- Advice on Infant Feeding/weaning
- Behaviour including sleep
Community Based Midwifery Team
Where you live will determine which team of midwives you will see for your pregnancy. At your booking appointment you will be told which team you will be seen by.
Topaz and the Balham Team
This team is based at 162 St John’s Therapy Centre and they can be contacted on 020 8812 4159.
The team covers the area of Balham which fall under Wandsworth Borough.
Topaz Battersea
The Topaz Battersea Team Midwives are based at Antrim House, Stormont Road, London SW11 5EG.
They can be contacted on 020 8812 6312.
Further information about your pregnancy:
Screening tests:
Screening test for you and your baby
RFM leaflet Mar 2019 2 (Tommys)
Physical activity for pregnant women
Information about giving birth:
Induction of Labour Information
Information for after your baby is born:
District Nurses Services
District nursing provides nursing assessments and care for elderly, housebound patients with a physical healthcare need. They see patients at home and in residential care settings.
The service supports and encourages people with disabilities and long-term conditions to recover their health, cope with health problems, and achieve the best possible quality of independent life.
They can be contacted on 020 7441 0703.
Mental Health Practitioner Services
Wandsworth Primary Care Plus (PCP) provides a dedicated Mental Health Practitioner at the Practice who can offer our patients on going holistic support through:
- Physical health monitoring
- Providing psyschoeducation to both patient and their support network
- Identify warning signs and triggers of relapse
- Creating clear crisis management plans
- Signposting patients to other supportive local services or agencies
- Identify training, voluntary or employment opportunities
- Promote and support your ongoing recover through goal setting
- Enhance your social life and aim to reduce social isolation.
- Liaison with other agencies (community, housing, etc,)
- Depot treatment reviews (annually)
- Support with the annual mental health review
- Give assistance with physical health monitoring (weight & diabetes management, hypertension, smoking cessation, etc.)
- Provide support for identified carers
Access to this service is via a referral from a GP.
Smoking Cessation Clinic
In response to COVID -19, at present these clinics are running online.
We run a Smoking Cessation clinic every Tuesday evening, which is run by a dedicated smoking advisor. An appointment can be booked by contracting Reception team on 020 8675 3521.