The Heron Practice - The clinics and other services offered by our doctors surgery

John Scott Health Centre
Green Lanes
London, N4 2NU
Tel: 020 7690 1172

Change of Telephone Number
It is very important that you let us know if you change your telephone number.
You can do this by completing:
* the on line change of details form at the foot of this page
* the change of details form available from reception
Alternatively you can include the details on your repeat prescription request.

GP Registrars
As you may be aware the Heron Practice is a teaching practice.
We currently have Dr Stacey Harrison and Dr Andrew Hogg
undertaking their "in service" placements with us.

Telephone Consultations
Patients who want to discuss health problems with a doctor and feel they don't need to be examined can request a telephone consultation; these can be booked up to 1 week in advance.
Please note these appointments are NOT for general information/advice that can be obtained via NHS Choices or NHS Direct.
Please contact reception to book a telephone consultation or for further information.

Health Charities

01 Dec - 28 Feb
Marie Curie

Marie Curie Cancer Care is a UK charity dedicated to the care of people with terminal cancer and other illnesses. Over the financial year 2010/11, we reached a total of 31,799 patients

01 Dec - 28 Feb
YouthHealthTalk

Youthhealthtalk enables young people, their family and friends, and professionals such as doctors and teachers to understand young people's experiences of health, illness and life in general. The website feature real-life accounts of issues such as effect on work and education, social life and relationships, consulting health professionals and treatment.

03 Sep - 28 Feb
Macmillan Cancer Support

One in three of us will get cancer and it’s the toughest thing most of us will ever face. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, or a loved one has, you’ll want a team of people in your corner supporting you every step of the way. Macmillan provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care.

BBC Health

Time link to sudden cardiac death

How the time of day can increase the risk of dying from an irregular heartbeat has been identified by researchers.

NHS 'will be Cameron's poll tax'

Labour leader Ed Miliband tells David Cameron he risks making NHS reform "his poll tax" - in noisy Commons clashes over the health bill.

Male extinction theory challenged

A new study comparing chromosomes in humans and rhesus monkeys suggests genetic decay of the male sex chromosome has all but ended.

Heart symptoms 'differ in women'

Fewer women than men suffering from a heart attack appear to experience chest pain symptoms, according to a study in the US.

Nurses 'should sign Dignity Code'

Nurses and care workers should sign a Dignity Code guaranteeing that elderly patients are treated with respect, say a group of politicians and charities.

Baby P duo made 'serious errors'

Two of Baby Peter's social workers committed a "serious error of judgement" during an incident which saw him "disappear" for 12 days, a tribunal hears.

US record kidney donor chain ends

The world's largest chain of organ transplants ends in the US after 30 patients received kidneys from living donors.

Diabetes patients miss key tests

More than 1.3 million diabetes patients could be missing out on vital and potentially life-saving health checks, the BBC learns.

Fatal fungal probe awarded £5.1m

Aberdeen researchers are awarded £5.1m to lead an investigation into fungal infections which cause death.

Government 'not trusted on NHS'

Over two-thirds of people do not trust the government's handling of the NHS, a poll commissioned for BBC Radio 5 live suggests.

Health Protection Agency

Update on measles outbreak declared on Merseyside

A measles outbreak has been declared on Merseyside. There are 13 confirmed and 16 suspected cases ranging in age from nine months to adults aged in their 20s. Six people, four children and two adults, required treatment in hospital. This compares to just one confirmed case on Merseyside in the first six weeks of 2011 and one in the corresponding period of 2010.

Measles outbreak declared on Merseyside

Update on Legionnaires’ Cluster Associated with a Hotel in Spain

10 February 2012, 1400hrs. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has this week been alerted by the Spanish public health authorities about a further case of Legionnaires’ Disease in a UK resident who stayed at the Diamante Beach Hotel in Calpe, Costa Blanca, as well as two French cases. This brings the total number of UK residents associated with this cluster to 12, with three deaths.

Development made in breakdown of a Meningitis B vaccine component

Scientists from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) are a step closer to ensuring the stability of a component of a vaccine that may one day be used to protect against Meningitis B. The research is published today (Tuesday) in Vaccine.

Update on Legionnaires’ Cluster Associated with a Hotel in Spain

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is aware of nine cases of Legionnaires’ disease in English holiday makers associated with the Diamante Beach Hotel in Calpe, Costa Blanca since January 2012, in addition to four Spanish cases so far reported. Subsequently two of the English patients are reported to have died from their illness.

Outbreak of Salmonella Newport

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is investigating an outbreak of a strain of Salmonella Newport infection among 30 people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the beginning of December 2011. Cases of illness caused by the same strain have been confirmed in Scotland, Ireland and Germany.

Health Protection Agency confirms new incinerator study

A new study to further extend the evidence base as to whether emissions from modern well run Municipal Waste Incinerators affect human health has been approved by the Health Protection Agency.

HPA helps solve radon problems in West Oxfordshire homes

Hundreds of homes across West Oxfordshire have been found to have high levels of radioactive gas radon. Last summer, the Health Protection Agency invited about 9,000 householders across West Oxfordshire to apply for a free test for radon, a naturally occurring gas present in all homes.

HPA helps solve radon problems in Orkney homes

Hundreds of householders across Orkney are being advised to act to protect their health, after HPA tests detected high levels of radioactive gas radon.

Cornish radon hotspot targeted

Thousands of households in a part of Cornwall with historic radon problems are being offered a free test for levels of the radioactive gas radon.

Clinics & Services

Foreign Travel

Find Services

Ante-natal Clinic

We offer full ante-natal care to all our pregnant patients. Women attending the clinic will be seen by a midwife from the Homerton Hospital or by one of the doctors from the practice. The ante-natal clinic is by appointment only and is held on Tuesdays.

Anti-coagulation Clinic (Warfarin)

Patients who are taking Warfarin tablets can have their blood tested and their dosage adjusted here in the practice rather than go to the hospital. Please ask at reception for details of when the clinics are held.

Baby Clinic

We run a "walk-in" baby clinic on Wednesday mornings 9:00am - 11:00am; during this time you can talk to our health visitor, get your baby weighed and see our Practice Nurse for immunisations. Some longer developmental checks need to be booked in advance with the health visitor.
We offer a 6 week mum and baby check with one of the doctors from the practice; we will write to you with an appointment date when you are due to come in.

Chronic Disease Management

If you suffer from asthma, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, COPD or kidney disease you will be asked to come in for regular checks; it is important that you attend for these. For more information please speak to one of the Practice Nurses.

Contraception Services

We offer most forms of contraception.
The Practice Nurses are able to offer advice on all contraceptive problems and start patients on contraceptive pills. We have a supply of condoms, which are free of charge, for patients. We can also fit coils. Please ask at reception for further information.

Drugs Service

We offer Methadone prescribing in conjunction with the Local Drugs Agency.

Health Care Assistants
Our health care assistants provide a range of services including routine health checks, blood tests, blood pressure checks, lifestyle advice (eg. weight management) and smoking cessation.

You can make an appointment to see the health care assistants via reception.

Obesity and Weight Loss
We provide advice on how to lose weight , which may include the option of medication if appropriate, and ongoing support. Please ask at reception for further details.

Practice Nurses

Our Practice Nurses provide a range of services including chronic disease annual reviews (eg. asthma and diabetes), smear tests, contraception advice, childhood immunisation, smoking cessation, dressings, ear syringing and travel immunisation and advice.

You can make an appointment to see the nurses via reception. In special circumstances the practice nurses may do home visits but home nursing services are normally provided by the district nursing team.

Sexual Health Screening

We provide sexual health advice and are able to offer full screening for sexually transmitted diseases for men and women including HIV testing.

Smoking Cessation

Patients who wish to stop smoking can arrange to start a Smoking Cessation course with our Healthcare Assistants or Practice Nurses. The course lasts for 4 weeks and you would need to be able to attend once a week. Please ask at reception for further details.

If you require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you need to make an appointment with the practice nurse to discuss your travel arrangements. This will include which countries and areas within countries that you are visiting to determine what vaccinations are required. There is further information about countries and vaccinations required on the links below

Europe & Russia	North America
Central America	South America
Carribean	Africa
Middle East	Central Asia
East Asia	Australasia and Pacific

It is important to make this initial appointment as early as possible - at least 6 weeks before you travel - as a second appointment may be required with the practice nurse to actually receive the vaccinations.

We are able to give polio, tetanus, diptheria, typhoid. hepatitis A, meningococcal ACWY and hepatitis B vaccines. We do not charge for these.

We do not offer yellow fever, rabies, japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis or cholera vaccines. Information regarding clinics which offer these vaccines can be obtained from reception; please note these clinics will make a charge for providing this service.

Tablets for malaria prevention are not available on the NHS therefore you will pay the full cost of these. Some can be bought "over the counter" whilst others require a private prescription. The practice charges for issuing private prescriptions; this is in addition to the cost of the medicine.

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Further Information

Patient Group

For quick medical advice online or on the telephone contact NHS Direct

NHS 111 is a new service being introduced to make it easier for you to access local NHS healthcare services