General Information
The Building
The practice moved into its current premises in 2007. It is purpose built in the heart of Pimlico and is on the ground and first floors with a lift connecting them. It is modern, bright and attractive and we have tried to make the waiting areas spacious and interesting. Throughout the building there are 14 original artworks which have been loaned to us from Paintings in Hospitals (PiH), a charity linked to the Royal Academy. We have the current works on display for the next few years but may change them from time to time. We also have a large fish tank in the waiting area on the first floor which we try and keep well stocked.
On the ground floor there is a children’s play area with stacks of books for all ages and several boxes of toys as well as the very popular chalk board. The ground floor reception area is divided into a front area with tables and chairs and window seats and a quieter back area with more comfortable arm chairs and low coffee style tables. There are two W.C.s , one disabled with a nappy changing facility, in the ground floor waiting area on the left hand side as you enter through the main entrance. There is also a large group room for meetings and educational events for patients, staff and local residents to use.
The main consulting rooms come off the waiting room on the ground floor and the treatment rooms are on the first floor. Each room is numbered with rooms 1-10 on the ground floor and 11 – 15 upstairs. Our administrative offices are also upstairs on the first floor. Everything is labelled clearly but if you have a problem please don’t hesitate to ask at reception.
Pram and Buggy Park
Please leave children’s prams and buggies in the designated area under the main stairs next to the lift or take them in the lift up to the first floor waiting area if necessary.
Suggestions and Complaints
The practice has a complaints procedure which can be viewed by clicking
here.
Please click here to view our Practice removal from NHS list policy
If you have any suggestions for improving our services, please let us know in writing to our Practice Manager. These can be handed in to reception or posted through the letter box.
Patient Survey
Every year we carry out a patient survey asking over three hundred patients questions about the reception and treatment they have received. The results of the survey and an action plan for changes are available on the website via the link below as well as being posted up on the notice boards for a few weeks after the results have been formulated. Please ask at reception if you would like a copy.
Test Results
Please telephone the surgery after 9.30 am for results of blood tests or x rays as the phone lines are less busy. The results are usually available 5-7 days after the tests have been taken.
Specimen pots are available at reception if needed.
Home Visits
If you are housebound or too ill to visit the surgery we will arrange for you to be visited by one of the doctors or district nurses. Please try and phone the surgery before 10 am with a home visit request and the duty doctor for the day will call you back to discuss your symptoms before visiting. It is always preferable to try and come down to the surgery if possible as there are better facilities and equipment.
Arrival System
To avoid queuing at reception we have an automatic patient arrival system for patient use. Please use the touchpad located to the left of the reception desk and the clinician will automatically know that you are in the waiting room. You will then be called to your consultation via the various monitors in the waiting areas. You can also register your arrival at the main reception desk.
Translation Services
We are very lucky to have an excellent interpretation service. If this is required please let the receptionist know that you require an interpreter at the time of booking an appointment. We have doctors who are able to speak French, Hindi, Gujarati, Cantonese and Vietnamese working in the practice.
Out of Hours Service
If you need medical services outside the practice working hours you need to telephone the surgery number and your call will automatically be transferred to the local out of hours service who will arrange for you to be contacted by a doctor. The service will give you telephone advice, arrange a prescription at a local pharmacy, arrange for you to be visited by a doctor or arrange for you to be seen at a nearby location. The service also lets Victoria Medical Centre know about your illness the following day.
You may also contact NHS Direct for advice on 08454647 or www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk.
The nearest walk in centre is the Victoria Walk In Centre and is open from 7am to 7 pm
www.victoriawalkincentre.co.uk
In life threatening emergencies, always call 999 for an ambulance immediately.
Medical Records
We are registered under the Data Protection Act and your records are treated confidentially at all times.
If for any reason you would like to look at your medical records, please contact us in writing. We will then make an appointment for you to look at your notes with a member of the practice team. We can also provide copies of your notes from our computer system though we will make a small charge for this.
Under the Freedom of Information Act you have a right to see your health records written after November 1st 1991, subject to any limitations in the law.
Repeat Prescription
If you are on regular medication when you join the surgery, you will need to see a doctor for your first prescription. After that your repeat prescriptions can be requested in writing, or by fax or by e mail via the website. Please allow 2 working days in order to process your prescription. We do not accept telephone requests for repeat prescriptions. For most medicines, it is our policy to provide no more than 3 months supply at a time on an NHS prescription. To order online please request a unique reference number from our reception staff.
We can arrange for your prescription to be given to a local pharmacy of your choice so that you can collect your medicine directly from there. If you are housebound we can also arrange for one of our local pharmacies to deliver your medication to your home. We can send your prescription to you if you provide us with a stamped addressed envelope.
There are some medicines that we do not offer repeat prescriptions for such as the oral contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy. For these medicines we usually give prescriptions for six months.
Cervical Smear Tests
A cervical smear test is a quick, reliable and easy screening test which can detect abnormal cells very early on. These cells may turn into cancer of the neck of the womb if not treated in their early stages. Regular smear tests can prevent women from getting cancer and it is therefore very important to have one done.
All women who are aged between 25 and 49 years should have a cervical smear test performed every three years. For those women aged 50 to 64 years, it is recommended to have a test every five years. For women who have had a previously abnormal smear test it may be necessary to have the test more frequently. If you have had a hysterectomy ( unless it was for cancer) or have never been sexually active you do not need to have a smear test.