Services

Flu Vaccination

Offered annually for people at higher risk from flu including adults aged 65 and over and people with certain health conditions.

Learn more about flu vaccinations on the NHS website

Pneumococcal Vaccine

65 year olds

Shingles Vaccine

70 to 79 year olds (If you turned 65 on or after the 1st September 2023)

RSV Vaccine

75 to 79 year olds

Covid-19 Vaccinations

For people at higher risk from Covid-19, including adults aged 65 and over and people with certain health conditions. 

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations on the NHS website

Sometimes a clinician may ask you to monitor your blood pressure at home for a week. This helps us better understand your condition and manage your care effectively.

Home Blood Pressure Monitoring

• If you don’t have a blood pressure machine at home, we offer a loan service to provide you with a machine for this purpose.
• The machine is available for a £10 cash deposit. Reception will provide you with a checked and working machine, along with a sheet to record your blood pressure readings.

How It Works

1. Loaning the Machine: Visit reception to collect the blood pressure monitor. You’ll be given a recording sheet to log your readings over the week.
2. Returning the Machine: Once you’ve completed your monitoring, return the machine and your recorded readings to reception.
3. Deposit Refund: The £10 deposit will be refunded when you return the machine and readings.
4. Review by Clinician: The readings will be passed to the requesting clinician for review. If follow-up is required, you will be contacted with further instructions.

At Abbotswood Medical Centre, we offer a limited number of blood test appointments. These appointments are reserved for the following:

• Patients aged 75 or older
• Vulnerable patients, as assessed and authorised by a GP

If you fall into one of these categories, your GP will confirm that you are eligible to have your blood test at the practice. Please note, all other patients will need to book their blood test online and attend a hospital location.

Hospital Blood Test Appointments

For patients who are not eligible for an in-practice blood test, you will need to book an appointment online at one of the following hospitals:

• Watford General Hospital
• Hemel Hempstead Hospital
• St Albans Hospital

To book your appointment, please contact our reception team. They can send you a link via text message to facilitate your booking at one of these hospital locations.

At Abbotswood Medical Centre, we recognise and support the invaluable role of carers in our community. We have a Carer’s Champion, Emma, who is dedicated to helping carers access the support and resources they need.

Carer’s Champion

Emma regularly attends Carer’s Champion meetings to stay up to date with the latest information, advice, and services available to carers. She is here to provide support and guidance to any patients who are carers, ensuring they receive the help they need.

How Emma Can Assist You

If you are a carer or know someone who is, and you are looking for advice or support, please contact our reception team. Simply ask to speak with Emma, and she will be happy to assist you in finding the appropriate resources or services.

Further support

See local and national support services for carers

Cervical screening, also known as a smear test is offered to women with a cervix between the ages of 25 to 64. The smear test is designed to check the health of the cervix and help prevent cervical cancer. Cervical screening is carried out by our practice nurse. Once you receive an invite from the NHS in the post, please contact reception to book an appointment. 

For more information about cervical screening please visit the NHS website

If you have any concerns or questions prior to booking your appointment, please do contact us and our nurse will be happy to speak with you and answer any questions you might have. 

We offer a 6 to 8 week postnatal check for mother and baby with a GP.

Your postnatal check can be done in an appointment immediately before or after your child’s health check. Where possible we also offer these appointments alongside our practice nurse clinic, so childhood immunisations can be done on the same visit.

One of the best ways to protect your baby against diseases is through immunisation. Your baby will require immunisations at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks and 12 months.

These are offered free of charge in the UK. Following your baby’s health check with the doctor, an appointment with the nurse will be booked for your child’s first immunisations at 8 weeks old.

For the full schedule of childhood immunisations and for more information please visit the NHS website

See our appointments page for more details on Home visits at the practice.

At Abbotswood Medical Centre, we understand the importance of clear communication during your healthcare appointments. To support patients who speak different languages or require additional support, we offer an interpreting phone line service called Language Line.

How Language Line Works

• 3-Way Conversations: During your consultation, the clinician will call through to an interpreter via the Language Line service, allowing for a 3-way conversation between you, the clinician, and the interpreter. This ensures clear and accurate communication during your appointment.
• Language Preferences: When booking your appointment, please let our receptionist know if you require an interpreter, and specify which language you need. This will allow the clinician to prepare for the consultation and ensure the interpreter is available.
• Double Appointment: Since the interpreting process requires additional time, a double appointment will be booked to accommodate the extra time needed to connect with the interpreter.

British Sign Language (BSL) and Other Interpreting Needs

If you require an interpreter for British Sign Language (BSL) or any other specific type of interpretation, please make sure to inform the receptionist in advance. This will allow us to ensure that the appropriate interpreter is available and that your appointment is scheduled accordingly.

If you need more information or assistance with booking an interpreting service, please contact our reception team.

For other disability needs see our disability access policy for more details

At Abbotswood Medical Centre, we offer regular health reviews for patients with long-term conditions. These reviews are an essential part of managing your condition and ensuring you receive the best care possible. The conditions we review include:

• Diabetes
• Asthma
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
• Heart Failure
• Mental Health Conditions
• Dementia
• Learning Disability 

Annual Reviews

You will automatically be invited for your annual review around your birth month. This review will be carried out by a GP, Clinical Pharmacist, or Nurse, depending on your condition.

Pre-Appointment Tests

In some cases, you may be required to have blood or urine tests prior to your appointment. If this is the case, you will receive a form with your invitation to attend.

What to Expect

• Appointment: Your review appointment will help us assess how well your condition is being managed, make any necessary adjustments to your treatment, and address any concerns or questions you may have.
• Test Results: Your GP or clinician will discuss any results from pre-appointment tests and ensure that any changes to your treatment are communicated clearly.

If you have any questions or would like more information about your health condition review, please contact the practice

If you think you might be pregnant and have had several positive home pregnancy tests, you do not need to contact the GP.

We have community midwives who run a clinic at the practice every Thursday morning.

While you’ll be contacted by the midwifery team initially, you may be asked to attend the practice for an appointment with the midwife during their clinic hours.

Self-refer and see other support organisations here

At Abbotswood Medical Centre, we offer NHS Health Checks to eligible patients as part of a national initiative to help detect health issues early and promote long-term well-being.

Eligibility

You are eligible for an NHS Health Check if you are aged 40 to 74 and have no pre-existing health conditions.

How to Book

If you are eligible, you will receive a text invite to book your NHS Health Check appointment. Please follow the instructions in the text message to schedule your appointment.

What the NHS Health Check Includes

• Blood pressure measurement
• Cholesterol test
• Blood glucose test (to check for diabetes risk)
• Height and weight measurement
• Lifestyle advice on areas such as diet, exercise, and smoking cessation

This check helps assess your risk of developing conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease. Based on the results, we may provide you with advice on how to reduce your risks and improve your health.

If you have any questions or would like more information about the NHS Health Check, please contact us.

At Abbotswood Medical Centre, we offer spirometry tests for patients to assess lung function, particularly for those with respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD.

How to Access Spirometry Testing

• Referral by GP: If a spirometry test is required, your GP will arrange for you to have this test.
• Booking: Once your GP has recommended the test, our team will contact you to schedule your spirometry appointment at the practice.

If you have any questions about the spirometry test or think it may be suitable for you, please speak with your GP during your next appointment.

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