We have nine GP practices in Central Camden PCN, they are:
Camden Health Evolution (CHE) is a limited company set up by our member practices. The board of directors and shareholders are made up of GPs and nurses from our member practices.
We look after 83,036 of Central Camden’s residents across these 9 GP practices. Our clinical directors in Central Camden are Dr Ammara Hughes and Dr Farzad Entikabi, Dr Hughes is a GP at Bloomsbury Surgery and Dr Entikabi is a GP at Swiss Cottage Surgery, and we also work closely with community pharmacists and other local community leaders.
COVID-19 Vaccinations & Boosters
We have now delivered the Spring and Autumn Booster service out of Bloomsbury Vaccination Hub for our eligible patients.
If you are eligible and are still in need of a vaccine or booster, you will need to book your appointment via The National Booking Service.
If you had your vaccinations abroad, and need to link your NHS App to show this, please visit this website to book an appointment.
COVID-19 Vaccine Passport Information
There are two ways you can gain access to your COVID-19 vaccine passport:
Via the NHS App:
If you have a smart phone or tablet, you can download the NHS app by searching “NHS App” in your app store.
Please note, this app is different to the NHS COVID-19 app.
Once you have downloaded the app, you will need to create an account. You can find help and information on what you need to do here.
To use the NHS App, you must:
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Be registered with a GP in England
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Be over the age of 13 (if you are aged 13-15, you will need to contact your GP surgery to request GP online services access before you can use the app)
We recommend that you download the app prior to booking your international holiday, and at least two weeks before your departure date.
You need to have had both doses of the vaccine for the COVID-19 vaccine passport to work.
Please click here for an easy read guide on how to download the NHS app.
By calling 119:
If you do not have access to a smart phone and you know the country you wish to travel to requires a vaccine passport on entry, you can call 119 (from 17 May 2021 onwards) and ask for them to send you a letter in the post.
This must be at least five working days after you have had your vaccine, and letters will take up to five working days to reach you. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to sort this if you are travelling abroad.
Your letter will be sent to the address your GP has saved for you, the call handler will not be able to see your address to check this for you. If you have moved house, please update your GP with your new home address before calling 119.
For more information about COVID-19 vaccine passports, please look at the government guidance here.
If you have had your first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine abroad, it will not show on the NHS app.
Please provide your registered GP practice with a copy of your vaccination card and include: your name, date of birth, the brand (e.g. Pfizer), batch number of the vaccine and arm given. Your registered GP practice will then add this to your medical record. Once this is recorded in your records, you will be invited by text for your second dose within 12 weeks. You should receive the same vaccine for your second dose; if the vaccine you received is not available in the UK, the most similar alternative will be offered. Please note: the UK has approved the following vaccines: Pfizer BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Moderna.
COVID-19 Vaccine Pass Letters for 12–15-year-olds
COVID-19 vaccine pass letters are now available for 12–15-year-olds. This will allow those children who have had both doses of an approved vaccine to travel to countries, including Spain and Canada, which now require 12–15-year-olds to be fully vaccinated in order to gain entry, avoid isolation, or access venues or services.
Proof of vaccination will initially be provided via a letter service including an internationally recognised 2D barcode, with a digital solution via NHS.UK to be rolled out early next year. The letter service can be accessed by calling 119 or via NHS.UK.
It can take up to seven days to receive the COVID-19 pass letter.
Children will remain exempt from domestic certification policy in England and will not require an NHS COVID Pass to gain entry to venues.
The vaccination programme will be extended to offer all children aged 12 to 15 a second dose of an approved vaccine no sooner than 12 weeks after the first dose following the government’s acceptance of JCVI advice on 29 November.
COVID-19 Vaccinations Abroad
If you have had your first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine abroad, it will not automatically show on the NHS app.
Please provide your registered GP practice with a copy of your vaccination card and include: your name, date of birth, the brand (e.g., Pfizer), batch number of the vaccine and arm given. Your registered GP practice will then add this to your medical record. Once this is recorded in your records, you will be invited by text for your second dose within 12 weeks. You should receive the same vaccine for your second dose; if the vaccine you received is not available in the UK, the most similar alternative will be offered. Please note: the UK has approved the following vaccines: Pfizer BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Moderna.
A new service has been launched that enables patients 18yrs+ to book an appointment at a designed vaccination site to show evidence of any COVID-19 doses administered outside of England – this enables your medical records to be updated and your vaccination doses to show on the NHS App, there is more information on the NHS website.
Central Camden Primary Care Networks (PCN) Family Planning Clinic
Across our Primary Care Network (PCN), we have set up a “family planning clinic”. Eligible patients will be referred to this service by their GP and appointments should last just thirty minutes.
Appointments will be available every other Thursday between 1:30-4:30pm at Regents Park Practice, Cumberland Market, London, NW1 3RH.
Women will be able to have the following procedures carried out:
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Contraceptive Implant insertion or removal
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IUS “Hormonal Coil” insertion or removal
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IUD “Copper Coil” insertion or removal
For more information about each of these contraception types please follow the links below:
Contraceptive Implant : https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/contraceptive-implant/
IUS Coil: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/ius-intrauterine-system/
IUD Coil : https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/iud-coil/
Each referred patient will be given instructions on how to obtain a free STI test before attending the appointment.
Please note, you must be registered at one of the following surgeries:
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Brunswick Medical Centre
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Camden Health Improvement Practice (CHIP)
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Kings Cross Surgery
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Somers Town Medical Centre
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Ampthill Practice
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Bloomsbury Surgery
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Regents Park Practice
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Ridgmount Practice
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Swiss Cottage Surgery
For advice on general contraception, please click here.
Free Nutritional Therapy Programme for Central Camden PCNs eligible patients
We are pleased to introduce our two Healthy Eating Advisors (HEA) for Central Camden Primary Care Network (PCN), Kaz Mandikate and Therese Conlon-Barratt.
They are both Nutritional Therapists registered with BANT (British Associate for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine) and the CNHC (Complimentary and Natural Healthcare Council).
The aim of these sessions is to make patients feel more confident in knowing which foods are good for you, and they will help you to see the benefits of a healthy and balanced diet. By encouraging healthy eating amongst children and adults we can tackle obesity and the many health conditions that it could land you with.
Some of the benefits of having a healthy diet and an active lifestyle include:
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Preventing type 2 diabetes
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Preventing heart problems
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Improving mental health
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Increasing energy levels
We have introduced our HEA programme to encourage patients to engage with healthy eating and to improve their health outcomes.
Who is eligible?
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Patients who need to lose or gain weight
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Patients who suffer from high cholesterol
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Patients who have high blood pressure
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Patients who have IBS or IBD
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Patients who suffer from chronic fatigue
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Pre-diabetic patients
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Patients must be 18 or over and registered at a Central Camden PCN GP practice
If you think you are eligible and are interested in the programme, please contact your GP.
Physical Activity Programme
Central Camden PCN are offering a FREE eight-week Physical Activity Programme with our Physical Activity Trainer, Darren O’Toole, for eligible patients that are registered at one of our 9 GP practices.
It is an 8-week programme that offers face-to-face physical activity sessions. The aim of the programme is to support patients to become more active, lose weight, and improve personal wellbeing.
Darren is a qualified personal trainer with over 12 years of experience in the sports, health, and fitness sectors. He has worked in elite sport with Watford FC and West Ham United FC, alongside working with the UK’s most experienced training provider – YMCAfit, and leading awarding organisation CYQ. His qualifications include REPs (Register of Exercise Professionals) Level 3 Personal Trainer Award and CYQ (Central YMCA Qualification) Level 3 Assessing in the Active Leisure Sector.
Who is eligible?
Patients aged 18 years and over with no contraindications to exercise, whose BMI is ≥30, or are BAME with BMI ≥27.5 and with one of the following:
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Diabetes or pre-diabetes (Hba1c ≥42mmol/l)
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Hypertension (BP ≥140/90mmHg)
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BMI ≥30, or BAME with BMI ≥27.5
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Increased risk of cardiovascular disease (QRISK ≥10%)
When & where do the physical activity sessions take place?
Darren will be offering face-to-face sessions at The Living Centre every week at the following times:
Day | Time | Type |
Monday | 05:00pm – 05:45pm | Face-to-face |
Monday | 06:00pm – 06:45pm | Face-to-face |
Monday | 07:00pm – 07:45pm | Face-to-face |
*The face-to-face sessions will be in groups of 8.
How do I access the PCN Physical Activity Programme?
If you are eligible and are interested in participating in the programme, please contact your GP Practice today to find out how the programme could benefit you.
Wound Care
Our practices are working with local district nurses to deliver a wound care clinic for patients with leg ulcers or post-operative pilonidal sinus requiring ongoing dressings.
This service is by GP referral only, and all patients must be registered at one of our 9 GP practices.
Asthma Clinic
Our asthma clinic is designed to help diagnose patients with asthma or COPD or help create a more accurate plan for patients who have already been diagnosed. During the appointment, the clinician will conduct a FeNO test, this will produce a score and they will be able to determine your diagnosis from this. The clinician may also conduct a Spirometry test which can help to diagnose COPD.
The Asthma Clinic is held regularly at Bloomsbury Surgery and is by GP referral only. If you think you are eligible, please arrange an appointment with your registered practice and they will contact us if they think it is appropriate.
If you do not have a mobile number or are unable to access the online booking system, a member of the PCN team will call you to book an appointment.
Microsuction
We are now offering a Microsuction service to our PCN patients. Microsuction is a safe and effective method for removing wax from the ear.
The service will take place at Ampthill Practice on a Tuesday from 2pm – 5pm.
Patients who wear hearing aids will be prioritised for an appointment.
The service is available for all patients over the age of 16 with wax in their ear. If you think this service will benefit you, please speak to your registered GP practice.
You must be registered at one of the following practices:
- Ampthill Practice
- Bloomsbury Surgery
- Brunswick Medical Centre
- Camden Health Improvement Practice (CHIP)
- Kings Cross Surgery
- Regents Park Practice
- Ridgmount Practice
- Somers Town Medical Centre
- Swiss Cottage Surgery
If you do not have a mobile number or are unable to access the online booking system, a member of the PCN team will call you to book an appointment.
Rectal Pathology
Our practices are working together to deliver a service for patients who are suffering from rectal pain or bleeding. The clinician may be able to treat haemorrhoids by injection at the appointment or they may use a digital rectoscope to provide a community based diagnostic.
How do I access this service?
If you believe you are eligible for this service, please make an appointment with your GP and explain your symptoms to them. They will refer you and ask you to complete a qFIT test, you will then be contacted about an appointment. Patients must be registered at one of our 9 GP practices.
Who is eligible?
- Adults under the age of 50 with;
- Rectal / anal pain or
- Rectal bleeding and
- A negative qFIT