Book an appointment
Please contact our Reception team who will be happy to book this for you. You can choose to request either a 15 minute or a 30 minute appointment.
For new patients, a 30 minute appointment is recommended for the first visit. However, if only 15 minutes are taken up, you will only be charged for 15 minutes.
What do I need to bring?
If available, it would be helpful to bring: Babies/young children: ideally, the Red Book or equivalent child health surveillance books, including vaccination records
Previous specialist letters –for example, if you have seen a Paediatric specialist before
What to expect at your appointment
Your doctor will introduce themselves, take a thorough history, an examination which is appropriate to the medical issue involved, and will discuss a plan for your care with you.
Above all, we promise to listen to the concerns of the yourself and your parents (if attending together with them), and take everyone’s view into account as well as our own medical expertise.
We take a family centred approach – putting the needs of the child/young patient first, working closely with parents/guardians, we aim to work with you to provide a plan for the most appropriate treatment.
This may include: general advice on symptoms control, medication, investigations and referral onto a Paediatric specialist.
Referrals
We are very experienced in knowing where and whom to refer our patients for specialist private treatment. Alternatively, if a patient requires an NHS referral, we will communicate our recommendations with their NHS GP, requesting that they arrange an NHS referral.
Confidentiality
Respecting patient confidentiality is an essential part of good care. This applies to all patients whether a child, young person or adult.
If it is considered necessary to share clinical information with other medical professionals, we would aim to do this only with the consent of the child/young person/parents/guardians.
Occasionally, there are situations when we feel it necessary to share information without your consent. However, we would only breach confidentiality if there is a risk of harm to yourself, or to others.
Chaperoning
If you would like a chaperone to be present during the consultation, please ask the receptionist when booking your appointment. A chaperone is someone who can come in with you and be there while you are seeing the doctor. Often they can comfort you and talk to you while being examined so to help give you a welcome distraction.
Sometimes, your doctor will offer a chaperone, for example, for intimate examinations, which are only done with prior consent.
What if I need contraception?
We provide contraceptive services at Harrow Healthcare Centre, and would be happy to discuss this with you confidentially.
Occasionally, we may need to break this confidentiality, but only if there is any risk to your safety or the safety of others, or in rare situations where required to do so by law. This is extremely rare and we would always discuss it with you first.
Other queries
If you have any other queries, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help!
Safeguarding
Safeguarding children and young people and promoting their welfare means :
- Protecting children from maltreatment
- Preventing wherever possible impairment of children’s health or development
- Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and
- Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
Child protection is defined as:
Being part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. It is the work done to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.
This means for you that, if we have any concerns about your safety, it is our duty to address them by discussing them with health professionals who are trained in this area and can help. We will always ask your permission to do this but sometimes we might have to report any worries we have about your well being even if you don’t give permission so we can ensure that you are safe and well.
