Staying Well Together

Welcome to our 7th issue of our practice newsletter

Welcome to our latest Newsletter, (Issue 7), produced by patients, doctors and other staff at West Hampstead Medical Centre. We hope you enjoy reading it, discovering more about the latest developments in the surgery and other local and national health-related matters.

We are always keen to hear your ideas, so do contact us and let us know what you would like to hear about in the next issue, autumn 2026 or if you would like to get more involved. Do tell us if you would like to receive it in your mailbox too! Happy reading. Renee and Leon.

Message from the GP Partners - Dr Birgit Curtis

There are many positive updates to share this Spring 2026. We are pleased to be heading into the season with a full team of excellent clinicians, as well as dedicated admin and reception staff.

Many of you will have received text messages or emails from us throughout the year asking you to complete tests or follow up on your results. We would like to thank you for taking the time to do this and for providing the information we need, it really does make a difference. These checks are important to ensure that any conditions or treatments are followed up properly and that care is monitored and managed safely, helping you stay well. They also support us in maintaining our high standards of clinical care and demonstrating to NHS England that we are meeting the required patient focused clinical outcomes. “Clinical outcomes” are how we measure whether the care and treatment you receive is helping you stay as healthy as possible.

With your support, we are very pleased to share that we achieved excellent results in our clinical outcomes.

We also have several new services available in the surgery which are highlighted on the next page. In addition to these, we are currently negotiating hosting an additional out of hours service at WHMC on Saturdays. These services are currently based elsewhere within the Camden borough, in Kilburn and Kings Cross, and therefore not always convenient or accessible for our patients. As our patients are eligible to use these services, bringing them closer to home would be a real benefit if this proposal goes ahead. We will keep you updated.

We are looking more intensely into how to make the practice greener; we have both solar hot water heating and photovoltaic cells producing electricity. These have been replaced recently to improve performance and to repair the damage done by squirrels, who see the insulation as extra food! Not sure if anyone has had this issue on Solent Road and how they have dealt with it?

There are continued challenges within the NHS, such as very long waits for secondary care treatment and continued poor communication channels with secondary care providers. We feed back our concerns on a regular basis, and all the partners spend a lot of time engaging in direct and constructive feedback to the commissioners at the integrated care board (ICB) and the local hospital trusts themselves to highlight issues and to make improvements.

Dealing with issues to do with secondary care, ie hospital treatment, takes up a huge proportion of both our clinical and admin time. Many appointments are booked to chase up hospital appointments or get onward referrals or investigations that should have been provided by hospitals directly. There is an NHS England agenda to address this, but progress is slow!

Please bear with us. We will however, continue to offer the best care we can.

Meet our clinical team

Our team remains committed to providing you with the highest quality care, and we truly appreciate their ongoing hard work and dedication. Dr Shreena Suchak is now on her planned maternity leave, and we wish her and her family all the best. At the same time, we have welcomed back Dr Reyna Tibb who returned in April following her own maternity leave and Dr Rachel Toner will also be back with us in September. We are looking forward to having them both back in the practice with us.

We now have an advisor from BREATHE who runs a Stop Smoking Clinic on a Saturday morning. If you are interested, you can self-refer or speak to one of the clinicians who can refer you.

• GPs and GP Registrars: full range of clinical concerns.
• Physician Associate: minor ailments & general consultations (under supervision of GP) and no children under the age of 16 years old.
• Practice Nurse: asthma checks, cervical screening (smear tests), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease reviews (COPD), dressings, immunisations, travel vaccinations.
• Nurse Associate: blood pressure checks, B12 Injections, dressings, FENO testing, foot checks, flu vaccinations, NHS Health-checks (patients over 40 yrs old), suture removal.
• Clinical Pharmacist: annual medication reviews, asthma reviews, diabetes care, medication reviews and mental health.
• Health and Wellbeing Coordinator: supporting patients to improve their mental health, physical health and overall wellbeing. 
• Social Prescriber: housing issues, loneliness issues, community and exercise groups. 
• Stop Smoking Advisor: advice and treatment to help patients quit smoking and improve their health.
• Enhanced Practice Nurse: assessment and support to patients with complex mental health needs.

We have a photo board in the Reception Foyer with photographs of all our clinical team members. The next time you are in, please do take a look!

Visit our staff team page to learn more about our team

What can a Physician Associate do for you?

Following last year’s government-commissioned safety review led by Professor Gillian Leng there have been some changes to the Physicians Associates’ role.

When should you see a Physician Associate at our Surgery?

Physician Associates (PAs) are highly trained healthcare professionals who work alongside GPs and other members of the clinical team. They can manage a wide range of health conditions, take medical history, perform examinations, and provide initial treatment plans for less complex issues.

You might see a Physician Associate for many different reasons; some examples are below:

• Minor illnesses - coughs, colds, sore throats, ear infections, rashes or insect bites
• Musculoskeletal Issues – back, neck & joint pain, sports injuries, arthritis
• Long Term conditions – asthma, COPD or high blood pressure reviews
• Tele-dermatology - taking detailed photos for a skin condition/ mole to send securely to a dermatologist for specialist review and advice without waiting for an appointment
• Women's health - contraception reviews, fertility investigations, period pains, STIs

What Physicians Associates can’t do (Yet)

While PAs are a key part of our care team, there are a few things they currently don’t do:

• See any Children under the age of 16
• Work unsupervised; they will always have a daily supervising GP available to support who will also approve any prescriptions advised by them.
• See patients with more complex issues including mental health and HRT

Why see a Physician Associate?

Seeing a PA can often mean:

• Obtaining a faster appointment
• A longer appointment with more time to discuss your symptoms
• Continuity of care with a skilled clinician

Appointments to see a PA can now only be booked via the reception team, either in person or by phone.

These are no longer available to book online due to their more restricted scope of practice.

They are still here to help you stay healthy and get the care you need, working alongside our GPs.

All contacts with Physician Associates are reviewed by a senior GP.

Dr Atinuke Akinmolayan

In this edition, we are focusing on one of our General Practitioners (GPs)

What inspired you to become a GP, and how did your journey lead you here?

During medical school, I initially thought I would become a cardiologist as I was really interested in heart health. However, during my training in a cardiology department, I realised that what I truly enjoyed was preventing disease rather than treating it once it had already developed.

That’s what drew me to general practice. As a GP, I have the opportunity to work closely with patients in the community, helping to prevent illness and support long-term health before specialist care is even needed.

What has been the most rewarding part of working as a GP so far?

One of the most rewarding parts is building relationships with patients over time and being part of their journey through the different stages of life. Particularly with patients who may have had a negative experience with healthcare professionals in the past, and you are able to change their perspective by just being human and compassionate.

What challenges have you faced in your first couple of years, and how have you managed them?

Balancing clinical work with my academic role has been a key challenge. Alongside working as a GP, I’m also involved in research at UCL. I’ve learned that good time management, setting clear boundaries, and being realistic about what I can take on are essential. Just as importantly, I make time for my family and for myself each week, usually through activities like netball, which helps me stay balanced and energised.

What has been the most frustrating part?

Like many GPs, one of the biggest frustrations is navigating the wider healthcare system. This includes long waiting times, services that don’t always connect smoothly, and delays in communication between different parts of the NHS. It can be difficult when you know what the ideal care pathway should look like, but the reality doesn’t always match, particularly because of the impact this can have on patients.

Do you have any special interests or areas you’re looking to develop further within general practice?

I have an interest in women’s health, particularly in the period after pregnancy. I have combined this with my interest in heart health to focus on cardiometabolic health, things like diabetes and heart disease, especially in women who have had complications during pregnancy such as gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. I’m also involved in research at UCL, working to improve how we screen, monitor, and support women after pregnancy at higher risk. My goal is to help develop better, evidence-based care pathways so we can identify and support these patients earlier.

What advice would you give to medical students or trainees considering general practice?

General practice is a fantastic career if you enjoy variety, problem-solving, and building long-term relationships with patients. My advice would be:

• Think about what kind of doctor you want to be and what gives you a sense of purpose
• Be comfortable with uncertainty. GPs often make decisions without having all the answers straight away
• Don’t underestimate how intellectually challenging it is. You need knowledge across many areas of medicine to make decisions quickly
• It’s a career with huge potential to make a real impact.

How can patients make the most of their GP appointment?

A few simple things can really help make your appointment as effective as possible:

• Come with a clear idea of your main concern and mention it early
• Be open and honest, even if something feels difficult to talk about
• Don’t hesitate to ask questions if anything isn’t clear

It’s also helpful to remember that not everything can always be addressed in one appointment, but we will always work with you to make a clear plan going forward.

West Hampstead Medical Centre open day meeting update

Tuesday 12th May 2026

The Practice held its Open Meeting for registered patients last week and both the Practice and the Patient Participation Group would like to thank all those who attended. We would especially like to thank those external speakers from Aqua and Central Pharmacies (Dylan Mehta and Priyanka Radia), Camden Council Recreational Services (Ajay Gajree and Michael Mahone) and Camden Council Health and Wellbeing Services (Mayank Mawar and Eve Wilson) who gave up their evenings to attend and make their presentations. We hope that it was an informative evening for everyone, and we appreciated the constructive participation by the audience.

The principal takeaways from the meeting are summarised as follows:

NHS Services at local Pharmacies

We are fortunate to have a number of pharmacies in the area (Aqua, Central, Kim’s, Ramco and Dales), all of whom offer Pharmacy First services under the NHS. In essence, under Pharmacy First, patients can seek advice and be prescribed appropriate medication at the pharmacy for a number of common conditions, including sore throats, ear infections, shingles and urinary tract infections. If the pharmacist believes that the condition is more serious, they will refer you to your GP. In addition, the pharmacies are happy to help with monitoring your blood pressure, contraceptive advice and flu, covid and RSV vaccinations for those eligible under the NHS. Each pharmacy also provides a range of private services, such as ear wax removal, weight loss advice, and travel vaccinations.

Social Prescribing; Active and Healthy Living

A healthy, active and fulfilling lifestyle is of critical importance to your overall health. At the Practice, we are lucky to have Joe Graham who works as a full-time Social Prescriber as well as benefiting from specific access to the Camden Get Active Programme. Joe is available at the Practice to support and offer advice to patients generally as well as to how to access the myriad of non-medical support services available in Camden, including cultural activities, fitness, wellbeing as well as simple ways to meet people to combat loneliness. Any patient can make an appointment to see Joe at the Practice, either in person at Reception or over the telephone. In addition, Joe organises an arts and craft wellbeing group and a memory cafe at the Practice as well as group walks on the Heath; please speak to Reception if you would like any further information on these activities. The Camden Get Active programme is an additional programme available to patients which focuses on providing tailored advice to inactive adults (roughly those who believe they are active for less than 30 minutes a week). Patients can request a referral from the Practice either through e-consult or when consulting with their GP. In addition, Michael Mahone, one of the fitness specialists at the Get Active Programme, attends the Practice on Friday mornings so you will be able to see him locally in person at the Practice.

Health Screening Programmes

It is very important that patients take advantage of all health screening programmes offered under the NHS. At the meeting, we heard specifically about the four free NHS cancer screening programmes; breast, bowel, cervical and lung (for smokers and former smokers). Registered patients will be automatically invited at the appropriate time and age by post from the NHS but if any patient believes that they have been missed or there are reasons why they wish to have a test at any time they should speak to the surgery (over our GP online system may be most efficient) or you can call the relevant screening service to book an appointment; Bowel cancer screening 0800 707 6060, London Breast cancer screening 020 3758 2024 and Lung cancer screening 0800 652 9589. Information leaflets on the programmes are available in the practice reception.

Referrals, our GP online system, and the NHS App

The Practice acknowledged the frustration felt by patients in relation to referrals to specialist services within the NHS. In essence, your GP will either refer you for specialist advice via a triage service or will request advice through an advice and guidance programme. In either case, in practice, the GP has limited, if any, control over the offer, timing or location of specialist appointments or the timing, conditions or conclusion of any triage decisions but they are doing their best to support you. If following a referral, you are experiencing any delay in receiving an appointment or require any subsequent information in relation to relevant test results in relation to any such referral etc it is well worth while following up with the Patient Advisory Service (PALS) at the relevant hospital or medical facility. Contact details for the relevant PALS can be accessed online on the NHS or relevant hospital websites, in the case of the Royal Free visiting the PALS counter in the hospital foyer has proved productive.

The Practice would urge patients to make use of the e-consult services available at the Practice, which can be accessed via the Practice website. This is for non-urgent straight forward medical queries (for example if you wished to be referred to the Get Active programme referenced above) or any administrative queries or issues. The practice aims to respond within 24 hours on medical queries and 36 hours on administrative queries.

The Practice would recommend that all patients download and utilise the NHS App, which allows you to book appointments at the Practice and gives easy access to your medication and vaccination records etc; the App is not perfect but is constantly being improved. Instructions as to how to download, register under the App and general help and support is provided on the NHS website but if any patients require help to download and register, they are welcome to ask for assistance at the Practice Reception. As queried at the meeting, it is possible to provide access to the NHS accounts of others but only with the specific permission of the registered accountholder, this may be useful for carers and parents of children over 13, for instance. If you have any further queries, please speak to the surgery.