Doctors around Upland Road/Lordship Lane

[clairelouise]

Hi, Can anyone recommend a good doctor around the Upland road / Lordship lane area. My local doctors are Dulwich medical centre on crystal palace rd and Forest Hill group Practice. Any advice appreciated as I am new to the area with kids. Thx

[SianandTony]

ive just joined Dulwich medical centre....registered my daughter there aswell the other day not sure what its like though? seemed to be a few people complaining about waiting times when i was filling in paper work?

[Pickle]

We're registered with Dulwich Medical Centre and they're excellent, especially with kids - you will always get an appointment for your children if they're sick, and I've always found it very straightforward to get seen by a GP myself too.

[Monkey]

And if you're planning on having kids, being registered at Dulwich Medical Centre means you'll be looked after by the fabulous Lanes midwives...

[sian]

Forest Hill Road in my opinion is now a little too big and can feel impersonal. You will rarely get to see the same doctor twice. I have had good experiences with one of the younger male doctors who was really good with a sulky teenage son who was refusing to see any doctor.

[trinity]

I am with Forest Hill Road surgery and have the same feeling as Sian. Doctors there have been fine but I don't have a sense of continuity of care.

On the subject of midwives Forest Hill Road have the Oakwood midwives who are also fantastic and supportive of home births.

[reetpetite]

I am with Forest Hill too and always have the same GP for my particular problems because I ask for her . But if I need someone for just a general problem I don't mind who I see, I've found they are all excellent.I have been with them for over 20 years.

[bc44]

I agree Forest hill rd is by far the best surgery around, i always see the same gp as does my daughter and her family, all we do is ask for an appointment with the gp we like to see, i think far to many drs leave dmc.

[ClareC]

I am with 306 Lordship Lane, been really pleased with them and always see the same Dr / Nurse each time I go.

[sillywoman]

You lucky girl - it would seem you have a choice between the fabulous Forest Hill surgery, & the fantastic DMC. I would echo though that if you're thinking to have more babes then opt for DMC, The Lanes midwives aim to give one-to-one midwifery care all through pregnancy. having said that Oakwood Midwives at FH do work to a similar ethos. Hmmm - take your pick I guess!?

[clairelouise]

Thanks - the feedback is great. I have a 3 year old and a 9 month baby. I just moved from Clapham to Dulwich and though the midwifery care was great, the health visitors which followed the development of your baby once born were not great at all ("You will be alright love" was the best responses I would get to my queries!!) Any experiences with this at Forest Hill Surgery and Dulwich Medical Centre as it seems that they are both reputable so perhaps this is the decifing factor?

[Smiler]

Sounds like you have good options!

We find DMC v.good. There are other threads on GP surgeries with advice etc.

Don't think that health visitors are attached to individual GP practices, but managed by Southwark PCT. They no longer do weekly baby clinics with health visitors, weighing etc. at DMC, think you have to go to Townley Rd, but not sure.

For post-natal midwifery, think that at DMC the Lanes midwives help with the initial bit, before handing over to health visitors.

The GPs at DMC seem to be well up on children's and women's health, maybe due to their patient population! They prioritise appointments for babies if unwell.

With any busy London GP practice it is worth swotting up on how to make appointments, as it is much easier to get an appointment if you understand their system, e.g. how you book in advance, when are appointments released for the next week (at DMC for example they release appointments a week ahead of time, you can't book before this and they quickly get booked up afterwards), when can you telephone for on-the-day appointments (these appointments tend to go quickly, so you need to ring as soon as the lines open!).

DMC has just extended its opening times from 8am to 6.30pm and also does evening and Saturday surgeries.

[SianandTony]

I have just registered myself and our newborm at DMC, can anyone recommened a gp for our 6 weeks post check up?

my Health visitor came from townley road clinic...not sure why DMC dont have health visitors attached ?

[tulip]

Because there is a shortage of health visitors! No enough for some per surgery anymore. You will probably find they dictate which dr does your babies'check as it will be the doctor(s) on the special child heath surveillance register who can do it. Most practies will also want to give you 20 mins for the appointment so if you call to book make sure you say what it is for. Lastly you will probably find they do the check at 8 weeks so you can have the first imms on the same day all in the one visit.