I've been doing some digging on a fairly new NHS surgery that Camden residents can't sign up to - but can use their very generous opening hours for a walk in centre.
The Cricklewood Health Centre is located just behind Somerfield on the corner of Cricklewood Broadway and Cricklewood Lane. Although its not quite in Camden, its very well located for many Fortune Green residents. The only problem is that Camden residents aren't able to register there - Brent residents are also barred. The centre couldn't be much more conveniently located for the three borough's that see Cricklewood as an important local hub - but only residents ofBarnet can actually sign up.
I spoke to a very helpful lady on reception today and clearly she spends a lot of time explaining to frustrated people that many of the can't register with the doctor. I'll be taking up this issue with Barnet PCT to see what can be done. Watch this space.
However, the good news is that as well as a normal surgery, Cricklewood Health Centre also operates as an NHS walk-in centre. The services offered here are open to anyone living in the UK - so people in Fortune Green (and much further afield) can use it.
What's more, the walk-in centre's opening hours are very generous. 8:00am till 8:00pm 7 days a week! (However, its recommended you get there by about 6:30pm to guarantee being seen that day.) You might not be seen immediately, but I'm told that waits over an hour are rare.
The Walk-in centre will do many of the things that a doctors surgery will normally do and will also look at minor injuries - see this link for a more detailed description. However, they can't refer you to a hospital, and they won't do tests that need you to come back to collect them (eg blood and urine tests).
So the Cricklewood Health Centre might be very useful people to many people in Camden if they knew about it - and I'm following up what can be done to make it more useful still. There will be updates!
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