Downham Family Medical Practice
7 – 9 Moorside Road
Bromley
Kent
BR1 5EP
Tel: 020 3049 2030

News:

NHS Days (MSW)

01 Dec - 31 Dec
Children's Cancer Month

Our mission is to be there for each family, caring every step of the way, providing individual support to children and young people with cancer and leukaemia and their families

BBC Health

NHS 'still failing on safe care'

The NHS in England and Wales is failing to ensure patient care is "as safe as it reasonably could be", a watchdog says.

Gene 'triggers unhealthy eating'

People who carry a gene variant linked to obesity eat an average of 100 extra calories per meal, research suggests.

Man's genes 'key to baby's sex'

A study of hundreds of years of family trees suggests a man's genes may play a role in him having more sons or daughters.

Panic attacks heart danger link

People who suffer from panic attacks have a higher risk of going on to develop heart disease, say scientists.

Hopes raised on HIV immune boost

Scientists believe successful tests in monkeys could prove a step towards a new type of drug to combat HIV.

Pill to be given out by chemists

A pilot scheme will allow pharmacists to give women the contraceptive pill without a prescription.

Warning of nut allergy 'hysteria'

Measures to protect children with nut allergies are becoming increasingly absurd and hysterical, say experts.

Gender-confused teens drug call

Young teenagers with serious gender identity disorders should be given drugs which will block puberty, experts have suggested.

Study links diabetes and coeliac

Type 1 diabetes and the food intolerance disorder coeliac disease appear to share a common genetic origin, UK research suggests.

Christmas partygoers 'rely' on alcohol to get into festive spirit

Nearly half of young people feel they have to drink to enjoy their office party, a survey suggests.

Yahoo Health

Kids with obesity-linked gene like fattening foods (AP)

A young boy in a nutritional reeducation center in 2004. The neck arteries of obese children and teenagers experience similar strain as those of middle-aged adults, US researchers said Tuesday.(AFP/File/Francois Guillot)

AP - Scientists may have figured out one reason some people reach for the french fries instead of an apple. It could be a gene that's been linked to an increased risk of obesity. A study of children found those with a common variation of the gene tend to overeat high-calorie foods. They ate 100 extra calories per meal, which over the long term can put on weight, said Colin Palmer, who led the study at the University of Dundee in Scotland.

About 1 in 9 US kids use alternative medicine (AP)

Graphic shows herbal remedies used by children and reasons for taking alternative medicine; 2 c x 2 3/4 in; 96.3 mm x 69.85 mm

AP - Just like their parents, kids are taking herbal supplements from fish oil to ginseng, a sign of just how mainstream alternative medicine has become. More than one in nine children and teens try those remedies and other nontraditional options, the government said Wednesday in its first national study of young people's use of these mostly unproven treatments.

FDA deadlocked on asthma drug risks (AP)

AP - Deadlocked over the risks of long-acting asthma drugs, government health officials Wednesday asked outside advisers if four medications used by millions of patients should remain on the market.

Generic drug prices falling in US (AP)

AP - Finally, a little good health care news for consumers: U.S. prices for generic prescription drugs, which already cost as little as one-third what their brand-name cousins do, have been getting cheaper and likely will keep doing so.

Cancer to be world's top killer by 2010, WHO says (AP)

Vasiliki Kostoula, a Greek breast cancer patient, listens to her doctor after a radiological medical examination in an Athens hospital October 29, 2008. (Yannis Behrakis/Reuters)

AP - Cancer will overtake heart disease as the world's top killer by 2010, part of a trend that should more than double global cancer cases and deaths by 2030, international health experts said in a report released Tuesday. Rising tobacco use in developing countries is believed to be a huge reason for the shift, particularly in China and India, where 40 percent of the world's smokers now live.

Obesity is a Family Affair (HealthDay)

An unidentified woman takes a walk in Washington,DC in 2007. Designers of anti-obesity drugs have suffered three major setbacks, but the potential reward from treating the world's fat epidemic is so great that their quest is unlikely to be deterred.(AFP/File)

HealthDay - WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Although genetics likely play a role in whether or not someone becomes overweight or obese, a family's lifestyle also has a major impact on the chances of a teenager winding up overweight, a new study shows.

Health Tip: Having Sex Despite Illness (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- People who have a chronic illness -- which may include heart disease, diabetes or asthma -- may have ongoing pain or fatigue that can hinder a healthy sex life.

Clinical Trials Update: Dec. 10, 2008 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of CenterWatch:

Baby girl born from full ovary transplant (Reuters)

A pregnant woman is seen in a file photo. (Mykhailo Markiv/Reuters)

Reuters - Doctors in St. Louis said they have successfully transplanted a full ovary from a volunteer, allowing her infertile twin sister to give birth to a healthy baby girl on November 11.

Scientists ID Enzyme Causing Brain Cell Death (HealthDay)

HealthDay - WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- An enzyme believed to play a role in the death of neurons in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases has been identified by U.S. researchers.

MedPage Today

Strategies for Avoiding Nut Allergies in Schools May Be Overblown

BOSTON (MedPage Today) -- The threat of nut allergies has led some schools to put precautions into place that approach the level of hysteria, a researcher here said.

High Serum Phosphate Increases Vascular Calcification

SEATTLE (MedPage Today) -- High levels of serum phosphate, including those within the normal range, may contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease, researchers here said.

Celiac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes Have Common Genes

CAMBRIDGE, England (MedPage Today) -- Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, which tend to occur together, share a common genetic background, researchers here said.

Nature and Nurture Contribute to Overeating

DUNDEE, Scotland (MedPage Today) -- The likelihood of craving a couple of calorie-laden burgers and a cupcake or two instead of consuming a simple rice cake may be determined by a genetic mutation associated with obesity, found investigators here.

Panic Attacks May Increase Cardiac Risk

LONDON (MedPage Today) -- Panic attacks, especially in younger adults, may increase the risk for heart attacks and other coronary events, researchers here found.

MRIs Showing MS Pathology Even in Asymptomatic Patients

SAN FRANCISCO (MedPage Today) -- Widespread use of MRI for conditions like migraine and head trauma is turning up what looks like evidence of multiple sclerosis -- even if patients have no symptoms of the disease, researchers said here.

ASH: Half of Patients on New ITP Drug Could Reduce Other Meds

SAN FRANCISCO (MedPage Today) -- Nearly half of patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura taking eltrombopag (Promacta) were able to stop or reduce corticosteroids and other medications for the condition, researchers said here.

ASH: ITP Treatment Falls in British Children

SAN FRANCISCO (MedPage Today) -- Fewer British children with immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) are being treated with platelet-boosting medications, researchers reported here.

ASH: Romiplostim Safe Over Long Term in ITP

SAN FRANCISCO (MedPage Today) -- Romiplostim (Nplate), recently approved for treatment of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, is safe over the long term, according to two studies.

ASH: ITP Patients Accept Medication Risks for Efficacy and Convenience

SAN FRANCISCO (MedPage Today) -- The convenience of an oral medication for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), if the agent is effective, is worth certain safety risks, according to a survey of patients.

Daily Mail

The junk food gene: DNA flaw means two-thirds of us can't stop eating

Slimmer souls have always maintained that a sweet tooth can be banished with a big helping of will-power.

Confusion as watchdog U-turns and says you CAN eat nuts during pregnancy

In the past women have been advised to avoid eating peanuts during pregnancy. But the Food Safety Agency says it is no longer backing the advice because evidence does not support it.

Walking for an hour a day can 'halve risk of getting breast cancer'

Walking for just an hour a day can more than halve a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, a study shows.

Grumpy NHS nurses encouraged to Carry On laughing with humour workshop

Nurses are being sent on 'laughter workshops' to encourage them to lighten up and make hospital stays more pleasant for patients.

How living with the mother-in-law can damage a woman's health

It probably makes your blood boil just to think about it. But it turns out that living with the mother-in-law really can be bad for a woman's health.

Panic attack sufferers 'are at greater risk of having a heart attack later in life'

Panic attacks could put you at greater risk of suffering a heart attack, claim researchers. Those diagnosed with panic disorder before the age of 50 are particularly vulnerable to heart disease later in life.

Diabetes drugs 'raise women's risk of broken bones' say doctors

Drugs taken by tens of thousands of diabetic women could greatly increase their risk of breaking a bone, doctors have warned.

After alert over Irish pork, how safe is beef?

The health alert over Irish pork has spread to beef. Tests found illegal levels of cancer risk chemicals in meat from three farms in the Republic.

Half of all iPod users risk going deaf because they play them too loudly, warns RNID

Spot checks on shoppers' in eight cities found 54 per cent were playing them at dangerously high volumes for too long - putting their hearing in danger.

Turn the heat on a cold: Warmed-up fruit cordial really does ease your sniffles

Granny was right. A nice hot fruit drink really can help you overcome the misery of colds, claim researchers.

Clinics and Services

The practice is approved by Lewisham Primary Care Trust for providing the following services:

Maternity Medical Services

Contraceptive Services

Child health

Counselling Services

Health Promotion Services

Minor Surgery Services

Yellow Fever Centre

District Nurses

The team attached to the practice is responsible for nursing care in the community. For advice, please telephone 020 7 771 4000 between 11.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

Elderly Home Visits

Sister Christine routinely visits our elderly patients in their own home. Checks are made on mobility, lifestyle and general health problems. These visits take place on a Wednesday and Friday afternoon and every effort is made to visit patients over 70 at least once a year.

Mental Health

We hold two sessions each week when patients can see either, a trained counsellor, or a clinical psychologist. Referrals for these services must come via your G.P.

We offer contacts to help drug addicts stop abusing drugs. We have good links with the community drug and alcohol teams. Patients can self-refer to the community team (Telephone 020 3228 10855/1050).

Midwives

A community midwife from Lewisham Hospital is attached to our practice. She runs the antenatal clinic which is normally held on a Thursday afternoon.

The midwife visits all our “new mums” who had their delivery at Lewisham, at home in the 2 week period following birth. If she is on duty when you go into labour, she may be able to deliver your baby for you at the hospital.

Please note we do not have an attached midwife from any other hospital other than Lewisham, but you are at liberty to decide where you want your baby.

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor’s sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC1) which is available from your employer or at our reception. For any illness lasting longer than seven days you will need to see the doctor for them to issues a sickness certificate (MED3) and for any subsequent renewal of the certificate.

Practice Information

For quick medical advice online or on the telephone contact NHS Direct