Frequently asked questions

No. Your child’s details will be taken when you telephone to make your first appointment with the Practice. Click herei(javascript:void(0))f you would like to book an appointment.

Our records are held separately to the clinics and each will request registration on arrival to ensure that their records are kept up to date. Should investigations be requested by the doctor following your visit, this will also make arranging much simpler and quicker.

An initial appointment will generally last up to 45 minutes, follow-ups and immunisation appointments 30 minutes and developmental or more complicated problems, can take up to and occasionally more than one hour.

No. Unfortunately, hospital commitments do not allow us to visit sick children at home. If your child is too unwell to travel to the consulting rooms, please contact your local GP who may be able to help with a home visit.

There is not a pre-defined schedule for general check-ups however it is advisable to have your child initially checked at 6 weeks. As a guide, routine checks can be at milestones such as 6 month, a year, 18 months, 2 years and annually thereafter.

If it is necessary for your child to have tests e.g. blood or urine, these are readily available from the child friendly services at both the Portland Hospital, with its full range of Pathology Services or from The Doctors Laboratory (TDL), a highly regarded Pathology Test Service. You will be asked to register with the hospital or TDL so that they can invoice directly for these tests. The Portland offers a full range of Specialist Radiology investigations but as ultrasounds and X-rays generally require a Specialised Paediatric Radiologist to perform them, it may not always be possible to have these done immediately or the same day, however the earliest appointment will be made for you. Hertfordshire patients may need to attend the Portland Hospital for some of the more specialised tests or due to the age of the child, if not be easily accessible locally.

If you suspect your child may be contagious with Chickenpox or Measles, please inform us when making an appointment. The Portland Hospital deals predominantly with pregnant ladies and small children and it is preferable that where possible, the child is seen by his/her local GP for these types of infections.

As the Practice doctors do have very busy clinics, it can sometimes be quite difficult for them to speak to you when in clinic or respond quickly to emails. However, the Office Team will often be able to answer the most frequently asked questions. Should further assistance be required, the doctors will of course endeavour to speak to you, either at lunch-time or at the end of the clinic. Dependent on the nature of your concerns, you may be asked to book an appointment in the first instance, so your child can be examined carefully in order to determine the most appropriate management plan.

If you have booked an appointment and are for any reason unable to attend, please telephone 0207 390 8295 to cancel giving at least 24 hours notice. Out of hours, a message can be left on our answering machine. We always have children waiting for cancellations, and it may one day be your child. We do charge a late/non cancellation fee of £100 debited automatically from the credit/debit card provided, if the appointment cannot be reallocated in time to another child. The clinics are always very busy and run to a very tight schedule, please help us by ensuring you are prompt for your appointment. If you arrive late and are not able to discuss in full your concerns, you may be advised to arrange a further appointment.