Services

St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of London’s leading teaching hospitals with an international reputation for quality of care and cutting-edge treatment. In this area you will find detailed information on all the services we provide. We provide services to both children and adults.

Need to change or cancel your outpatient appointment? You can change or cancel your appointment at St George’s Hospital online via our appointment amendment form.

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A

Atkinson Morley Regional Neurosciences Centre

The Atkinson Morley Regional Neurosciences Centre at St George’s Hospital is an internationally renowned unit for neurology, neurosurgery, neurorehabilitation and stroke services.  The hospital offers comprehensive services for the diagnosis, treatment and care of all conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system and muscles.

St George’s is the regional specialist centre for both inpatient and outpatient services for south west London, Surrey and Sussex, serving a population of more than 3.5 million people.

The majority of services are provided in the Atkinson Morley Wing at St George’s Hospital.   Neurorehabilitation services are also provided at Queen Mary’s Hospital, a specialist rehabilitation community hospital.  The Atkinson Morley Wing and Queen Mary’s Hospital are both new state-of-the-art buildings that were built specifically to cater for neurology patients, with staff and patients having access to modern facilities and equipment.

As the only hospital in the UK with a medical school on site, St George’s is a major centre for research and education.  This means that St George’s patients benefit from the latest and most innovative treatments and procedures, improving the outcomes for thousands of patients each year.

The department provides a number of specialist services:

Autonomic disorders
Botulinum toxin therapy
Cognitive neurology and dementia
Epilepsy
Headache service
Infectious diseases and HIV neurology
Mechanical Thrombectomy for Stroke
Movement disorders
Multiple sclerosis
Neuro and vestibular outpatient physiotherapy
Neurological pathology
Neuromuscular disorders
Neuro-opthalmology
Neurophysiology
Neuroradiology
Neurorehabilitation
Neurosurgery
Obstetric neurology
Pain clinic
Paroxysmal motor disorders
Stroke unit
Tourette Syndrome
Traumatic brain injury
Huntington Disease Clinic

Children’s services

Paediatric neurology
Paediatric neurodevelopment, neurodisability and epilepsy
. . .

D

Diabetes and endocrinology

Diabetes and Endocrinology departments are at St George’s Hospital, Queen Mary’s Hospital and also at St John’s Therapy Centre.

At St George’s Hospital the diabetes and endocrinology department is part of the internal medicine, located in the Thomas Addison unit.

Patients benefit from a uniquely integrated approach to the treatment of diabetes, endocrine, metabolism and obesity, working in close collaboration with ophthalmologists, vascular surgeons, endocrine surgeons, obstetricians and paediatricians.

In addition to a large outpatient service, the department also provides a daily consultation service for inpatients. The team provides an inpatient service for both Diabetes and Endocrinology and there is a dedicated endocrine investigation unit within the department. Close liaison between paediatric and adult physicians in endocrinology ensures a seamless service of high quality for young patients.

St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust treats children and adolescents for growth, endocrine and diabetes problems. The endocrine services sees both local and regional patients either at St George’s or at peripheral outreach clinics.

We have close links with the adult diabetes and endocrine service to ensure a smooth transfer to the adult services

Specialist clinics aimed at people with general endocrine disorders, covering all aspects of endocrinology including thyroid disease, calcium disorders, neuro-endocrinology and reproductive endocrinology.
Services we offer
Across St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust we offer a range of services across our site for diabetes and endocrinology:

Diabetes

Medical assessments of diabetes and complications
Joint diabetes renal clinic
Nurse specialist led clinics
Specialist dietician clinics
Diabetes ulcer clinic and Podiatry service
Psyhologist service
Structured group education programmes for type 1 (BERTIE) and type 2 diabetes (DESMOND)
Insulin pump service and continuous glucose monitoring reviews
Inpatient reviews
Telephone advice
Priority clinics for urgent reviews
Gestational diabetes
Inherited diabetes and other metabolic disorders
Andrology clinic

Endocrinology

Late effects clinic for long term follow up of survivors of childhood cancers
Incidentaloma and emergency endocrine clinic
Pituitary and adrenal endocrine disorders
Endo Gynae particularly focussing on Polycystic ovary syndrome, Gender dysfunction and Turner’s syndrome
Teenage endocrine gynaecological clinic
Long term Thyroid cancer follow up clinic
Multidisciplinary clinic for morbid obesity with assessment for bariatric intervention
Thyroid and other general endocrine disorders
Von-Hippel Lindau disease and paragangliomas
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia

Genetic Endocrine Conditions

Antenatal diabetes
Continuous glucose monitoring
Foot Problems
Gestational diabetes
Insulin pumps
Preconception needs
. . .

G

Gastroenterology

St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract (the digestive tract from mouth through to anus, including the stomach and bowel), liver, pancreas, and biliary tract. The department has a very strong multidisciplinary ethos, with consultants, nurse specialists, and allied health professional colleagues from Gastroenterology and GI Surgery, Dietetics, Radiology, and Pathology working in partnership to ensure that patients and families receive the best care for their condition.

Our consultants have a wide range of specialty expertise, and the department offers a comprehensive range of diagnostic procedures, such as endoscopy, and specialist clinics, including inflammatory bowel disease, oesophageal, viral hepatitis, and complex nutrition.

St. George’s provides a regional Intestinal Failure Service, managing patients with complex nutritional conditions and those requiring home parenteral nutrition.

St George’s is a regional liver centre and manages the full spectrum of hepatology with the exception of liver transplantation and hepatobiliary cancer surgery. The department has excellent links with King’s Liver Unit, working together to provide treatment for hepatitis C, while communication with our local hospitals is optimised through a local network.
Outpatient Clinics

General Gastroenterology– Oesophageal, stomach, small and large bowel disorders and cancers
General Hepatology– Liver, gall bladder, pancreatic disorders and cancers
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) – Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Viral Hepatitis – Hepatitis B, C, D, E and HIV co-infection

In addition the department provides:

Liver and GI Diseases in Pregnancy – joint care for such complex conditions is provided with the obstetrics department.
Rapid Access Jaundice Service – A quick access clinic for patients with jaundice.
Adolescent IBD Transitional Clinic – The department also holds transitional IBD clinics with the paediatrics department for adolescent patients who will soon be transferring to our adult service.
Clinical Assessment Service (CAS) – A consultant-led service where GP referrals along with baseline tests are reviewed and triaged by a consultant gastroenterologist.

Day Cases

A full range of endoscopic procedures (procedures using fibre-optic cameras to examine the gastrointestinal tract) are provided in our modern state of the art endoscopy unit:

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy (examination and treatment of disorders of the oesophagus and stomach)
Colonoscopy (examination of the large bowel)
Flexible sigmoidoscopy (limited examination of the large bowel)
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), (examination and treatment of the bile duct leading to the liver, gall bladder and pancreas)
Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) (ultrasound examination from within the bowel)

In addition the department provides:

National Bowel Screening Programme – the Endoscopy department at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the National Centre for Bowel Cancer Screening for the southwest London region.
Oesophageal Manometry Service – a specialist investigation of the oesophagus.
National Endoscopy Training Centre – the department provides endoscopy training courses for doctors and nurses.

We offer breath tests, fibroscans, venesections, liver biopsies and paracentesis.

Inpatients

The department’s consultants and junior doctors undertake the care of inpatients who have been admitted with gastroenterology or hepatology diagnoses, including patients with gastrointestinal bleeding.
Gastroenterology Trust Pathways
Pathway for the Management of Dyspepsia OGD

Pathway for the Management of Dyspepsia

Pathway for the Management of Gallstones

Pathway for the Management of IBS

A Quick Guide to Liver Function Testing Pathology

Pathway for the Management of Constipation in Adult Patients

Pathway for the Management of IBD in Merton

Pathway for the Management of Rectal Bleeding

St George’s Hospital
Location and facilities
Outpatients
Clinic A & D, Ground floor, Lanesborough Wing, St George’s Hospital

Endoscopy unit

1st floor, St James’ Wing, St George’s Hospital

Inpatients

Allingham Ward, 3rd floor, St James’ Wing, St George’s Hospital

Queen Mary’s Hospital
Contact details
St George’s Hospital

Outpatient appointments – 020 8725 0007
Switchboard – 020 8725 1000

Queen Mary’s Hospital

Outpatient appointments – 020 8487 0007
Switchboard – 020 8487 6000

The Nelson Medical Centre

Outpatient appointments – 020 3826 0826
Opening hours
Queen Mary’s Hospital

Monday 08.30 – 16.30

Tuesday 08.30 – 16.30
Wednesday 08.30 – 16.30
Thursday 08.30 – 16.30
Friday 08.30 – 16.30

The Nelson Medical Centre

Monday 07:00 – 20.00
Tuesday 07:00 – 20:00
Wednesday 07:00 – 20.00
Thursday 07:00 – 20.00
Friday 07:00 – 20.00
Saturday 08:00 – 12.00
Contact us
St George’s Hospital
Outpatient Appointments
Tel: 020 8725 0007
Queen Mary’s Hospital
Tel: 020 8487 6000
Call Centre – 020 8487 6290
The Nelson Medical Centre
Tel: 020 3826 0826
Meet the team
Gastroenterology
Consultants 
Dr Sophie Barker (UGI cancer lead)
Dr Christopher Groves
Dr Gareth Sadler (Director of Endoscopy)
Dr Jamal Hayat
Dr Kesavan Kandiah (Endoscopy Training Lead)
Dr John Louis Auguste (Director of Bowel Cancer Screening)
Dr Penny Neild (Care Group Lead for Gastroenterology)
Dr Kamal Patel (IBD Co-Lead)
Professor Richard Pollok
Dr Andrew Poullis (IBD Co-Lead)
Nursing team
Fiona Donovan, Lead Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Nurse Specialist
Susana Ruiz Sanchez, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Nurse Specialist
Margarida Alves, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Nurse Specialist
Asha Tacouri, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Nurse Specialist
Mark Soomaroo, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Nurse Specialist
Kirsty McCartney, Lead Upper GI Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist
Jessica Batchelor, Upper GI Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist
Hayley Aparicio, Upper GI Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist
Yannesa Balbin, Upper GI Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist
Emma Pindard, Lead Nutrition Clinical Nurse Specialist
Jessica Hamlin, Nutrition Clinical Nurse Specialist
Kathryn Atkins, Clinical Nurse Specialist
Angela Joyce, Gastrointestinal Advanced Nurse Practitioner
Jane Muomah, Gastrointestinal Clinical Nurse Specialist

Dietetics
Megan Drake, Principle Dietitian
Rishi Kanabar, Principle Dietitian

Gastrointestinal (GI) Physiology
Alice Henderson, Lead GI Physiologist
Anna Wolak, GI Physiologist

Pharmacy
Sonia Mehta, IBD Specialist Pharmacist

Hepatology
Consultants
Dr Sarah Clark (Care Group Lead for Gastroenterology)
Professor Daniel Forton, Associate Medical Director (Research), Clinical Lead South West London Hepatitis ODN
Dr Markus Gess (visiting Consultant from Kingston Hospital)
Dr Sarah Hughes
Dr Arjuna Singanayagam
Dr Metin Yalcin

Nursing team
Sally Thomas, Lead Nurse for Hepatology
Nick Tatman, Hepatology Clinical Nurse Specialist
Shiny Jaimes, Viral Hepatitis Clinical Nurse Specialist
Jonathan Durban, Viral Hepatitis Clinical Nurse Specialist
Laura Latham, Hepatitis Clinical Nurse Specialist
Sally Pannifex, Alcohol-related Fatty Liver Disease Specialist Nurse

Pharmacy
Helen Boothman, Lead Hepatology Pharmacist

Referrals

To see a specialist in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, or to have an Endsocopy procedure, a referral letter is required from the patients’ GP. This may also be booked from the GP’s practice by the e-Referrals Service.

Patient Information Leaflets

High Resolution Oesophageal Manometry and pH Studies (PDF) . . .

Genomics - South West Thames Centre for Genomics

The South West Thames Centre for Genomics is based at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides a specialist service to people living in South West London, Surrey, and West Sussex.

The Clinical Genetics service comprises a team of clinical staff, including consultant geneticists, genetic counsellors, and specialist registrars.

In addition, our St George’s Genomics Service is a UKAS accredited medical laboratory, No. 8127 and provides a comprehensive diagnostic analytical and reporting service for a range of genetic disorders.

The service offers specialist genetic advice, diagnosis, and counselling to families and individuals who have or might be at risk of developing inherited disorders, including cancer. This includes giving advice regarding the availability of carrier screening and prenatal testing techniques.

The Department provides care for patients at the site most convenient for them; 60 per cent of patients are seen at a clinic local to their home. Clinic appointments are held at St George’s Hospital and at 17 other hospitals within the region.
The department also provides a number of highly specialised, disease specific clinics, including two nationally recognised services: Tuberous Sclerosis clinic and the Primary Lymphoedema. Further regional specialist clinics include those for patients with endocrine and growth disorders, paediatric conditions, and neurodegenerative disease.
The department is a lead training centre for specialist registrars, genetic counsellors, and clinical scientists. It also provides advice and training for GPs and other health professionals about inherited disorders.
 Map of SW Thames Clinical Genetics Referral Region

Contact details
General Contact

Department of Clinical Genetics
South West Thames Centre for Genomics
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Blackshaw Road
London
SW17 0QT

General (non-cancer) secretaries telephone number: 020 8725 2805
General (non-cancer) enquiries (NOT REFERRALS) by email to Genetic.Secretaries@stgeorges.nhs.uk

Cancer secretaries telephone number: 020 8725 5333

Cancer enquiries by email to Cancer.Genetics@stgeorges.nhs.uk

Prenatal enquiries (INCLUDING prenatal referrals) to prenatal.genetics@stgeorges.nhs.uk. More information on prenatal referrals here.

 

Appointments team contact details

Telephone number: 020 8725 3343
Email: genetic.appts@stgeorges.nhs.uk

Clinical Staff

Consultant Geneticists:

Dr Frances Elmslie – Clinical lead
Prof Kate Tatton-Brown
Dr Suzanne Alsters
Dr Tessa Homfray
Dr Matina Prapa
Prof Sahar Mansour
Dr Esther Dempsey
Dr Meriel McEntagart
Dr Nayana Lahiri
Dr Katie Snape
Dr Heidre Bezuidenhout
Dr Avgi Andreou

Genetic Counsellors:

Kelly Kohut – Lead Genetic Counsellor
Cathryn Moss
Andrea Forman
Elizabeth Winchester
Beth Coad
Alice Youngs
Heidy Brandon
Harriet McMillan
Ginny Attard
Lily Barnett
Gaya Connolly
Venessa Miller
Alekhya Ashokan
Emma Charlton
Laura Coulier
Sarah Cable
Beth Gilman
Andrew Pestaille
Ellen Colvin

Referrals

 Clinic appointments are available on referral basis.
All referrals should be addressed to the consultant staff at St Georges.
Appointments will automatically be made at the patient’s closest hospital unless they are best served by a specialist clinic.
Specific referral criteria may apply.
Appointments by telephone and video are available, where appropriate

Waiting Times

The majority of our clinics are held on a monthly basis. The time from referral to appointment will vary depending on the clinician the patient is due to see, and the nature of the appointment.

If the referred patient is pregnant, they will either be contacted by telephone within 48 hours of referral receipt, or invited to an in-person appointment within a week of referral receipt.

Referral Address

We encourage all referrals to be sent electronically via ERS or to genetic.appts@stgeorges.nhs.uk

Our postal address is (but referrals by post are discouraged and often causes delays to the patient being assigned an appointment):

Department of Clinical Genetics
South West Thames Centre for Genomics
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Blackshaw Road
London
SW17 0QT

All prenatal referrals should be sent via email to prenatal.genetics@stgeorges.nhs.uk with the urgent referral form attached.

Referral advice

If you are unsure whether it is appropriate to refer your patient, please see our guidance on appropriate referrals. There are certain conditions we do not see in clinical genetics and will be rejected. If the referral guidance does not answer your query, questions can be sent via the ‘Advice and Guidance’ service.

Any questions in relation to a patient already known to us should go to:

Genetic.Secretaries@stgeorges.nhs.uk – for any non-cancer related cases
Cancer.Genetics@stgeorges.nhs.uk  – for any cancer related cases

We can accept referrals for patients whose GP surgery is within one of the following postcodes:

CR0 – CR9
KT1 – KT24
SM1 – SM7
SW1E
SW4, SW8, SW9
SW11 – SW20 (except SW16)
TW1 – TW2
TW9 – TW20 (except TW13 & TW14)
RH1 – RH20
TN8, TN16
GU1 – GU12
GU14 – GU31
GU33, GU46, GU47, GU95
BN5 – BN6
BN11 – BN18
BN41 – BN45
BN99
PO9, PO10
PO18 – PO22

. . .

Gynaecology

The Gynaecology service investigates, diagnoses and treats conditions related to women’s reproductive health.

We provide specialist care and clinics in the following areas:

Colposcopy
Early Pregnancy Unit
Emergency gynaecology ( via Acute Gynaecology Unit)
Endometriosis
Fertility
Gynaecological cancer
Gynaecology Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC)
Hysteroscopy
Myoma (Fibroids)
Pessary Clinic
Pregnancy Advisory Service

Our Gynaecology service is managed by a team of consultants and specialist nurses and hold clinics at both St George’s Hospital and Queen Mary’s Hospital (Roehampton).

We provide both emergency and planned elective treatment for gynaecological conditions.

Many clinics operate on a one-stop basis where conditions are diagnosed and treated in one visit.

We have a joint Gynaecological Cancer Centre with the Royal Marsden Hospital. . . .

M

Maternity

Online Self Referral for Maternity Care at St George’s
Welcome to St George’s Maternity Unit. We look forward to caring for you and your baby during pregnancy, birth and afterwards.

Follow this link if you are pregnant and would like to have your baby at St George’s to complete the online self referral form – completing this will start the pathway to get a booking appointment with a midwife. You can use this form before contacting your GP.

This form can also be completed by healthcare professionals e.g. GP’s to refer patients to our maternity care pathways.

Please try to complete before 7 weeks of pregnancy (OR as soon as you know you are pregnant after that gestation, OR as soon as you decide on a transfer of care). Once the referral has been processed, you will receive a letter with a midwife appointment. This can take 2-3 weeks.
Early Pregnancy Service
For pregnancies less than 14 weeks

020 8725 0093
If you are less than 14 weeks pregnant and have any concerns e.g., abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, please contact us for information and advice on our Early Pregnancy Answerphone Service Monday – Saturday, number above. Leave your name, phone number and pregnancy concern and the nurses will respond to your answerphone message in the afternoon every day except Sundays. Please visit their webpage here for more information. If you have urgent concerns please go to A&E.
St George’s Maternity Helpline
For pregnancies more than 14 weeks

020 8725 2777
Please call this number if you are more than 14 weeks pregnant and have concerns about yourself or your baby (during pregnancy, labour or in the 6 weeks after birth). It is staffed by midwives who can offer advice, reassurance, and clinical support 7 days a week.

What Language Do You Need? (Translation Services)
If English is not your first language, please let us know if you require an interpreter. We can provide a face to face interpreter for outpatient care, and we always have telephone translation services available 24 hours a day in all settings.

Maternity Unit Tour
We have created this maternity tour video to show you the unit, how to get there and what to expect. We hope this is helpful for you.

Feedback from our service users can be found on NHS Choices.

 
Temporary Changes To Birth Centre at St George’s University Hospital Maternity Unit
July 2023: Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety of all our patients and to achieve the best possible outcomes. Unfortunately, this may mean that we will not always be able to offer our full range of birthing options. At times, we may need to temporarily close our Birth Centre to redirect our staff to other areas of clinical need in order to maintain safety across the unit.

Please be assured that we will make every effort to keep the Birth Centre closed for the shortest time possible, whilst we maintain midwifery-led care in the Delivery Suite.

We are very pleased to announce, that we will soon be opening our new water birth facilities in the Delivery Suite, so that we can continue to offer this choice of birth for all.

Thank you for your understanding and patience. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you need additional support please contact our Consultant Midwife on maternity.experience@stgeorges.nhs.uk
ENTONOX Statement
July 2023: Entonox is the ‘laughing gas’ used in labour. It is breathed in by the labouring person and does not affect the baby. It has a very short-lasting effect with each breath. Some people only use this form of pain relief in labour.

This issue concerns risks associated with levels of nitrous oxide gas to which staff may be exposed to, as reported in the press.

At St George’s University Hospitals, there are currently no plans to stop any use of Entonox (Nitrous Oxide & Oxygen).

The assessments of the occupational levels of Nitrous Oxide exposure in staff for the past year have assured us that our current upgraded ventilation system has significantly reduced staff exposure levels and we continue to regularly monitor staff exposure to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

In addition, we are working closely with our Estates teams to introduce formal active extraction (scavenging) of nitrous oxide into all areas of maternity by upgrading some of our rooms and using specialised hoses on Entonox breathing systems. This, combined with a specialised destruction unit, will further optimise the safety of nitrous oxide use both to the staff and the environment.

Vaccinations Recommended in Pregnancy
We strongly recommend all pregnant women receive the Pertussis (Whooping cough) and Flu vaccines to safeguard both themselves and their babies.

The incidence of Pertussis cases has been on the rise, making it crucial for expecting mothers to get vaccinated against whooping cough, preferably after their anomaly scan, around 20 weeks into pregnancy.

This vaccination serves as a protective shield for your newborn before they receive their own vaccines from 8 weeks.

Equally important is the flu vaccine, which can be administered until March 31st, 2024. We will commence a new flu campaign from September 2024 onwards.

Pertussis and flu vaccines are available at our dropping clinic for your convenience (Vaccines in Pregnancy – St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (stgeorges.nhs.uk)

We encourage you to discuss this decision with your midwife or GP.

Protecting yourself means protecting your baby – take the step towards a healthier pregnancy today”
Social Media
We have an active Instagram and Facebook account with regular updates on our service as well as useful videos, information and pictures. Be sure to follow us on Twitter here! @stgmaternity

What our service users say:
“I want to reassure you that your staff are doing a fantastic job despite the huge demands placed on them.”

“My husband and I will be forever grateful to the individuals involved and the NHS for the extremely high level of care provided”

“The team were absolutely brilliant, I cannot thank them enough”  . . .

R

Rehabilitation service

Vitali Unit
Part of the Douglas Bader Rehabilitation Centre, the Vitali Unit provides the necessary outpatient services, clinics and resources needed to enable the rehabilitation of patients so that they can achieve their optimal level of function, mobility and health status. The centre also offers services for the management of patients with complex rehabilitation needs, including neurological rehabilitation, prosthetics and special seating. . . .

S

Stop smoking service

Background
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and illness, with second hand smoke causing significant short and longer term risks to health. In addition, Smoking materials are a primary source of ignition and cause fires.

The NHS has a duty to promote healthy behaviours and to protect people from harm. Everyone working, visiting, receiving care or living on NHS premises has a right to be in a completely smokefree environment.

Smokefree Policy
St Georges University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a designated smokefree site – this means smoking is not permitted anywhere on trust grounds including car parks and gardens.

Any person wishing to smoke should leave the hospital grounds to do so. This applies to patients, visitors and staff.

The smokefree policy aims to protect all patients, staff and visitors to the trust from dangers of second hand smoke.

Coming into hospital
Please do not bring tobacco or smoking material with you.

If you are coming in as a planned admission please speak to your local pharmacist, GP or stop smoking service about obtaining Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) for use while you are here for;

support to quit, or
temporary abstinence if you are not ready to try and quit

Some (but not all) types of NRT are available from the wards – please speak to the staff or ask for a referral to the smoking cessation team for additional information or support while you are in hospital.

Benefits of stopping smoking
Giving up smoking before any planned hospital treatment is the most effective thing you can do to speed up your recovery.

For both planned and emergency admissions – stopping smoking once you have been admitted can shorten your stay and reduce the risk of complications.

After 20 minutes

Pulse rate returns to normal.

After 8 hours

Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in blood reduce by more than half and oxygen levels return to normal.

After 48 hours

Carbon monoxide will be eliminated from the body. Lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris.

After 48 hours

There is no nicotine in the body. Ability to taste and smell is improved.

After 72 hours

Breathing becomes easier. Bronchial tubes begin to relax and energy levels increase.

After 2-12 weeks

Your circulation improves.

After 3-9 months

Coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve as lung function increases by up to 10%.

After 1 year

Risk of heart disease is about half compared with a person who is still smoking.

After 10 years

Risk of lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker.

After 15 years

Risk of heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked.

For more information, please go to: www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/

Services available
Stopping smoking with support and supervised use of medications increases your chances of successfully quitting by four times.

The hospital stop smoking service team can provide more advice and information before, during or after your admission. Call us on 020 8725 4234.

Ask your ward staff to refer you if you would like to be seen on the ward during your admission. Note to staff: patients can be referred using ICLiP, just search in Orders for ‘Smoking Cessation’.

Out-patients or Pre/Post admission
You can attend one of the stop smoking support clinics:

Drop in clinics available to all visitors, out-patients and staff at the trust.
Providing FREE  friendly advice, support and encouragement with specialist trained advisors.
A choice of medications available free or on prescription.

St Georges Hospital
Ground Floor
Atkinson Morley Wing
Every Wednesday and Friday
10am to 3pm
Queen Marys’ Hospital
Ground Floor
Cardiology Outpatients
Every Tuesday
10am to 3pm

For more information call:

 020 8725 4234 or 07775 020 248 (during clinic times only) or
Wandsworth stop smoking team on 0800 389 7921

Other services
Stop Smoking London Helpline: 0300 123 0044 (Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm – Saturday & Sunday 11am to 4pm).

London wide stop smoking portal: london.stopsmokingportal.com – Information on local London borough services can be found here.

All stop smoking services should provide information and access to treatments for stopping smoking.

Further information on treatments available can be found at:

www.nhs.uk/smokefree/help-and-advice/prescription-medicines
www.nhs.uk/conditions/stop-smoking-treatments/

Or you can discuss the available options with your local stop smoking service or pharmacist

Further information sources

Smokefree
NHS Choices
ASH (Action on smoking and Health)
. . .

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