London Medical - Knightsbridge Doctors

[SMB x2 0]

Medical July 9th, 1.50pm, Bentinck Mansions.

I got there around 1.30pm. It really is only a few minutes walk from Bond Street station, I printed out a map from Google Maps so that it had a bit more detail, as "Map B" provided wasn't very clear.

At the front desk, I was asked for the questionnaire sheet that was included in packet 3, a photo (I gave them a spare US sized one I had handy) and a copy of my vaccination record. My local GP's office were able to provide a print out of my vaccination records going all the way back to when the computerised records began in the late 80s, and Knightsbridge were happy to accept this.

In the waiting room, I was asked to fill out a similar questionnaire (only ticking yes or no, not providing any detail) and sign an AIDS test consent form. After around 10 minutes I was called in to have my chest x-rayed, the guy was pretty amusing so made me quite relaxed.

Back in the waiting room for a few minutes, I was eventually called in by the Irish doctor. After going through the yes/no answers I provided, he asked a few more questions and asked me to take my shoes off and hop on the weighing scales. It didn't break when I stood on it, thankfully. He then measured my height (seems I'm closer to 5'10, could have sworn I was 5'11) and then asked so sit in front of a selotape X on the carpet. He turned around and said "oh no sorry, I said stand in front of the X!"

I guess my hearing is a bit pants

Anyway, read some stuff off the eye chart, then sat on the bed. He took my blood pressure (through my shirt) and checked my lungs and heart at various positions on my chest and back. I then had to lie down and he checked my feet. I honestly had no idea what he was checking there, although I think my socks were a bit stinky. He then went off and wrote something down and started talking about my background, whilst getting me to un-button my jeans. I knew exactly what was coming and started babbling on about my physics degree to avoid the looming uncomfortable situation. After leaning on my stomach a bit, he was waffling about something and, sure enough, said "and just a quick peak" whilst looking down my underwear. I'm not sure what he ascertained in that split second, perhaps that I'm male.

Anyway, last thing to do was the blood sample. I was still waffling about physics, dreading the needle, when he proceeded to puncture my arm with a sword and take some blood. After a few minutes he put a plaster on it and that was me done! Nothing out of the ordinary.

When I went out into the foyer to pay, I noticed blood all over my (best) shirt. I nipped back in and he spent ages cleaning it up and put another plaster on it. He rolled up my sleeve to hide the blood stain and said I should start a trend of having one sleeve rolled up.

Anyway, job done I would guess it all lasted about 30-40 minutes. Worth noting that because I had the interview earlier in the day, the Embassy still had my passport. They gave me a photocopy of the picture page to give to the Knightsbridge people, which seemed to suffice.

[The Red Baron 0]

Could anyone tell meif this sounds reasonable

My interview is nine oclock on the 11th my medical is on the 29th but im going to bring it forward would i have enough time to have it the same day at 1600hrs? you know. will i be done in time?

[T and M 1]

Could anyone tell meif this sounds reasonable

My interview is nine oclock on the 11th my medical is on the 29th but im going to bring it forward would i have enough time to have it the same day at 1600hrs? you know. will i be done in time?

Unless you have some issue, you should be done by noon. Our appt was at 8:30 and we were out by 11.

Good luck! Really rooting for you.

[snowfrostedlashes 0]

Could anyone tell meif this sounds reasonable

My interview is nine oclock on the 11th my medical is on the 29th but im going to bring it forward would i have enough time to have it the same day at 1600hrs? you know. will i be done in time?

Unless you have some issue, you should be done by noon. Our appt was at 8:30 and we were out by 11.

Good luck! Really rooting for you.

My appointment was 09:00 (I was there half an hour before) but I didn't get out until 12:30... no problems, they were just busy that day. So I would say allow 4 hours plus travelling time just to be on the safe side.

[Nicoxcx 1]

I was just wondering, is booking the Medical for the day before the interview okay timing? , I figured instead of making 2 seperate trips up to London from Scotland I could travel there for the medical, stay at a hotel and go to the interview the next day.

[pandora 0]

I was just wondering, is booking the Medical for the day before the interview okay timing? , I figured instead of making 2 seperate trips up to London from Scotland I could travel there for the medical, stay at a hotel and go to the interview the next day.

should be fine - but visa would be subject to medical and they would issue it 3-5 days after receiving the medical results.

Hope this helps.

[pandora 0]

ok update on medical which was originally done on 20th June - had to go back give more blood on 30th June as they needed to retest it ( had the start of a cold when first was taken ).

so 2nd sample was sent off - they redid the first test again as there wasnt enough sample for what should of be the second test. They had the results and sat on them for a week. when I rang to see what was going on i was adivsed that they had done the wrong test on the second sample but was confident there was enough left from the 1st sample ( made me wonder why i had to go give a second sample). Found this out on a Friday and was told the test woudl be done on the Monday. Rang back on the Wednesday to see if it had been done and if they had results. Was advised at this stage that this particular test is only carried out on a thursday

At this point i was livid and made a formal complaint to the HPA ( there the people the sample is sent off to ).

finally on Friday 25th July the doctor rang to say they had the results back and they were fine. So worried for a month that there was something wrong with me

Got a letter of apology from the HPA where they will revise some of there practises to ensure that this doesnt happen again.

So the embassy finally got my medical results on Tuesday 29th July so waiting on them to process it.

[Nicoxcx 1]

I was just wondering, is booking the Medical for the day before the interview okay timing? , I figured instead of making 2 seperate trips up to London from Scotland I could travel there for the medical, stay at a hotel and go to the interview the next day.

should be fine - but visa would be subject to medical and they would issue it 3-5 days after receiving the medical results.

Hope this helps.

Thankyou Pandora, I dont mind waiting the extra few days to save the cash .

[The Red Baron 0]

Well medical done.

In the door at half eight which didnt impress the staff thy were a bit stern but i guess i was disturbing there morning cup of coffee, they let me in anyways filled in the yes no questions they gave me. and waited. The Radiographer was a very nice talkative chap and i was done in there and straight in with the Irish guy who is from cork where we lived for four years so we knew a few of the same people drank in some of the same places which was nice but it was all rythym for him. Questions again, weight, height, eyesight test in front of the tape on the floor. Up on the bed for the prostate test then he says ill have a quick look down there nearly had me in stitches no bedside patter just ill take a look done with the doc. Go to sit down and im called down the hall for jabs which i had already so nursey apologised went up to the window paid and walked off to the tube station.

Medical done in 20mins £180.00 lighter plus four quid for a coffee and a cake in costa. just back at my mates until tube to victoria to get my coach home.

RB

[SMB x2 0]

Folks, should I have had a TB skin test during my medical? I'm just starting the AOS process and noticed this:

Q: When did the new TB requirements become effective?

The new TB testing and treatment requirements became effective on May 1, 2008. However, CDC allowed a 30 day grace period. Therefore, any medical exam that takes place on or after June 1, 2008 must be performed in accordance with the new TB testing requirements.

which kinda suggests they should have done one at Knightsbridge.

Just when you think you're on top of this process, something else renders you completely confused.

Stu

[SMB x2 0]

Sorry to double post.

Someone in the AOS forum kindly confirmed that I will need the TB skin test. Unless it's something that has to be done here locally in the US, I'm really disappointed Knightsbridge weren't more on the ball.

Anyway, now to figure out where we need to get this TB test done :s

Stu

[Nicoxcx 1]

I don't think Knightsbridge offer the TB test, They no doubt use the Chest X-Ray to check for TB as that is a common way to diagnose it.

but all in all I agree, if the US require the skin test, Knightsbridge should offer it.

[Alex & Rachel 78]

My medical experience was almost identical to most of yours, strangely enough.

I agree that it really is only a very short walk from Bond Street Station, although I was very briefly confused and intimidated by the building itself; it doesn't exactly look like a medical centre!

It was extremely quiet. Only one other couple were in the waiting room. I was nearly 40 minutes early as I couldn't remember whether my appointment was at 10 to 10 or 10 past 10! Turned out to be 10 past 10. I filled in the second questionnaire, signed the letter explaining about the HIV test and then waited for a half hour before the Asian lady doctor called me forward.

She was very polite and professional without being overly friendly. I did actually feel at ease with her which is unusual for me and doctors. I had to undress down to my knickers and then my height and weight were taken. I then had the eye test for which I kept on my glasses.

After that I was asked to lie down on the examining table. She listened briefly to my heart and lungs and then asked me to put my arms above my head while she conducted a breast exam. This was probably the thing she did most thoroughly! She also pressed down on my stomach and peeked down my knickers but did not need to examine anything else.

Finally she took blood from my arm. She commented on how bad my veins were, to which I answered, 'I know!' Doctors always have problems finding my veins. Fortunately, unlike the last nurse who had to take blood from me, she managed to fill a vial first time round.

There was another twenty minute wait before the radiographer came to fetch me from the second waiting room to have my x-ray taken. I was still not dressed at this point; the lady doctor had instructed me to keep a dressing gown she had given me on instead. The radiographer lent me hair clips with which to tie up my hair and then he took the x-ray as I stood with my chest to the machine. He, too, asked me to keep just the dressing gown on while we chatted and looked up my brother's house (?) on google earth on his computer while we waited for the x-ray to develop. Once he had seen that it had developed well I was finally able to get dressed, and then all that was left to do was to pay at reception.

[SMB x2 0]

Interesting, no TB skin test either? Are we Brits exempt from this or something, or just assumed to be intelligent enough to guess how to go about it, despite there being no instructions!

Sigh.

Stu

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Nope, no TB skin test! I'm not really sure what is happening there. Before travelling down to London I didn't read your posts in-depth so I didn't think to ask about it.

I actually had a BCG vaccine, which is a vaccine for TB, when I was 14 or 15. I wonder how that factors in to the AOS medical? A source online says:

BCG, or bacille Calmette-Guérin, is a vaccine for tuberculosis (TB) disease. BCG is used in many countries with a high prevalence of TB to prevent childhood tuberculous meningitis and miliary disease. However, BCG is not generally recommended for use in the United States because of the low risk of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the variable effectiveness of the vaccine against adult pulmonary TB, and the vaccine’s potential interference with tuberculin skin test reactivity. The BCG vaccine should be considered only for very select persons who meet specific criteria and in consultation with a TB expert.

Hmm...