I am delighted to share some recent news about Dr Jes Dhatt our Women’s Health GP, has become an official member of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.
For those of you who have already met Jes at the clinic, this will probably come as no surprise. Her approach to medicine has always been centred not simply on treating illness when it appears, but on helping patients understand and improve the wider factors that influence their long-term health.
Her new membership complements her existing membership of the British Menopause Society. It reflects the areas of medicine about which she is particularly passionate: Women’s Health, Lifestyle Medicine, Preventive Care and Surgical Assessment.
Women’s healthcare is an area we are continuing to develop here in Canary Wharf, and I am particularly pleased to have a doctor with Jes’s combination of experience, clinical judgement and genuine interest in women’s health as part of our team.
Meet Dr Jes Dhatt
Before focusing on general practice, Jes developed a strong clinical foundation through her work in Surgery and Emergency Medicine.
That background is valuable.
General practice is very often about recognising what is common while remaining alert to what may not be. A symptom may be straightforward, require further investigation or occasionally warrant specialist or more urgent assessment.
Jes brings a precise and considered approach to those decisions.
Her particular clinical interests now include:
- Women’s Health
- Menopause and perimenopause
- Hormonal health
- Contraception
- Lifestyle Medicine
- Preventive healthcare
- Weight management
- Nutritional guidance
- Surgical assessment
What I particularly value about Jes’s approach is that these areas are not viewed in isolation.
Women’s health is rarely that simple.
Women’s Health in Canary Wharf – Looking Beyond a Single Symptom
A patient may book an appointment because she is tired.
But fatigue can be connected to many different things: sleep, stress, nutrition, iron deficiency, thyroid function, hormonal changes, menopause, medication, lifestyle or another underlying medical condition.
Another patient may initially want to discuss weight gain but also be struggling with poor sleep, menopausal symptoms and increasing stress.
Someone else may simply feel that something has changed but be unable to identify exactly what.
Good general practice involves taking the time to put those pieces together.
That broader view is an important part of Jes’s work.
Rather than concentrating exclusively on the symptom that brought somebody through the door, she looks at the patient’s wider health, medical history, lifestyle and concerns before considering what the appropriate next steps should be.
A Growing Focus on Lifestyle Medicine
Jes’s membership of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine formalises an area that has already become an important part of her clinical practice.
As Jes puts it:
“I believe that the best medicine happens before a patient becomes unwell. By integrating Lifestyle Medicine, focusing on sleep, nutrition and stress management, with traditional clinical interventions, I help my patients achieve long-term vitality.”
That philosophy is important.
Lifestyle Medicine should not be confused with replacing conventional medical treatment with lifestyle advice.
It is about recognising that areas such as sleep, nutrition, physical activity, stress, relationships and everyday habits will have a significant influence on our health and considering them alongside appropriate medical investigation and treatment.
For women, this can become particularly relevant as the body changes through different stages of life.
Hormonal changes, pregnancy, the postnatal period, perimenopause, menopause and ageing can all affect physical and emotional health.
Sometimes medical treatment is appropriate.
Sometimes investigations are needed.
And sometimes relatively small but sustainable changes in sleep, nutrition, activity or stress management can form an important part of a wider treatment plan.
The important point is that the approach should be individual to the patient.
Women’s Health at Different Stages of Life
There is no single type of “women’s health appointment”.
One woman may want advice about contraception. Another may be experiencing irregular periods. Someone in her forties may be questioning whether the changes she is experiencing could be perimenopause. Another patient may be concerned about weight, sleep, fatigue or mood.
And many women simply reach a point where they want to take stock of their health and ask:
“Is there anything I should be doing now to protect my health in the future?”
These are exactly the conversations that good primary care should make space for.
Menopause and Perimenopause
Menopause has received far more public attention in recent years, which I think is very welcome.
For too long, many women felt they simply had to tolerate symptoms without fully understanding what was happening or what options might be available.
Jes has a particular interest in menopause, perimenopause and hormonal health and is a member of the British Menopause Society.
The experience of menopause can vary enormously.
Possible symptoms can include changes to menstrual cycles, hot flushes, night sweats, disturbed sleep, changes in mood, difficulty concentrating and a variety of other physical and emotional symptoms.
For some women, symptoms are relatively mild.
For others, they can have a profound impact on work, family life, relationships and general wellbeing.
A consultation provides an opportunity to look at those symptoms properly, take account of an individual woman’s medical history and discuss appropriate options.
But menopause care should also be about more than controlling immediate symptoms.
This stage of life can be an excellent opportunity to look more broadly at future health.
That may include considering:
- Cardiovascular health
- Blood pressure
- Bone health
- Weight and metabolic health
- Sleep
- Nutrition
- Exercise and physical activity
- Emotional wellbeing
- Preventive screening
This is where Jes’s interests in Women’s Health and Lifestyle Medicine naturally complement one another.
Hormonal Health
The phrase “my hormones” is something we hear quite frequently in general practice.
Sometimes hormones are indeed responsible for a change a patient is experiencing.
But not always.
Symptoms such as fatigue, changes in weight, mood disturbance, skin changes, altered periods or poor sleep can potentially have several explanations. That is why proper assessment matters.
Rather than assuming that a symptom is hormonal, Jes considers the wider clinical picture and, where appropriate, whether investigation may be useful.
The purpose is not to carry out tests simply for the sake of testing, but to understand what is happening and decide what genuinely needs attention.
Contraception and Reproductive Health
Women’s contraceptive needs often change considerably over time.
The method that suited somebody perfectly at 25 may no longer be her preferred option at 35 or 45.
Medical history, medications, hormonal symptoms, menstrual problems, side effects, future pregnancy plans and personal preference may all affect the decision.
Women can see Jes to discuss areas including:
- Starting contraception
- Reviewing an existing contraceptive method
- Changing contraception
- Contraceptive side effects
- Contraception during perimenopause
- Coil-related concerns
- Coil removal
- Menstrual changes
- Broader reproductive-health concerns
These should be informed conversations rather than a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
The aim is to give patients the information they need to make a decision that is right for them.
Preventive Medicine: Looking After Health Before Something Goes Wrong
One of the reasons I think Jes fits particularly well with the ethos of our practice is her enthusiasm for preventive healthcare.
Medicine quite understandably tends to focus on illness.
Something happens, a patient develops symptoms, and we treat the problem.
But some of the most valuable conversations we have with patients happen before there is a significant problem.
Preventive care may involve considering things such as:
- Check your family medical history
- Check your Cardiovascular risk
- Blood pressure checks
- Cholesterol checks
- Blood glucose checks
- Look at your weight and metabolic health
- Appropriate blood investigations
- Lifestyle screening
- Check vaccination status and offer vaccines
- Sleep and stress
- Future health risks
It is an opportunity to ask a slightly different question.
Rather than only – “What is wrong today?”
We can also ask – “What can we do to keep you well in the years ahead?”
That approach can be particularly valuable for women approaching their forties, fifties and beyond, when hormonal and metabolic changes can coincide with changing cardiovascular and bone-health considerations.
Weight Management Should Never Be Just About the Scales
Weight management is another area in which Jes has a particular interest.
It is also an area where overly simplistic advice can be unhelpful.
Weight is influenced by considerably more than willpower.
Sleep, stress, menopause, medication, nutrition, physical activity, medical conditions and individual circumstances can all play a part.
For that reason, weight should be considered within the context of the whole patient.
Jes’s background in Lifestyle Medicine allows her to explore these areas with patients and discuss realistic, sustainable changes that can support long-term health.
The objective is not simply achieving a particular number on a set of scales.
It is improving overall health, metabolic wellbeing, energy and quality of life.
Personalised Women’s Healthcare
Some women’s health concerns can be difficult to talk about.
Periods, menopause, sexual health, contraception, weight, mood and intimate symptoms are not subjects everybody finds easy to discuss.
Patients should feel that they have the time to explain what is happening without feeling rushed or embarrassed.
That is one of the things I believe private general practice can offer particularly well.
Jes provides personalised, bespoke care, taking account not just of symptoms but of the individual woman sitting in front of her.
Two patients of the same age with apparently similar symptoms may have completely different medical histories, priorities, concerns and preferences.
Their healthcare should reflect that.
The Value of Her Surgical and Emergency Medicine Experience
Jes’s earlier work in Surgery and Emergency Medicine also brings another dimension to her general practice.
Most symptoms presenting in primary care are not serious.
However, good clinical assessment involves recognising those occasions when something does not quite fit the expected picture.
Her background gives her considerable experience of clinical assessment and deciding when symptoms may require further investigations, imaging, specialist review or referral.
This is particularly useful when women attend with symptoms that could potentially arise from several different causes.
It allows her to combine her interest in holistic and preventive medicine with a strong grounding in traditional clinical assessment.
Supporting Our International Patients
One of the other great strengths Jes brings to our Canary Wharf practice is her ability to communicate with patients from a wide variety of backgrounds.
She speaks:
- English
- Malay
- Punjabi
- Hindi
Canary Wharf and East London are wonderfully international communities, and we have always cared for patients and families who have moved to the UK from all over the world.
Being able to discuss health in a language in which a patient feels particularly comfortable can make an enormous difference.
This can be especially valuable during personal conversations surrounding women’s health, menopause, contraception and general wellbeing.
A More Proactive Approach to Women’s Health
Women’s healthcare continues to evolve.
We now understand far more about the importance of menopause care, cardiovascular risk in women, hormonal health, metabolic health, lifestyle and prevention than was routinely discussed in general practice twenty or thirty years ago.
Patients are also quite rightly becoming more proactive.
Increasingly, women are not simply asking:
“How do I treat this symptom?”
They are asking:
“Why is this happening?” “Could something else be contributing?”
and perhaps most importantly:
“What can I do now to protect my future health?”
That is an approach to medicine I strongly support.
It is also why I am so pleased to see Jes developing her work in both Women’s Health and Lifestyle Medicine.
Her membership of both the British Menopause Society and now the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine reflects the kind of joined-up healthcare she provides, combining conventional clinical medicine with prevention and a genuine interest in helping patients maintain their health over the long term.
See Dr Jes Dhatt in Canary Wharf
Dr Jes Dhatt is currently seeing patients during Friday sessions at our Canary Wharf clinic, with appointments also available on selected Saturdays.
Women can book an appointment with Jes to discuss concerns including:
- Menopause and perimenopause
- Hormonal health
- Contraception
- Coil removal and contraceptive concerns
- Menstrual changes
- Preventive healthcare
- Weight management
- Nutrition and lifestyle
- Sleep and stress
- General women’s health concerns
You do not need to wait until something is seriously wrong to speak to a doctor.
An appointment can be equally valuable if you have noticed a change, have questions about your health or simply want to take a more proactive approach to your future wellbeing.
I am extremely pleased to have Jes as part of our clinical team and to see her continuing to develop an area of medicine for which she has such enthusiasm.
Her approach reflects something we have always believed strongly here at the clinic: good medicine is not only about treating illness. It is also about understanding our patients, identifying risks early and helping them stay well wherever possible.
Or contact our reception team!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see Dr Jes Dhatt about menopause or perimenopause?
Yes. Jes has a special interest in women’s health, menopause and hormonal health and is a member of the British Menopause Society. Appointments provide an opportunity to discuss symptoms, medical history and appropriate options for further assessment or management.
Can I book an appointment about contraception?
Yes. Jes can discuss contraception, changing contraceptive methods, contraceptive concerns and options as women move through different stages of life.
Can I see Jes for coil removal?
Yes. Coil removal and contraceptives are bookable with Dr Jess Dhatt. Suitability and individual circumstances can be discussed when booking or during consultation.
What is Lifestyle Medicine?
Lifestyle Medicine considers how areas such as nutrition, physical activity, sleep and stress can affect health and how these can be addressed alongside conventional medical treatment and preventive care.
Do I need to have a particular symptom to book a women’s health appointment?
No. Patients can also book to discuss preventive health, general wellbeing or concerns about their future health, even where there is no single specific symptom.
When is Dr Jes Dhatt available in Canary Wharf?
Jes is currently seeing patients during Friday clinics, with selected Saturday sessions also available.
What languages does Dr Jes Dhatt speak?
Jes speaks English, Malay, Punjabi and Hindi.
