Dr Haleema Sheikh studied Medicine at St Georges Hospital Medical School in London and graduated with an additional intercalated BSc in Clinical Neuroscience in 1998. Benefitting from a wide range of experience during her time on a medical rotation in Southampton she completed her MRCP and gained an in-depth view of different specialities including gastroenterology, haematology, rheumatology, cardiovascular medicine, elderly care, and psychiatry which brought about the realisation that she loved being a generalist; she decided to pursue a career in General Practice a place where her curiosity about whole person health could flourish.
With over 16 years of experience in the NHS as a GP in Cambridge and then Southwest London she has a wide breadth of knowledge in dealing with women’s health issues such as endometriosis, PCOS, PMS, perimenopause and menopause through the conventional lens and now with a more holistic functional aperture. She has also completed the Diploma of Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive health and is well versed in hormonal contraception and fertility matters.
On her medical journey Haleema was intrigued by the mind body connection and the importance of social community and connection on health which led her down the route of Functional Medicine.
She is one of less a handful of doctors within the UK who have completed The Institute of Functional Medicine modules and successfully certified. Functional medicine is the medicine of Why and gives her the opportunity to apply her knowledge to complement and assist successful bioidentical hormone support for women’s health
Haleema is passionate about understanding the context and timeline of her clients to get to the root causes of their symptoms and hack their health to create a nurturing environment in which their cells can thrive and be supported.
Haleema believes that our focus needs to be on what creates health rather than just treating symptoms of disease and this requires a space for the client’s story to be heard, build trust and work in partnership.
She recognises the importance of experience and leading by example to be able to empower patients. She practices daily Transcendental Meditation and loves to incorporate movement into her day with walks outside, yoga and climbing.