Update Covid-19 12/06/20

Posted on June 12th, 2020

Good Afternoon
We hope everyone is keeping safe and well
A huge thank you to all our patients for you co-operation and understanding over the last couple of months.
The most recent change now following government guidance: Everyone who comes into the surgery MUST wear a face covering, if you do not have one on, we will supply one for you. Obviously we would urge you to take into consideration PPE supplies and shortages for the NHS.

Just a brief update on the services currently running at the surgery:

GP Appointments:
Continuing to telephone triage for the foreseeable – if you need an appointment please call the surgery and you will be allocated a slot with a GP to ring you, if after that the GP decides you require a face to face appointment they will schedule this for you. Face to face appointments are kept to a minimum as you can understand but please be assured if the GP feels it is necessary you will be seen. We continue with sending photos at the request of the GP only and video consultations are available for those of you who find this more convenient. There are slots available to book online via patient access so please check there first before calling the surgery and if you require something more urgent then reception can arrange this for you. Unfortunately due to the pandemic and the uncertainty we will continue to book only one week ahead. Dr Hassan, Dr Howard and Dr Hamilton continue to work from the surgery and Dr Martin working from home, unfortunately due to the social distancing measures we are unable to have a full compliment of staff in the surgery.

Nurse Appointments:
The Nurse will be providing telephone calls for pill checks, so when your script is nearly due please contact the surgery and arrange a telephone consultation, if you have access to a blood pressure machine please have your blood pressure reading available for the nurse.
Smear tests are available to book with the nurse via reception and online, please ensure you have received your letter and your smear test is due.
Baby immunisations are available to book via reception so please call the surgery to request
Depo injections are available to book via reception so please call the surgery to request
Simple dressings/Suture Removals are available to book via reception so please call the surgery to request
Certain injections will also be permitted, please contact the surgery if you require an injection
Ear syringing is not currently being carried out by any of the services at present
Essential diabetic reviews are underway – please note only patients with an HBA1c over 60 will seen at this time – if you fall into this category and haven’t yet been contacted please call the surgery. Routine diabetic and Asthma checks are still on hold. If you have a chronic disease and experiencing problems please contact us and the nurse will be happy to conduct a telephone consultation with you.
We are unsure as yet when routine clinics will be up and running, at the moment we have to do things in phases and gradually introduce clinics back into the surgery

HCA/Phlebotomy Appointments:
Essential and urgent bloods are still only being seen at the moment ie INR, methotrexate monitoring or if the GP feels urgent bloods are necessary – all routine bloods are on hold and we will update you as soon as things change
B12 appointments can be booked in designated slots online or by contacting reception
ECG’s are available at the request of the GP
Blood Pressure Checks for those who require hypertensive checks or if the GP requests this – routine Blood pressure checks are being carried out at the moment

If anyone feels unwell and requires medical attention please do get in touch, we are more than happy to schedule a call with the GP for you.

Procedure for entering the surgery:

The new intercom system remains in place and will do for the foreseeable to allow us to manage social distancing measures safely for both staff and patients, this wont affect your treatment in any way. If you come to the surgery for an appointment please ring the buzzer, you will be asked a few simple questions:

Have you got a cough/temperature or feel unwell with any potentially related covid symptoms – if answer is yes you will not be permitted to enter the surgery
Are your family members all fit and well and not isolating due to covid – if answer is no, you will not be permitted to enter the surgery
Have you been in contact with a confirmed case of Covid-19
Are you wearing a face covering

You will then be asked to push the door open, sanitise your hands (on the right hand side opposite reception desk), if not wearing a face covering, a mask will be provided for you(set on the reception desk to pick up as you enter the surgery) and then have a seat in the downstairs waiting area

It is better to not wear gloves in the surgery as it is more effective to sanitise your hands and wash them.

If you require any further appointments or have any questions, please leave the surgery promptly after your appointment and call us via telephone to make further arrangements, we appreciate this isn’t the most convenient way of doing things but for now it is the safest

Prescriptions:
We are setting as many of as possible up for patient access to book appointments and order scripts, any that get posted through the door will be contacted and set up for future use. The surgery email is still accepting script requests but again you will be contacted and set up on patient access as soon as we can do this. Unfortunately things aren’t going to return to “normal” so we need to embrace these new ways of doing things as best we can, we know it is difficult for some of you and we will do our best to help where possible.

Once again, our sincere condolences to all those families who have lost loved ones over the recent months and if anyone feels they need any support please contact the surgery as the well-being co-ordinator is available

#Stay Safe
Willaston Surgery