Dear Blogger
Message from Nicolas Story, Practice Manager
Please see attached for the latest update from Prescott Surgery, much of which remains unchanged from what I sent to you on 19th March. This is information that has been lifted from our website but I am conscious that a number of patients may not have access to a PC
Prescott Surgery
Coronavirus Update
In order to minimise the risk to vulnerable patients and to staff, we have made changes to how we manage our appointments. All requests for appointments are in the first instance being booked as a telephone consultation with a doctor or nurse. The doctor or nurse will then decide whether you need to visit for a face to face appointment. Please do not visit the surgery unless you are collecting medication or have been invited in for a face to face appointment following a telephone consultation (see GP Appointments for further information).
We have been overwhelmed by the number of patients seeking specific advice on whether or not to self-isolate. Due to the evolving guidance and a lack of capacity to provide personal advice please ask a family member or friend to access our website and follow the links where all the NHS/Government advice available can be accessed on the following subjects:
Coronavirus (NHS Advice and Guidelines)
Social Distancing
Employment and Fit Notes
Medication
The surgery is open for the collection of medication. If you are unable to come and collect your medication please ask one of the volunteers in the Community Groups to collect for you. In addition we have set up medication collection points as follows:
Ruyton - Wednesday and Friday at 2.00 pm outside the flower shop
Nesscliffe - Thursday at 1.00 pm in the Village Hall car park
There are a number of local volunteers who are willing to collect medication and deliver to houses. If you need help in finding a volunteer to collect your medication please speak to one of the dispensary team and ask for their assistance. Patients attending the collection points MUST attend on their own or only with a family member and MUST form a queue maintaining a distance of 2 metres from the nearest person.
Please continue to order your medication by phone (24 hour answerphone) or on line remembering that we still need 2 working days in which to prepare your medication. Please state clearly if you wish your medication to be delivered to one of the collection points.
NHS England has instructed all GP surgeries not to issue more than a 28 day supply to ensure that there are no drug shortages.
GP Appointments
The GP will either consult with you over the phone or via a video link. In exceptional circumstances, the GP may invite you to the surgery for a face to face consultation.
If invited for a face to face consultation you will be asked to wait in your car, telephone the surgery to announce your arrival informing the Receptionist of the make, model and colour of your car. When the clinician is ready to see you, you will be directed where to go. If you are asked to enter the building please observe social distancing at all times.
Nurse Appointments
We are providing dressings to patients who require them and will only invite you for a face to face appointment if you are not self-sufficient i.e. unable to apply the dressing yourself or unable to ask a family member to apply the dressing. We will NOT be undertaking the following with immediate effect:
Ear Irrigation; Health Checks: Travel Immunisation; Weight Management.
Blood Tests
We will continue to provide blood tests for the following:
INR monitoring; DMARDs monitoring; Cancer Drug monitoring.
As with GP appointments we will require you to announce you arrival by phoning reception and remain in the car until invited to enter the building.
If you believe that you have the symptoms of Coronavirus:
Do NOT visit a GP Surgery, Pharmacy or Hospital
- Follow NHS guidelines relating to self-isolation
- Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu
- Use NHS 111 online https://111.nhs.uk/service/covid-19 to receive advice on what to do if you have symptoms which have lasted for longer than 7 days.
Like the common cold, coronavirus infection usually occurs through close contact with a person with novel coronavirus via cough and sneezes or hand contact. A person can also be infected by touching contaminated surfaces if they do not wash their hands. Keep your hands clean by washing them thoroughly and frequently using warm water and soap.
