Accessing your GP surgery

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The surgery remains open and available to patients throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. How you access our services looks different in the following ways.

GP Appointments

GP appointments continue to be available, the difference being all appointments are telephone appointments. The doctor has access to video technology if required and can ask you to send photographs if appropriate. If the Doctor deems it necessary for you to be examined face to face you will be asked to attend the surgery.

The doctors will endeavour to call you at the appointed time. There is no need to call the surgery if you haven’t been called a few minutes after your appointment time as, just like with face to face appointments, sometimes appointments overrun.

Nursing Appointments

These are taking place as normal. You will be contacted by text message or telephone call the day before your appointment to check you are not displaying symptoms of Covid-19. Another difference is that the nurse will be wearing protective equipment during the consultation.

Certain annual reviews such as asthma checks are being conducted by telephone and online through a secure link sent via text message, asking the patient to complete a short questionnaire.

Prescription Ordering

Patients should continue to order their prescriptions online or by dropping the prescription counterfoil into the surgery. Online ordering is the fastest and most reliable method and you can find details here. If prescription counterfoils are being dropped off this should be in the box in the entrance lobby or the external letterbox. Do not bring these into the surgery.

Prescriptions cannot be ordered by telephone.

Please do not ask for extra supplies of repeat medication above what normally order. On NHS England advice such requests will not be authorised.

Online Services

Registering for online services is the best way to support social distancing, as well as being the most efficient way to access a range of services including appointment booking, repeat prescription ordering, secure messaging and viewing your medical record. Details of how you can get set up within minutes are here.

Covid-19 Testing

The surgery does not undertake or arrange tests for Covid-19. You should book online or via the 119 telephone number.

Surgery Response

As national and local guidance changes in response to Covid-19, the service you receive may look and feel different. The following table provides an indication of what this may look like, although it is of course subject to change given the changing conditions of the pandemic.

Level  Response
4Infection Spreading at a Dangerous RateR number above 1, NHS overwhelmed and hospitals fullSurgery reception and waiting room closed. All appointments via telephone only.   This response may also be necessary if surgery staff need to isolate in numbers that make operations impossible .
3Virus not containedR number above 1 in some regions, hospitals not overwhelmedAll GP appointments by telephone triage unless GP deems clinically necessary.   Only selected nursing procedures taking place face to face.   Social distancing in place but front door remains open.
2Virus on the declineR number below 1 locallyAll GP appointments by telephone triage unless GP deems clinically necessary.   Most  nursing procedures taking place face to face.   Social distancing in place but front door remains open.
1No transmission of virusRestrictions removedSurgery open as normal, all services provided including face to face and telephone appointments.