WhatsApp Scheme

New Government WhatsApp scheme:

“The government has launched a new, free service on WhatsApp to provide official, trustworthy and timely information and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19) and reduce the burden on NHS services. To use the service, add 07860 064422 in your phone contacts and then message the word ‘hi’ in a WhatsApp message”

This is an automated ‘chatbot’ service which will allow the British public to get answers to the most common questions about coronavirus direct from government. It will provide information on topics such as coronavirus prevention and symptoms, the latest number of cases in the UK, advice on staying at home, travel advice and myth busting. The service will also allow the government to send messages to all opted-in users if required.

update on access to services 23 March 2020 14:42

Please stay at home and follow national guidance and advice that can be found via the links on our web site, national newspapers, TV, radio and social media.

We are turning people on foot away from our premises unless the visit here has been pre-arranged with us over the telephone. We know our phone lines are busy, we have additional lines in place and at present the staff to man them. Use e-consult as an alternative if you need help with a medical problem.

A new booking system is now in place - please only phone on the day you need help. You will not be able to book in advance without speaking to a clinician first.

From tomorrow (Tuesday 24th March) Whimple surgery will be closed to the public.

Our plan is to maintain access to doctors and nurses to help those who are medically unwell. We can only do this by putting measures in place to keep you and all the staff here as safe as possible.

Please share among your family, friends and local community.

Changes to our system

From Monday 23 March 2020 we will change our system to manage the risk of reduced number of staff including doctors and nurses.

We will no longer hold drop in baby immunisation clinics.  Instead please phone the surgery on the day your baby is due their vaccination.  You will then be contacted by a clinician to arrange a suitable time for an appointment.  To protect the safety of our staff we urge you to only bring your baby to the appointment avoiding where possible bringing additional family/friends

On the day you have a medical problem, please telephone us.  We will take your name, contact telephone number and ask you, in confidence, what the nature of your problem is.  If you need to speak to a clinician we will do our best to allocate your usual or preferred clinician.

We will call you as soon as possible, usually within an hour either side of a specified time.   The doctor or nurse will discuss the problem with you and work out what to do next.  We will arrange an appointment if you need to be seen.  This will usually be on the same day or you may want to ask for another day if more convenient to fit around work or to allow time to arrange transport.

The doctor or nurse will call you three times.  If you are unable to answer your phone,  your enquiry will be marked as non-responder and you will need to call in and restart the process.  Under these circumstances it may not be possible to speak to a doctor or nurse on that same day.

You do not need to ring as soon as the surgery opens.  You can ring at any time, and by ringing slightly later than you have in the past you may find there is a quicker response time.

You will not be able to book a telephone call on another day.  Please phone on the day you need us.

Consultations with your gp/nurse - Telephone, face to face appointments and eConsultations available

To minimise the risk of Coronoavirus we are using telephone appointments and e-Consultations in the first instance.  The clinician may still then arrange a face to face appointment with you as clinically required.


Telephone consultations - The gp or nurse will first contact you by telephone and carry out a consultation with you.  If after speaking with you they decide it is clinically necessary to see you face to face, a suitable appointment will be made for you to attend the surgery.


eConsultations (over 18's) - This will allow you to receive help and advice from our GPs without leaving home and if an appointment is required it will be prioritised. All admin queries can also be submitted using the eConsult. To access this service please visit www.coleridgemedicalcentre.co.uk  No password required to access this service
If you need help to fill out an eConsult form online, or are unable to, you can continue to call the practice and a patient service advisor will ask you the questions and complete it on your behalf.
You will receive a response by 6:30pm the following working day.


Please be advised, we are suspending our face to face online appointment booking service for the time being. 



If you already have an appointment booked please attend as normal unless we contact you otherwise.

Please do not come in to the practice if you have either a new continual cough pr a raised temperature over 37.8 C.  You should self isolate and self care for 7 days.  If your condition deteriorates you should contact 111.

Please use online services to order repeat prescriptions and to check blood results.  For more information and to sign up online at https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/the-nhs-app/help/start/

Changes to our services to minimise the risk of Coronavirus

To minimise the risk of Coronoavirus we will be using telephone and e-Consultation (available via our web site www.coleridgemedicalcentre.co.uk) in the first instance, instead of asking patients to come into the practice. 

If you already have an appointment booked please attend as normal unless we contact you otherwise.

Please do not come in to the practice if you have either a new continual cough pr a raised temperature over 37.8 C.  You should self isolate and self care for 7 days.  If your condition deteriorates you should contact 111.

 Please use online services to order repeat prescriptions and to check blood results.  For more information and to sign up online at https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/the-nhs-app/help/start/

Hand washing information for Coronavirus

Coronavirus- Are you arriving in the UK from abroad?

Cornoavirus - what you can do

The NHS message is:-

The NHS is well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases and has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal. Check online at gov.uk and at nhs.uk for advice on your travel and contact history and the latest COVID-19 information before attending the practice.

We will maintain services for as long as we can with the resources we have.  To do so we rely on our community to follow the published official advice regarding self isolation and using 111 as first point of contact.  

Here's what you can do to help us:

Please check on neighbours and friends.  Make sure they are up to date with the current advice. 

Please read and comply with the signs before entering our premises.  Messages are also on our telephones, web site, and via text and email messaging for anyone signed up to those services. 

Please use our services appropriately and only when necessary.  Make use of our online services including E-Consults, 111 online checker and  NHS Choices.  

Please make use of community pharmacies and the follow the advice regarding self-limiting illnesses (D&V, coughs and colds etc), advice regarding self-care and over the counter medication to relieve symptoms.

  
Please check for the latest information on the official websites.  Pass information on to those you know who haven't got online access.

Please  follow national guidance about good hygiene and hand washing.    Please use the hand gel and hand washing facilities while you are here but please leave them insitu for others to use to help prevent spread of any infections. 

For good hygiene reasons we have removed toys and magazines from the waiting room.  This is standard infection control procedure to prevent spread of infection.  Please bring your own reading materials and toys to entertain your children while you wait.

Please note that we have suspended online bookings for routine face to face consultations.   This is so that we can,  if we need to, manage contacts with our workforce and services to patients effectively throughout the coming weeks.   Online telephone bookings are still available.  

Thank you for your assistance.  

Sue Stokes

Practice Manager

Coronavirus- Hand washing information

Coronavirus affected places update 04.03.20

Coronavirus Advice

Coronavirus

The NHS is well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases and has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.

If you are concerned that you may have coronavirus or may have come into contact with someone who has, the NHS 111 online service has created coronavirus pages that tell patients what they should do based on their particular circumstances.  These can be accessed at: https://111.nhs.uk/service/covid-19

Also, you can check online at https://www.gov.uk/ and at  https://www.nhs.uk/ for advice on your travel and contact history and the latest COVID-19 information before attending the practice. 

Not Fit to Travel Notes

In response to a number of requests for doctors to issue letters regarding travel,   we are not able to issue letters for insurance purposes because you choose not to travel.

If on the other hand you need to cancel your plans because you are ill, then our usual procedure is that the insurance company will ask us to complete a report, either directly, or via the claimant, and for which there is a charge. 

In the first instance you should check the latest guidance regarding travel to certain areas and then talk to your travel insurers regarding your insurance cover.  

The link to the latest guidance can be found on the front page of our web site.