Noticeboard

Staff Training - Thursday 21st March

The surgery will be closed for Staff Training on Thursday 21st March from 1.00pm and will re-open on Friday 22nd March at 8.00am.


Digital Support with MPFT at Leek Library Thursday 15th April 10am-12pm

Come along and join our FREE Digital drop-in session at Leek Library on Monday 15th April between 10am-12pm.

Our friendly knowledgeable digital team are there to support the community with upskilling you with digital skills support and advice. We can support you with how to use your mobile phone, tablet or laptop along with hands on hints and tips to be safe when online. We also offer support with downloading and registering people for the NHS App where you can book appointments and order prescriptions at the touch of a button.


Breast Screening in Leek

Ladies registered with Moorland Medical Centre, aged between 50 and 70 years are eligible for a FREE breast screening every 3 years.

You will be invited to attend an appointment at Newton House, The Co-operative, Leek, ST13 5RG from February 2024 onwards.

Please only contact the screening team once you have received your invitation letter.

Ladies over 70years can self-refer to the service by calling 01785 230861.

North Midlands Breast Screening Service

West Midlands Breast Screening Programme (bscreen.org.uk)


Join the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent People's Panel. Help inform health and care services in your local area, by taking part in several short online surveys throughout the year.  

Visit our website on People's Panel - Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, Integrated Care Board (icb.nhs.uk)

We are inviting members of the public to play an active role in helping to improve these services, for the benefit of everyone.
Wherever you live in Staffordshire or Stoke-on-Trent and whatever your background, your experiences are important to us and can help to make a difference to health and care services in your local area.
This isn’t a tick-box exercise – it’s borne out of a genuine desire to put local people at the heart of everything the Integrated Care Board does.
Your views really do matter. As a member of the panel, we will:

Invite you to tell us your views about services you are interested in through regular short online surveys.

Enter you into a prize draw with the chance of winning one of two £50 love2shop vouchers for each survey you take part in.

Send you a newsletter twice a year – to provide updates about the panel, explain how your comments have been used to shape healthcare locally and to share news about health care providers in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

Coronavirus updates


April 2023

LLoyds Pharmacy Fountain Street Leek - Spring Covid Booster Vaccinations

Spring Covid Booster Vaccinations are now available at LLoyds Pharmacy Fountain Street Leek.  Walk in appointments available from Saturday 6th May 2023.


Leek Pharmacy will be offering Covid Vaccinations from Thursday 27th April and eligible patients can book appointments online on the NHS Website or call 119.  They are offering all eligible cohorts age 18 years the following:

  • Spring Booster for anyone aged over 75
  • Spring Booster for Immunosuppressed aged 18-75
  • Primary dose 1 or 2 for anyone over 18

Covid-19 Spring Booster 2023

You may have seen in the national press that spring Covid booster vaccinations will be on offer for eligible patients. Leek and Biddulph PCN has participated in all but one of the previous phases, primarily because we understand that a number of our patients are geographically isolated and struggle to travel to more centralised centres.

Unfortunately and reluctantly we have made the decision not to offer spring Covid booster vaccinations, thus patients will not be able to receive Covid vaccines at their GP practices. (This is a decision that has been mirrored by many other PCNs both locally and nationally.) Over the last year as individual practices we have faced huge access demand for appointments. We expect this demand to only increase into 2023-2024 and as such a difficult decision between administering vaccines and meeting patient expectation for access needed to be made.

There are a number of National Booking Service (NBS) centres locally where patients will be able to attend, but we appreciate these are often not local enough for many. We are currently working with our Local ICB to try and on-board new NBS sites in and around our PCN geography to mitigate this issue.

Any housebound or nursing home patients that are registered with our PCN practices will still be vaccinated by an approved third party, and we will keep you updated on the specifics of this as we move forward.

We appreciate this will be disappointing news to many of our patients, but hope you can understand our reasons for not participating. If an autumn 2023 Covid vaccination program is needed we are hopeful that we can run this alongside our planned flu vaccination campaign, again we will keep you all informed nearer the time. 

Many thanks

Leek and Biddulph Primary Care Trust

Book, cancel or change a COVID-19 vaccination appointment - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

A guide to the COVID-19 spring booster 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)


November 2022

Covid-19 Vaccinations

There is a walk in clinic at Leek Moorlands Hospital on Saturday 10th December 10.30am to 2.30pm.  This clinic is for eligible patients over 12 years old.

The link below shows who is eligible for the seasonal booster.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/how-to-get-a-coronavirus-vaccine/how-to-get-a-booster-dose/


October 2022

Autumn Covid-19 & Seasonal Flu Vaccinations

We are now offering appointments to eligible patients for both the Autumn Covid Booster and the Seasonal Flu Vaccination.  Please contact the surgery to book your appointment by calling 01538 399008 or alternatively call into the surgery to book your appointment.

Seasonal Flu Vaccinations for patients over 65 years can be booked online using Patient Access or via the NHS App.


September 2022

Covid Vaccinations at the Surgery (Autumn Booster)

The surgery will be offering the Covid Autumn Booster Vaccination at the surgery in October.  If you are eligible for the 'Autumn Booster' you will be contacted by the surgery either by a text message or a telephone call.  Those patients eligible for the Flu Vaccination will be able to have this at the same time.  The link below shows who is eligible for the seasonal booster.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/how-to-get-a-coronavirus-vaccine/how-to-get-a-booster-dose/


April 2022

Covid Vaccinations - Leek Fire Station 

There are Covid Vaccinations available at Leek Fire Station Walk In Clinic Springfield Road on Thursday 14th April and Monday 25th April 11.30am-4.30pm.

Please click on the link to check if you are eligible.

 

Find a walk-in coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination site - NHS (www.nhs.uk)


March 2022

Spring Booster Covid Vaccination Campaign

This week marks the start of the Spring Booster Covid Vaccination Campaign nationally (essentially phase 4). This will be targeting the over 75 years and over and those aged

12 years and over who are clinically extremely vulnerable. LVS (Local Vaccination Service / GP run Vaccination Centres) have predominantly been asked to stand down from this phase of vaccine delivery, so that we can focus on providing core General Practice services. Leek and Biddulph PCN have decided to adhere to this guidance. We have not taken this decision lightly as we have prided ourselves on being able to deliver phase 1,2, and 3 to our patients in their locality. However, running the vaccine clinics, as well as simultaneously performing all the routine everyday core work has taken a huge toll on General Practice staff, thus to provide a sustainable service going forward we have stepped down from spring boosters.

 

As of April, we are officially putting our two vaccination centres in Leek and Biddulph into ‘hibernation’ and currently fully intend to reopen them if an Autumn/Winter 2022 booster campaign is needed. We appreciate this will potentially inconvenience some of our patients but there are now a number of excellent local vaccine clinics that can be found on the NBS (National Booking Service)

 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

 

Please be reassured that our patients residing in a care home, or who are registered as housebound, will still be catered for with a visiting service who can administer the vaccine in patient’s homes. We are working closely with MPFT (Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust) who will be providing this service, we will advise those patients affected on the specifics of this process in due course.

 

With over 50,000 vaccines now delivered by the PCN since we started in January 2021, I would like to again take this opportunity to thank all staff in the PCN, and all volunteers that have helped at both sites. Without your hard work and dedication, the success achieved in the vaccination campaigns in Leek and Biddulph would not have been possible.

 

Many Thanks

Dr Neil Briscoe 


January 2022

Wearing a Face Covering in GP Practices

From Wednesday 26th January 2022 NHS patients, staff and visitors must continue to wear face coverings in all healthcare settings.

Infection prevention and control is still an absolute priority in NHS premises. Therefore, hospitals, GP surgeries, clinics and other clinical settings across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent will still be requiring people to wear face coverings.


December 2021

Covid-19 Booster

You will be sent a text message or contacted via the phone if you are eligible for a booster.  If you have not heard anything yet you can email moorland.med@nhs.net and we will check this for you.  We are also looking for volunteers to help with the clinics so if you are available please either email Bas Pickering PPG Secretary on  bas.pickering@yahoo.com or moorland.med@nhs.net and we will be in touch with you.


July 2021

Moorland Medical Centre statement for Staff and Patients

 

COVID Restriction Update

 

Throughout the pandemic we have strived to make the Surgery as safe as possible for all our patients and staff. We will continue to do so going forward.

 

From the 19th July, nothing will change at the surgery - patients will need to still wear a face covering and socially distance and staff will continue to wear PPE. The number of patients allowed into the waiting area will also continue to be restricted, and we will continue to utilise our one way system within the practice. We do understand that this can be frustrating but we know that when people come to us they are sick and vulnerable so we feel it would be wrong to not take these small precautions to protect us all.

 

Covid has not gone away.

 

In terms of opening up, as many of you know, we have never been shut and in fact have consulted with much higher numbers of patients than we did pre-covid (face to face, by phone, and by video), not counting vaccinating 90% of the adult population twice in the last 6 months.

 

We have come so far in trying to minimise the impact of Covid and we are sure you understand that we need to keep the surgery as safe as possible for ALL patients and staff. One positive case of covid within the surgery could wipe out our entire workforce for 10 days, and I'm sure you will agree, maintaining restrictions is a small price to pay in order that we continue with a full range of medical services, and keep our doors open.


May 2021

Covid-19 vaccination status

From 17 May 2021, people in England who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can demonstrate their vaccination status for international travel. A full course is currently two doses of any approved vaccine. Vaccine status will be available from: 

  • the NHS App which you can download from app stores 

  • the NHS website 

  • 119 - by requesting a paper letter

You will need to register to use the online services, if you have not already. It may take more than a week for your identity to be checked and verified.

If you cannot access the online services, and you have had both doses of the vaccine, you can request a paper letter from the NHS by calling 119. Only call 119 if you are due to travel outside the UK in the near future and have had your second dose more than 5 working days ago. It may take up to 7 working days for the letter to arrive.

This practice is not able to provide you with a letter that shows your COVID-19 vaccination status. Please do not contact the practice about your COVID-19 vaccination status unless you have been advised to by the 119 service.

When you're planning your travel, you should check the latest information on demonstrating your COVID-19 status when travelling abroad on the gov.uk website. Make sure there is enough time to get proof of your COVID-19 vaccination status before you are due to travel.

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme

If you are aged over 40 and 41 (Cohort 10) you will be contacted by text to book your 1st Covid-19 vaccine through the National Booking Service.  Letters will be sent out w/c 4th May.  You can book your appointment through nhs.uk or by calling 119.

Book online at  www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination

March 2021

If you have been called for your vaccination but have not yet booked, we have a vaccine for you and available appointments until 31st March – call 119 to book and give yourself the best protection against coronavirus.

If you are over 50 and have not yet booked your appointment, we have a vaccine for you and appointments available until 31 March so book now by calling 119

Are you a health and social care worker but haven’t had your vaccination yet? We have a vaccine for you – book now to get your vaccination appointment before 31 March by calling 119

Book online at  www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination

February 2021

Covid-19 Vaccine Priority Groups

We continue to work hard to vaccinate our patients in line with the priority groups defined in the JCVI guidance.  We are currently prioritising the over 70s, frontline health and social care workers, and those that are aged 16+ who are clinically extremely vulnerable individuals. If you fall into one of these priority groups and have not received your first dose of the vaccine nor have an upcoming appointment booked, please contact the NHS to book your appointment now without delay.

 

Appointments for those in the priority groups can be booked by contacting your GP, through the national booking system or by calling 119 for an appointment at a larger vaccination site or pharmacy. 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

 

If you fall within one of the priority groups and have concerns about transport to and from the vaccination centre, please speak to your adviser at the time of booking.   If you have any questions or concerns about the vaccine, please refer to our frequently asked questions.

 

The next group to be vaccinated will be those aged 65+. 

If you are aged 65+, you will be called in the coming weeks, please do not contact us at this time. 

We are very busy and doing so could prevent a patient who needs our help from getting through. For more information on the vaccination programme visit www.nhs.uk/covidvaccination

 


January 2021

“GP practices as part of Primary Care Networks are not the provider of the covid vaccine to health and social care staff at this time. Health and social care staff will have access to larger sites such as vaccination centres or hospital hubs.

Frontline health and care workers will be invited for a vaccine over the coming weeks by their local hospital vaccination hub.  Staff will be contacted via their organisation to check eligibility and to coordinate liaising with the NHS

Please be patient and you will be contacted to book your vaccine at a vaccination centre when it is your turn.”

Below is a link of the letter that has gone to the employers:

https://www.twbstaffsandstoke.org.uk/publications/coronavirus/114-letter-to-other-frontline-health-and-care-workers/file


December 2020

As you may have heard in the news, the Covid-19 vaccination programme has now commenced.    We will be delivering the Covid vaccination as a Primary Care Network (PCN).  Our PCN is called Leek and Biddulph PCN and comprises of Moorland Medical Centre, Leek Health Centre, Park Medical Centre, Biddulph Doctors and Biddulph Valley.

 

We will be rolling the programme out from January onwards, starting with patients aged 80 and over.  

Please see the list of priority groups below.

 

You will be contacted by the practice either by phone, text or letter when it is your turn to be vaccinated, at which point we will book you into a clinic.  We therefore ask that you do not contact the surgery until that time.

Covid-19 vaccination first phase priority groups

COVID-19 Christmas Guidance

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are in Very High Alert.

Temporary changes to some rules for Christmas apply on Christmas Day (25 December.)

  • Three households can form a temporary 'Christmas bubble'
  • You can only be in one Christmas bubble and you cannot change your Christmas bubble

Please think carefully about what you choose to do and keep your family and friends safe.

Smaller is safer.

Do it to protect the people you love.

http://stopthespread.doingourbit.info/

#doingourbit #stopthespread

Do it for what matters campaign

July 2020

Disabled people exempt from wearing face coverings under new government guidance

Government has set out a list of face covering exemptions, as they are mandatory in additional enclosed spaces from today (Friday 24 July).

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/disabled-people-exempt-from-wearing-face-coverings-under-new-government-guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own

Social distancing guidance for young people

The guidance for young people on social distancing was updated on Wednesday 28 July to be in line with the most recent government advice. The guidance provides an overview of a range of topics, including:

  • Protecting different groups of people

  • Social distancing and avoiding close contact

  • Handwashing and respiratory hygiene

  • Face coverings

  • Travelling

  • Getting care

  • Going to work, education or childcare

Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/stay-alert-and-safe-social-distancing-guidance-for-young-people


Supplying face mask exemption letters to patients

Practices are reporting increases in requests from patients for letters of exemption to wearing face masks in various public settings.

The Government guidance suggests there is no requirement for evidence for exemption. It should be sufficient for someone to declare that they are eligible for an exemption direct with the person questioning them (eg bus driver).

Practices are therefore not required to provide letters of support for those who fall under the list of exemptions, or to those who do not fall under the list of exemptions.

Some transport providers are providing evidence of exemptions themselves, see for example this information from First Bus and Arriva.

 


Guidance for patients taking a holiday

As lockdown eases and tourism begins to reopen around the UK. The BMA have produced a simple guidance poster to help patients mitigate risks and stay safe on their holiday.


June 2020

Testing and tracing for coronavirus

Get a test to check if you have coronavirus, understand your test result and find out what to do if you're contacted by NHS Test and Trace.

 


Clinically extremely vulnerable shielding patients

The advice for clinically extremely vulnerable people shielding from COVID-19 is changing:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/plans-to-ease-guidance-for-over-2-million-shielding

From 6th July, those shielding will be able to:  meet outdoors in groups of up to six people they do not live with and create a ‘support bubble’ with one other household


Face Coverings when attending the GP Surgery

If you are asked to come to the surgery for a face to face review/appointment, you will be required to wear a face covering to help keep you and us safe. You can use anything that covers your nose and mouth. Thank you.

Find guidance on how to wear and make a face-covering on GOV.UK.

Mask Exemption Cards for Learning Disabilities


Learning Disability Awareness Week 15th-19th June 2020

https://www.mencap.org.uk/get-involved/learning-disability-week-2020

Face Coverings Information

Stay safe in June

Shielding Update

https://www.keepsafe.org.uk/resources


At Risk Patient Letter - 4th June

The latest government shielding guidance can be found at www.gov.uk/coronavirus

The Government is regularly reviewing this guidance and most recently updated it on 31st May. The next review of this guidance will take place the week commencing 15th June 2020, after which you will be written to with information on updated shielding advice.


Managing your health at home

To maintain social distancing and prevent the spread of the coronavirus, you are advised to stay at home as much as possible. While you are at home it's still easy to get NHS help and support using your smartphone, tablet or computer.

The Health at Home webpage has information letting you know how to:

contact your GP

order repeat prescriptions

manage long-term conditions

maintain your mental and physical wellbeing

If you need an NHS service, try to do it online first. If you cannot get what you need this way try asking a friend or family member to help you, or speak to your GP surgery on the phone.

Find out more at: www.nhs.uk/health-at-home


Guidance Note for Parents of Children Returning to School from 1st June 2020

Dear Parents

We are aware that some parents might be understandably anxious about the Government’s recent announcement, advising that children of a certain age return to school in the week commencing 1st June 2020. GPs are unfortunately not in a position to provide individual risk assessments or letters to a child, in order to confirm their suitability (or otherwise) to return to school.

North Staffordshire Local Medical Committee has therefore prepared this guidance note to help parents, on behalf of your practice, as the statutory body that advises and supports all GPs and practice teams across Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire.

Guidance note for Parents of Children Returning to School from 1st June 2020


May 2020

Staying at home and shielding

If you’re clinically extremely vulnerable, you’re strongly advised to stay at home at all times and avoid any face-to-face contact to protect yourself.

This is called ‘shielding’ and the advice is:

  1. Do not leave your house.
  2. Do not attend any gatherings, including gatherings of friends and families in private spaces, for example, family homes, weddings and religious services.
  3. Strictly avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Government is currently advising people to shield until 30 June 2020 and is regularly monitoring this position.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19#symptoms


University Hospital Of North Midlands NHS Trust Blood Test Service.  Information leaflet attached below:

Blood test information leaflet


Patients that have been identified as being at moderate risk can access government guidance here. There are also other sources of support for moderate-risk patients:

Volunteers can provide:

Check in and chat support – short-term telephone support to individuals who are at risk of loneliness because of self-isolation (note, this is not mental health advice).

    • Community support – collection of shopping, medication, or other essential supplies for someone who is self-isolating, and delivering these supplies to their home.
    • Patient Transport – transport to take patients home who are medically fit for discharge.
    • NHS Transport – who will deliver medicines on behalf of the community pharmacy or dispensing doctor.
  • Health at home – is a webpage that gives them an overview of NHS services that are available, such as how to order repeat prescriptions online and get them delivered.
  • Public Health England have provided some guidance on looking after mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The government has provided advice on employment and financial support on their website: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Local Councils

Local councils are working with voluntary sector organisations and local communities to support residents in the response to COVID-19. Click on the link below where you can locate your local council and associated website where you can find further information.

https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

The government has provided advice on employment and financial support on their website: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus


April 2020

21.4.2020 Update

Important advice for parents during COVID-19

Paediatric specialists have developed a pack for parents/carers to help identify when children who are displaying any health concerns should be taken to hospital.  Please use the link below to access the newsletter.

 Child Death Prevention Newsletter


17.4.2020 Information

Managing your health at home

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak means you should only leave your home if it's essential, unless you feel very unwell or you are told to attend an existing appointment for ongoing treatment. While you are at home it's still easy to get NHS help using your smartphone, tablet or computer.

The Health at Home webpage has information letting you know how to:

● contact your GP

● order repeat prescriptions

manage long-term conditions

● maintain your mental and physical wellbeing

If you need an NHS service, try to do it online first. If you cannot get what you need this way try asking a friend or family member to help you, or speak to your GP surgery on the phone.

Find out more at: www.nhs.uk/health-at-home


We know that there will be people in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent who are extremely vulnerable to coronavirus (Covid-19). If you are included in this group, you should have received a letter from the NHS asking you to stay at home and avoid face-to-face contact for at least 12weeks. This may mean that you will need extra support during this time.

 

This might be for things such as travelling to appointments or collecting prescriptions and medicines. Alternatively, you might need help with shopping, or even a friendly voice to talk to.

 

We know there are other people who will not have received a letter but are vulnerable too, for example people who are staying at home because they have symptoms of coronavirus, are over 70, have a pre-existing health condition or are pregnant and do not have a friend, relative or neighbour who can help.

 

Documents attached below with useful contact information and volunteer support both locally and nationally:

NHS Volunteer Responders Information

Survive Together - COVID-19 Community Support


10.4.2020 Update

A message to all parents/guardians of children re COVID 19

COVID19 is unlikely to cause a serious illness in children, but please remember children can still become seriously unwell from other causes that are always around. Please do not let concerns over COVID19 stop you from contacting medical services if you are worried.

If you are not sure if your child needs to be seen please go to https://www.what0-18.nhs.uk/national for advice or contact 111 or your GP.

For information about crying babies go to http://iconcope.org/parentsadvice/

If your child is severely unwell call 999 or go to ED.

 


06.04.2020 Update

 

We have been receiving calls regarding whether patients meet the high-risk criteria for 12 weeks self-isolation/shielding. Please follow the information below to help free up our phone lines.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

 

Please be advised the searches to identify the final group of patients at high risk of severe illness from COVID 19, have been delayed nationally. We have been updated by NHS England that these searches should be conducted this week and patients will be sent a letter in the post from NHS England, this letter will be flagged up in your medical record at the surgery.

If you think you fall into the high risk category then we recommend you follow the guidance issued by the Government to protect yourself. This means:-

  • Not leaving your home
  • Staying at least 2 meters away from other people in your house
  • You can also self-identify if you feel you should be included in the highest clinical at risk group, and have not yet received a letter, and register here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable Your GP practice will then receive this list of patients and are asked to review the patients on this list, and then we will send a letter out to you if you’re GP considers it appropriate for you.


02.04.2020 Update

Information for patients with Learning Difficulties.

How to stay safe

Health Issues

What if you get ill?

Looking after your feelings and Body

https://www.mencap.org.uk/advice-and-support/health/coronavirus-covid-19


March 2020

30.03.2020 Update 

We have been receiving calls regarding whether patients meet the high-risk criteria for 12 weeks self-isolation/shielding. Please follow the information below to help free up our phone lines.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

 

Please be advised the searches to identify the final group of patients at high risk of severe illness from COVID 19, have been delayed nationally. If you think you fall into the high risk category then we recommend you follow the guidance issued by the Government to protect yourself. This means:-

  • Not leaving your home
  • Staying at least 2 meters away from other people in your house.

25.03.2020 Update

Social Prescribing resources & support - COVID-19


24.03.2020 Update

Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 - GOV.UK


23.03.2020 Update

Due to the current situation regarding the COVID 19 pandemic, we are receiving an unprecedented amount of calls to the practice each day. Please be patient with our staff who are under immense pressure and remember they are working hard to help many patients. Please also be patient while waiting for the phone to be answered, this is due to the large amount of calls which come into the surgery.

To help us to remain open and to promote your own safety we need to cancel all routine GP appointments for the foreseeable future, this is in line with current NHS Guidance.

If you feel that you need to speak to a clinician please call the surgery on 'the day' and the receptionists will signpost you to the most appropriate service.

As announced on Sunday 22nd March briefing, if you're at high risk, you will be contacted by the NHS by Sunday 29 March 2020. Do not contact your GP or healthcare team at this stage, wait to be contacted.

You can find the latest information and advice from Public Health England on https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ 


20.03.2020 - Update

https://111.nhs.uk/isolation-note/

An isolation note

Use this service if you have to stay at home because of coronavirus and you need a note for your employer.

If you have to stay at home but feel well enough to work, ask your employer if you can work from home. If you can work from home, you will not need an isolation note.

You can also use this service for someone else.

If you are not sure if you need to stay at home, get the latest NHS advice on coronavirus.

Guidance for employers and businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19)

Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK


You can find the latest information and advice from Public Health England on https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ 

If you think you have Coronavirus and have symptoms:

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

DO NOT come into your GP practice or visit any other health facility, including a pharmacy. Please stay at home and look at the NHS 111 web pages above for advice and information.

Moorland Medical Centre feel it is imperative as a practice to be able to modify the way in which we work to be able to safely and effectively deal with the situation at hand by focusing on our duty of care to protect our patients and staff member from the impact of the current pandemic.

Please be patient with our staff who are under immense pressure and remember they are working hard to help many patients. Please also be patient while waiting for the phone to be answered – this is due to the large amount of calls which come into the surgery.

Below are the changes the practice has made which may affect you as patients:

If you have a routine appointment booked in the next few weeks we will be contacting you either by a text message, email or telephone, to establish with you if you still need the appointment. All appointment requests will be triaged and then changed to either a telephone or video consultation.

Face to Face appointments – you will be triaged on the telephone and asked to attend the surgery for an examination if this is required by the clinician.

If you have a stable long term condition you may be asked to postpone your routine review appointments until such a time when this is feasible. If you feel your condition is unstable and you are unable to wait, please be reassured that you will still be seen.

Routine blood tests for stable conditions may be postponed in the short term. Blood tests that are required urgently, will be triaged and a plan of action agreed with the clinician.

Appointments with your own GP might not be always possible and you may find that you have to speak to other clinicians.

Home visits will continue as before, being triaged initially over the telephone.

Prescriptions/Fit Notes –We will try to send as much information as we can electronically or post it to you so as to alleviate the need for you to come into the surgery. We will be temporarily taking prescription requests over the phone.

We have temporarily suspended the booking of online appointments to enable us to triage the appointment requests whilst the pandemic continues.

The health care professional examining you may wear protective equipment, where appropriate. You may also be asked to wear a face mask (which will be provided to you). Please do not be alarmed by this as this is to ensure safety of staff so that they can continue to look after you. Our waiting room has been set up to allow social distancing and reduce the risks of viral transmission.

We may ask you to wait in your car or in a different designated waiting area to reduce the risk of transmission of infection.

Our secretarial team will be working on urgent clinical work and therefore there may be a delay on non-clinical items such as insurance reports, non-urgent paperwork, DVLA.

The practice has currently postponed the following areas below, aiming to revisit these once the outbreak ends:

New patient registration medical examination, unless clinically indicated, travel vaccinations, medical examinations, stop smoking clinics, spirometry and routine annual ECGs unless clinically indicated.  New patient checks, NHS health checks, frailty and over 75s annual reviews.  Minor surgery.

 
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