Corona Virus (COVID 19)
The single most important action we can all take, in fighting coronavirus, is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.
Our Practice is seeing patients by invite only to help protect both our patients and staff. Please submit an eConsult via link below.
If you do need to speak to a member of our team, please be patient, calls may take longer to be answered. We have adjusted hours to assist in social distancing to minimise risk of infection within our team.
You can order your prescriptions by emailing our team warccg.prescriptionsteam@nhs.net
STAYING AT HOME
You should only leave the house for one of four reasons.
- Shopping for basic necessities , for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as
possible.
- One form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your
household.
- Any medical need , or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
- Travelling to and from work , but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.
These four reasons are exceptions - even when doing these activities, you should be minimising time spent outside of the home and ensuring you are 2 metres apart from anyone outside of your household.
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:
- new continuous cough and/or
- high temperature
For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection
NHS 111
Up to date information can be found on http://www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/online-isolation-notes-launched-providing-proof-of-coronavirus-absence-from-work
https://111.nhs.uk/isolation-note/
https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response
Preventing spread of infection
There are general principles you can follow to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
- wash your hands often - with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available. This is particularly important after taking public transport
- avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- avoid close contact with people who are sick
- if you feel unwell, stay at home, do not attend work or school
- cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin. See Catch it, Bin it, Kill it
- clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home and work environment
- if you are worried about your symptoms, please call NHS 111. Do not go directly to your GP or other healthcare environment
- see further information and the Public Health England Blog
There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19 acute respiratory disease. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus.
https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/triggers/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://breastcancernow.org/about-us/media/statements/advice-coronavirus-people-cancer
https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/news/coronavirus-covid-19-advice
https://www.stroke.org.uk/news/coronavirus-covid-19-information-people-affected-stroke
https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/coronavirus British Lung Foundation
https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health
https://sh24.org.uk/sexual-health
https://www.axess.clinic/ sexual health advice
Patient Information
Appointment System changes
The Practice along with Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group and South Warrington Network Practices have listened to patient feedback about the difficulties in arranging appointments.
To help balance access to both urgent and routine appointments the Practice has made changes to how emergency care will be provided.
From 2nd December 2019:
We will have a “Duty team” working together each day consisting of GP’s, Nurse Practitioner (NP) and Assistant Practitioners (AP).
Patients requiring “emergency” care will be given a slot to attend the surgery; ie 10am. They will be advised that we cannot guarantee they will be seen immediately on arrival. Attendees will be seen by the most appropriate clinician for their need. Those patients who are acutely unwell will be prioritised to be seen first. The Duty GP will be managing the duty team.
The new “Duty team” has helped us to provide more GP requests review slots which will help those patients who need continuity.
From 9th December 2019:
With support from Warrington CCG and South Warrington Network, we launched eConsult; a 24/7 online consultation system. You can get help or advice from the practice online at any time & get a response back by the end of next working day. You can get information about your condition, pharmacy advice, request administrative support or GP advice; if clinically necessary an appointment will be arranged for you. As eConsult is 24/7 there will be no need to telephone the Practice as soon as you can after 8am.
Our admin team have been provided with up to date guidance to help them signpost patients to the most appropriate care and will be actively working with eConsult. We advise patients to view the video on our website to them understand how it works.
The sender ID will be SHMC
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Getting your medicines if there's a 'no-deal' Brexit
The government is working closely with the NHS and suppliers to help to ensure medicines and medical products continue to be available for patients if there is a ‘no deal’ Brexit.
Get prescriptions as normal
Please keep ordering your repeat prescriptions and taking your medicines as normal. It is unnecessary to change how you order and take your medicines.
It's important you don't ask for more medicines than you normally need, doing so risks pressure on availability of medicines for other people.
What the government is doing
The government has put in place contingency measures to help ensure medicines continue to be available. These include:
Buffer stocks in the UK
The government has recommended that suppliers of medicines build up at least 6 weeks' extra stocks above their usual buffer stock levels in preparation for Brexit on 31 October 2019. It has secured additional warehouse capacity for the stockpiled medicines. These stocks will continue to be replenished when used.
It is not helpful or appropriate for anyone to create their own personal supply of medicines at home as this risks pressure on availability of medicines.
Transport priority for medicines
The government is buying extra space on ferries on which all medicines and medical products will be prioritised for import to the UK. It is buying an express freight service to deliver medical products where there is an urgent need.
Preparing medicines suppliers
The government is working with medicine suppliers to improve readiness for new border arrangements and has encouraged re-routing how medicines enter the country.
Regulatory Flexibility
The government is also making sure that medicines, devices and clinical trials licensed or tested in the EU can continue to be used in the UK in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit, by amending regulations.
Working to ensure you receive medicines and medical products
Occasionally, the NHS does experience temporary disruption to supply of some medicines. The NHS has tried-and-tested ways of making sure you get your medicines and medical products, even under difficult circumstances.
In the unlikely event your medicine is temporarily unavailable, the NHS will work with you to prescribe the best alternative. This could typically be a different brand of medicine or perhaps lower strength medicines to make up the same dose.
On rare occasions it may mean a different medicine to do the same thing, but you will make the decision with your prescriber who will be provided with all the necessary information on how best to do this. This will ensure your treatment continues as normal. The NHS, through your local GP surgery, pharmacy and/or hospital, will help you to stay informed if there are any changes.
If you are concerned, please speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
Clinical trials
The NHS and the government are also working with organisations running clinical trials to ensure research continues as normal in the coming months. If you are taking part in a clinical trial, please speak with the NHS organisation that is hosting the trial if you have any concerns.
For further information, you can also read NHS England's advice for healthcare staff - Frequently asked questions about patients’ access to medicines after Brexit.
Get more information on preparing for Brexit and what it could mean for you
Last updated: 17 September 2019
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NEW TELEPHONE SYSTEM
From July 2019
We moved to a cloud based telephony system provided by Surgery Connect.
The new system has a feature to record all calls.
We can also monitor queues and can add more staff to answer calls at busy periods.
In accordance with GP contract 2019, we have now stopped using our fax machines.
We will send correspondence by secure nhs.net mail.
We will send and receive documents via a secure NHS mail;
For General enquiries:
warccg.StocktonHeathMC@nhs.net
For prescription queries/orders please use
warccg.prescriptionsteam@nhs.net
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Chronic Disease Reviews
Annual Review
- Hypertension (raised blood pressure)
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Stroke or TIA (mini stroke)
- Asthma
- COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
The Practice is currently changing the recall system it uses to manage annual review reminders for patients. To do this we have looked at what systems have worked well in other Practices in helping to remind patients when they should book an appointment for their annual review. This review has shown that having an annual review in the month of your birthday has worked well with this in mind has decided to transition to this recall system in the next 12 months.
We have traditionally used letters to remind patients that their annual reviews are due. We are now encouraging our staff to use a texting system called Accurx Chain SMS or email. Both these methods are environmentally friendly and data secure. For the patients who do not have access to either text messaging or email we will try to communicate via telephone or revert to mailing out a letter.
We therefore ask that all patients inform us when their contact details change, so that we can update their records and contact preferences.
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Referal to secondary care or community care
NHS England, BMA and N.A.P.P have provided a new patient information leaflet to explain what happens when a patient is referred to a specialist/consultant and what the process is with regards medication and fit to work notes when under the care of the specialist/consultant. See the link below:
Click below to read patient information about what we prescribe in Warrington.......
My Life Warrington website gives information about what is available in Warrington for the following topics. Health and Wellbeing, Support for Carers and Child Care. Our Patient Advisors will use this site to help navigate you to services to give you extra support.
https://www.mylifewarrington.co.uk/kb5/warrington/directory/home.page
General Data Protection Regulation Changes
Patient Privacy Notice
Prescription Collection
On 25th May 2018 General Data Protection Regulations are changing and Stockton Heath Medical Centre will be breaching these regulations if we give your prescription to someone without your permission.
If you want to delegate responsibility to another person (including a pharmacy) to pick up your prescription speak to your local pharmacy to arrange this service.
Important points of note:
- You can withdraw permission at any time by informing the Surgery and the Pharmacy.
- Some pharmacies no longer pick up paper prescriptions for patients.
- Your prescription can be automatically sent to a pharmacy so no one has to pick it up from the GP surgery (dependent on medications).
Collecting letters/Fit to Work notes/copies of blood forms/results:
We will ask you to provide proof of your ID when you collect the paperwork and we log this on your medical record. If you are asking someone else to collect on your behalf, you will need to let us know the name of the person and ask them to bring proof of ID with them.
CQC Focused Inspection July 2018
CQC Follow up Inspection March 2017
CQC report February 2016
(Site updated 25/03/2020)