CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
02/04/2020
Vaccinations During Covid-19 Outbreak - Don't delay
During the current Covid-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak there are lots of things that parents are having to think about.
Vaccinations protect children from many serious illnesses. To make sure that your child is properly protected it is important that they still get their immunisations on time where possible. Health experts strongly advise that you make and keep your children's immunisation appointments as planned. The same advice applies to teenagers who are due their routine adolescent immunisations.
The diseases that the vaccines protect against are very serious and therefore vaccination should not be delayed because of concerns about post-vaccination fever. We have also been made aware of concerns that parents will not know whether a fever following immunisations is due to their immunisations or to Covid-19
Indications to date suggest that Covid-19 causes mild diseases in infant and children. As has always been recommended, any infant with fever after vaccination should be monitored and if parents are concerned about their infant's health at any time, they should see advice from their GP or contact NHS 111.
If your children are due routine childhood immunisations, please book the required appointments by calling 01772 529260. Please do not attend if the family is in self-isolation. If the child or parent develops symptoms of a temperature of 37.8 or above or has a new continuous cough please call to cancel the appointment.
Please telephone the surgery to speak to our nursing team if you require any more information.
Blood Clinics
From Friday 27/03/2020 blood clinics will no longer be walk in clinics.
If you need to attend a blood clinic please contact the clinic directly and make an appointment.
Please click on the link for the contact details of local blood clinics.
Blood Clinic Contacts.docx
Rescue Packs
We have been made aware of some inaccurate information circulating (especially on social media) regarding special ‘rescue packs’ of antibiotics and oral steroids for patients with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
We would like to reassure you that patients who suffer with severe respiratory conditions already have these in place (along with the instructions on how to use them). Oral steroids are powerful medicines and any decision to use them would need careful evaluation by a clinician.
Please do not contact the surgery for a rescue pack unless this is something that has been previously agreed and prescribed by your medical team. You should continue to manage your condition in the usual way and if you feel you have symptoms of COVID-19, go to https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19
Inhalers
We are aware of increasing requests for inhalers from patients who have not had them for a significant period. Each patient is reviewed on an individual basis and will only be prescribed inhalers if there is a clinical need.
NHS 111 - Isolation Note
A new online service has been lauched for any patients of the practice what are unable to work due to COVID-19. Through this new service you will be able to obtain an isolation note for your employer if directed by the NHS 111 online service.
In order to reduce the ever growing pressure on our GP surgery, you will be able to obtain the isolation note without consulting your surgery.
In order to gain access to the isolation notes please use the link below.
https://111.nhs.uk/isolation-note
You will be asked to complete a few question and then the isolation note will be sent to your email address. If you do not have access to an email address, you are able to have the isolation note sent to a trusted family member or friend or alternatively it can be sent straight to your employer.
You can also utilise the service on behalf of somebody else.
Please get in touch with the surgery to nominate a pharmacy or alternatively visit the nominated pharmacy itself.
Patient Information
Due to changes in COVID-19 the internal front doors of the surgery will be closed to prevent risk to patients and staff.
This will mean patients who have been triaged by a Clinician and asked to visit the surgery will need to use the intercom system in the foyer. The intercom system should only be used for booked appointments or a clinical emergency.
Please use the repeat prescription forms in the foyer and place your requests in the outside box. If you haven’t already got a nominated pharmacy add this information to your request. All prescriptions where possible will be electronic to nominated pharmacies.
From 16/03/2020 the majority of appointments will initially be via a telephone call. Clinicians will complete this type of consultation and arrange a face to face appointment if necessary. Any pre-booked appointments will be contacted in due course.
IF YOU HAVE A CONTINUOUS COUGH OR A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 37.8 OR ABOVE
PLEASE DO NOT ENTER LANE ENDS SURGERY.
If you feel well return home and self-isolate for 7 days
If you feel unwell ring NHS 111 or visit www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
Thank you for co-operation in these exceptional circumstances.
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