LATEST SURGERY UPDATE May 2021
*** Coronavirus***
We will now be administering the COVID 19 vaccination at the surgery you will be invited by text messaging to book. Please follow the link and select Higham Ferrers Surgery date and time. Please do not contact the surgery unless you have been invited, we are working hard to ensure we are recalling patients within the correct groups.
There will be car park marshalls as you enter the car park please give them your name and they will direct you.
Please do not attend before your time slot this will help reduce queues to help maintain social distancing.
The surgery will be using a one way system please be prepared to take coats and layers off ready for the vaccine to be administered and leave the surgery through the back door. Please ensure that you are wearing a face covering.
Thank you for all your support.
We are COVID safe practice and doing everything that we can to reduce the risk of COVID transmission.
If you are worried or feel that you need a hospital referral please do not wait until after the pandemic, please contact the surgery straight away.
We are offering telephone, video and face to face appointments where clinically indicated.
If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact the surgery.
As you will be aware, on 31 October 2020 the Government announced new national restrictions to help control the spread of the virus that will apply from the 5th November. General practice still remains open and patients will be seen face to face where it is clinically appropriate.
As part of our contingency planning for Coronavirus, we are advising all patients to not attend the surgery unless absolutely essential. Where possible we are asking patients to book in telephone consultations. If you have an appointment already booked and wish to change this to a telephone consultation, please contact the surgery so we can arrange this.
Going forward, we will only be offering telephone triage in the first instance, and the practitioner will decide whether it is appropriate for you to attend the surgery. Please do not attend the surgery when we open at 8am and telephone instead.
You may be asked to attend a online consultation or to send a photo to the surgery via a text message link. If you are struggling with any technical issues please contact the surgery for more guidance.
All appointments have now been extended due to all members of the clinical team having to clean down and change their PPE (personal protection equipment) after every patient.
We are working our telephone providers to ensure we have the maximum number of phone lines open and have called in additional support. Please ensure that you have updated us with your correct details prior to your appointment, and if you haven’t already done so please nominate a pharmacist for your prescriptions to be sent electronically, as we will not be open for collection. We appreciate your cooperation and patience during this time; we are doing our upmost to protect our patients and staff in the current situation.
If you have a face to face consultation at the surgery, please wear a face covering/mask/scarf to protect yourself and others. Unfortunately we are unable to supply masks. The only exemptions will be for children under the age of 3 or those who may find it difficult to manage them correctly. Thank you for your understanding
The NHS and Public Health England (PHE) are extremely well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The current risk to the general public is moderate. You can help too.
Germs can live on some surfaces for hours. To protect yourself and others:
- Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze.
- Bin the tissue, and to kill the germs, wash your hands with soap and water, or use a sanitiser gel.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
- If you have arrived back from an affected area within the last 14 days and develop symptoms of cough or fever or shortness of breath, you should immediately:
- Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu
- Call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the country
- Call 999 if you have an emergency
This is the best way to slow the spread of almost any germs, including Coronavirus.
More information, including a list of the affected areas is available by logging onto gov.uk/coronavirus
If you have symptoms and you are waiting for the pandemic to end. Please contact the surgery. If you have symptoms and you are waiting for a referral to hospital. Please contact the surgery.
**Please click here for stay at home guidance in different languages**
Welcome to the Higham Ferrers Surgery
At The Higham Ferrers Surgery the Doctors and Nurse stake pride in offering the highest standard of patient-centred healthcare.We run many clinics for chronic disease care and offer a wide variety of other medical services such as antenatal and postnatal care, minor surgery, contraception implant insertions and removals, childhood vaccinations and well-person check-ups.
Higham Ferrers Surgery obtained training practice status on the 1st August 2011. This means qualified Doctors spend periods of between 4 months and a year with the practice and take part in surgeries and home visits. These GP Registrars are fully qualified and work in the surgery to gain experience in General Practice.
Occasionally these GP's may wish to video their consultations for training purposes only. The recording will only be seen by the GP and their supervisors and once viewed it will be erased. Their supervisors are Dr Onimole and Dr Nwosu. Your permission is needed in order for the doctor to video the consultation and you will be asked to sign a consent form to say that you agree to the recording. If you do not wish to be recorded while your consultation is taking place then you may decline.
In addition to everything you need to know about the practice you will also find a wealth of health-related information in the menu on the right hand side. Please have a look around - we always welcome your feedback.
**Blood Tests**
The KGH phlebotomy appointment system will be going live the week beginning 8th March, and by the beginning of April this service will be appointment only. This new system has been introduced to help ensure comfort, safety and convenience for all our patients.
This can be done either online at www.kgh.nhs.uk/phlebotomy-department-blood-tests or by phoning the appointment line on 01536 494411. Initially the core opening hours for the appointment line will be 09:30 – 15:00 (Mon-Fri).
Blood tests for children cannot be made online and must be made by calling 01536 492694. The phone line is open Mon-Fri 08:30-16:30. Glucose Tolerance Test requests can also be made by calling the above number.
Mental Health Awareness Week May 10-16
"The impact and experience of the COVID-19 outbreak has been different for everyone, as has how we have reacted, but there's no doubt it's been a really difficult time for us all.
That's why it's so important to do what we can to look after our mental health and wellbeing – now more than ever – and to reach out if you need support."
There is a new article on the COVID-19 hub that gives you tips on how to cope with anxiety about coming out of lockdown. They have also updated Every Mind Matters resources to help conversations about mental health and the things in our daily lives that can affect it.
There are things we can all do to look after our mental wellbeing and the Every Mind Matters Mind Plan can provide NHS approved personalized advice on positive steps people can take to help manage anxiety, sleep better and boost your mood.
Information For Patients
We are aware this is a difficult time for anyone who is currently admitted to hospital or anyone who has a relative who is currently in hospital. Our thoughts are with anyone affected. Thank you for bearing with us through this difficult pandemic.
Please use the following support line if you have any relative at NGH for support so you can check in on the current condition of a family member or loved one.
Please follow their instructions below.
In order to use this service, you will need to know the patients full name, ward location, date of birth and NHS number where possible. Our team will then take this information and check in with the ward to obtain details on the patient’s condition. You will then receive a call back with this information.
To use this service, please dial 01604 545784.
The line is open on: Monday to Friday - 9:00am til 5:00pm Saturday and Sunday - 10:00am til 4:00pm
This line cannot be used for advice on upcoming appointments or admissions, advisers will not be able to answer these questions.
Domestic Abuse Support
16 The Campaign
The government have acknowledged that the order to stay at home can cause anxiety for those who are experiencing or feel at risk of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse is unacceptable in any situation, no matter what stresses a person is under.
If any person feels that they are at risk of abuse, it is important to remember that there is help and support available, whether this is in the form of police response, online support, helplines, refuges or other services.
The household isolation instruction as a result of COVID-19 does not apply if a person needs to leave their home to escape domestic abuse.
Please see the links for more information: PPG Newsletter
https://bvsc.co.uk/sites/default/files/Silent_solution_guide_0.pdf
The 16 Days of action against domestic violence campaign is a time to take action to end violence against women and girls around the world.
CERVICAL SCREENING
A SMEAR TEST LAST 5 MINUTES. THE IMPACT OF CERVICAL CANCER LASTS A LIFETIME. ATTEND YOUR SMEAR TEST, REDUCE THE RISK.
HAVE YOU HAD YOU'RE FREE NHS HEALTH CHECK?
ARE YOU 40 YEARS OLD OR ABOVE? YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A FREE NHS HEALTH CHECK.
PLEASE CALL THE SURGERY FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
Registration
All of our patients are allocated a named responsible GP. For your convenience, your named accountable GP will be the Doctor you are registered with. Please ask at reception if you wish to know the name of your Doctor.
Please note, having a named GP does not mean you cannot see any other Doctor in the Practice (as your named GP may not always be available). Please continue to book your appointments with the Doctor of your choice.
Veterans
Veterans are encouraged to make themselves known to the practice, so we can offer the appropriate care for themselves and their families.
Please click here for more information.
Useful information:
Touch Screen Self-Arrival Service- (THIS SERVICE HAS BEEN PAUSED RE COVID-19)
We now have a self-arrival screen at the reception.
This would enable you to inform us that you have arrived for your appointments. You would be asked for your details including your smoking status and if you are a carer or not.
We hope this improves your experience at the surgery.
Please, do not hesitate to ask one of our receptionists if you need help using it or if you prefer not to use it.
Thank you.
Appointments
There are occasions when our clinical team may run late during surgeries, which may mean that you have to wait beyond your allotted appointment time. Whilst we make every effort to adhere to appointment times, emergencies or unavoidable delays can happen.
Each appointment is allocated 10 minutes. If you feel that your reason for attending is complex or could take longer than the allocated 10 minutes, we ask if you could kindly consider making a double appointment.
We thank you for your patience and do apologise for any inconvenience caused.
(Site updated 12/05/2021)