The NHS has an urgent situation with our supplier Roche with their supply of reagents to hospitals and GP practices including our Surgery. This means that we are currently not able to carry out any routine blood tests as the labs are not able to do any non-urgent tests. READ MORE HERE: 2020 Blood Reagents Shortage
ONLINE SERVICES
While we switch our patients over to the NHS APP, we are finding that some of you are not able to see your repeat medication on the list.
We are working to sort this out. If repeat medication doesn’t appear on your NHS APP, please ring the Dispensary order line at either site and we can address this issue.
FLU NEWS
Please note that people in the 50-64-year old age group will not be vaccinated until November and December, providing there is sufficient vaccine, and no appointments will be offered for this age group until then. This is to ensure that those who are most at risk are vaccinated first. If you are 50-64 and you are in one of the other groups which is eligible for the flu vaccination, for example you have a health condition which puts you at risk from the flu, you will be invited earlier.
CORONAVIRUS – CONTACT US BY PHONE ON ONLINE.
In the interests of patient and staff safety Hedingham Medical Centre is operating a telephone triage service for patients. We are booking telephone appointments and if a face-face consultation is required, your GP will arrange this with you over the phone. Where patients do attend for a pre-booked appointment we ask you to wear a mask, or wrap a scarf or bandanna around your mouth to reduce the risk of virus transmission. Our staff are doing their best to help everyone with their needs and would appreciate it if patients did not give them verbal abuse while they are trying to help. We have a zero tolerance policy for abuse and will remove patients from the list if they are aggressive towards our staff.
Please contact the surgery online or by telephone for all requests.
Dispensary collections are now possible at the following times:
Castle Hedingham, Falcon Square – *NEW CLOSING TIME FROM 1st OCTOBER* 11am-1pm and 2pm to 5.30pm (You can phone requests through from 9am-11am)
Sible Hedingham, Swan Street -10am-1pm and 2pm to 5pm (4.30pm on Thursdays) (You can phone requests through from 9am-11am)
Patients will be allowed in to see GPs only after they have been assessed by telephone. Nurses will call all patients prior to seeing them and will only see essential appointments.
Medication can be ordered by posting requests through the letterbox, calling or online.
At Sible – Patients will need to ring the door bell when they collect their medications and will be issued their medications over the front door step.
At Castle – Patients will need to queue for the dispensary window at the right hand side of the building to collect their medication.
We apologise to our neighbours in Falcon Square for any inconvenience caused by this situation and for the queues that are forming outside your houses. Your patience is much appreciated.
If you use the NHS APP you will be able to access NHS Advice as well as view your record and order prescriptions. Find out more here:
The Hedingham Medical Centre partners have taken the decision to suspend clinical services at our Great Yeldham branch until further notice, due to the need to contain coronavirus.
All medication will now need to be collected from either the Castle Surgery or Sible Surgery. Please contact us on 01787 461465 option 2/01787 462518 if you need to check where to collect your medication from or if you need to book an appointment. Do not come to the surgery unless you have been asked to do so by a GP or Nurse. If you are collecting medication you will need to ring the bell for attention. Please allow 5 working days for your prescription to be prepared.
LOW CARB DIET
Are you interested in a healthy diet, weight loss, or being able to put type 2 diabetes or prediabetes into remission? We are very excited to announce the launch of the Colne Valley PCN Low Carb Project, which has been set up to help our patients eat well & lose weight. Read more by clicking on the link to our Low carb leaflet
HOSPITAL WAITING TIMES
Broomfield Hospital have long waiting lists of between 36-60 weeks. If you are referred to them for non-urgent treatment then you will have this sort of wait. We are not able to write letters to expedite these referrals as our colleagues in hospitals are now trying to catch up on the backlog caused by the Covid 19 situation.
Mid Essex residents who need to see a GP or nurse on a weekday evening, Saturday or Sunday can now book an appointment by calling 01245 398055. Appointments are available as follows:
Monday to Friday, 6.30pm to 8pm
Saturday and Sunday, 8am to 8pm
and consultations will usually take place via telephone or video call. If a face-to-face appointment is required, it will be at North Chelmsford Health Centre, Sainsbury’s, 2 White Hart Lane, Springfield, Chelmsford, CM2 5EF.
If you are 70 or older or have pre-existing health conditions that mean you are eligible for flu jabs then you could be at a higher risk of serious complications from coronavirus. You should follow Government advice and stay at home. Please arrange for family, neighbours and friends or local community groups to deliver the food and medicines you need. If you do not have this support available please register with the Essex Welfare Service at www.essexwelfareservice.org.uk/support-request or call 0300 303 9988.
If you are caring for somebody who is living with dementia or who are affected by dementia click here to read about how you can get help from Dementia Support Workers: DEMENTIA HELP
ACTION FOR FAMILY CARERS
Action For Family Carers are offering online help and outdoor walks for carers. Read more here AFFC activities
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT
Over recent weeks Essex County Council have been working with colleagues from across Greater Essex to put together a series of resources that can be used to support people in our communities who are bereaved. It is important that family, friends and communities seeking support at this time are able to talk to somebody they trust, who will listen, empathise and point them to professional advice where necessary. Click here for more details:
During the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak there are lots of things that parents are having to think about.
Immunisations 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
Our practice is now part of My Care Record – supporting the delivery of joined-up care. During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, additional measures are being put in place to help health and care providers to deliver effective care. This includes how the information from your care records is used. My Care Record is an approach to improving care by joining up health and care information. Wherever possible, health and care professionals will be able to access care records from other services if it is needed to deliver care for individuals with COVID-19 or COVID-19 symptoms. For example, we are working to make sure doctors, nurses and co-ordination staff at places you may receive advice or treatment can see important information from your GP record. This will include health and care professionals at neighbouring GP practices, NHS 111 and regional centres for the treatment of critically ill patients including the NHS Nightingale Hospital in London. This will make it easier and faster for them to deliver effective care for you if it is needed. Please see the My Care Record website for more information including the Privacy Notice to support this work.
Face Masks
We ask that all patients attending the Surgery wear a face mask when inside the building.
Exemptions
We are aware that some patients might be understandably anxious about the Government’s recent announcements around the use of face masks/coverings in various public settings.
GPs are unfortunately not in a position to provide individual risk assessments or letters for patients who feel that they should be exempt from wearing a face mask/covering.
The government guidance on exemptions suggests there is no requirement for evidence for exemption therefore it is sufficient for an individual to self-declare this.
Dial 111. The NHS 111 service now administer the out of hours cover for the Practice area from 6.00 p.m. until 8.30 a.m. on weekdays and also 6.00 p.m. Fridays until 8.30 a.m. Mondays (plus Public Holidays).
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11th March, 2020
