Changes in the way GP surgeries are run are now being rolled out across Kent and Medway to ensure the safety of staff and patients during the Covid-19 outbreak.
As many people as possible are being offered video and telephone appointments, to avoid unnecessary risk and travel. All appointments are now made by telephone with no walk-in services.
We know people still need to see a clinician face-to-face for some things. To minimise the risk of spreading the virus between patients GP practices are working together to provide different locations for people with Covid-19 symptoms and those without.
Patients with Covid-19 symptoms, or people living in the same household as someone with symptoms, will be sent to a primary care treatment centre, sometimes being referred to in the media as a 'hot site'. These are not walk-in services and are not offering testing for Covid-19.
Patients will ring their GP practice or NHS 111 and if they need to be seen face to face they‘ll be directed to the relevant place.
Here are 4 things you can do for the NHS to help us, help you:
1 Only order medicines you need for the next month
Don't stockpile. Don't order early. Don't over order. There will be enough medicine for everyone if we follow these rules.
2 Only request home delivery services if you really, really need to
There has been an increase in the demand for home delivery of medicines. We need to make sure that these delivery services are available for people who truly don‘t have any other means of getting their medicine. So, if you have friends, family or neighbours who could collect your medicines please ask them to do so.
3 Don’t ask your GP for items just because you haven’t been able to get them elsewhere
We've seen an increase in people ringing their GP practice to try and get new items on prescription. Your GP practice won‘t prescribe items that you don‘t normally get.
4 Order repeat prescriptions online
Registering for online services at your GP practice will enable you to order repeat prescriptions online. You can also set up for your electronic prescription to go directly to the pharmacy of your choice.
By doing these four things you'll be helping the NHS, and especially our pharmacies, to cope a little better during this time. Please spread the word and encourage family and loved ones to do the same.
Please be reassured that urgent emergency services are still treating all kinds of illness and injuries that haven‘t gone away just because Covid-19 has appeared.
If you are seriously ill please don‘t delay asking for help either through 111 or in emergencies by using 999.
Stay home, protect the NHS, save lives
The Upchurch Surgery will be following the above plus:
Baby immunisations and baby 6 week checks
B12 immunisation
Female smear tests when patients are notified they are due
All of the above are by appointment only - no walk-in
The surgery is only operating for appointments made via telephone or video consultation with a GP.
No routine prescription reviews or routine blood pressure checks are being carried out.
NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
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