Covid 19 & Practice Update

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Covid 19 & Practice Update September 2020

CHANGE - Regarding 10am telephone consultations for Non-Urgent Advice

From the 1/10/20 the Practice will no longer offer telephone consultations for non urgent advice at 10am.   This is due to an exceptional increase in demand for GP service/telephone consultations.  These levels have now reached an unsafe level as well as putting additional stress on our telephone system. 

Face Coverings

New regulations for hospital visits in respect of wearing face coverings when attending hospitals will be implemented within the practice.  

By wearing a face covering you can significantly limit the spread of covid 19 within the community.

Please see below for some guidance: 

• An effective face covering should cover your nose and mouth while allowing you to breathe comfortably

• Surgical face masks are acceptable, but are not necessary; a face covering can be as simple as a scarf, cloth mask or bandanna.

• You should wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before putting it on and taking it off

• Avoid touching your face at all time, even when wearing a face covering

• Please follow other infection control safety measures , including social distancing, regular hand washing and adhering to our one way system

• Whilst we ask visitors to wear face coverings for their protection and others, the guidance states that the following groups do not need to wear a face covering:

  • Young children under the age of three

  • Anyone with anatomical difficulties that would make wearing a face covering impossible or painful e.g. facial injuries

  • People with breathing difficulties

  • Anyone who experiences severe discomfort or distress while wearing a face covering e.g. those with severe claustrophobia

COVID-19 (coronavirus) update: May 2020

From Monday 18 May 2020, Public Health for Northern Ireland have issued an update in respect of Covid-19 . Symptoms now include:

a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature); OR

a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual);

OR

 a loss of or change in sense of smell or taste.  

Symptom Checker

Please click on the link below to access the Public Health Symptom Checker for further advice.

https://check.covid-19.hscni.net/SymptomChecker/Introduction 

Testing for COVID-19

Everyone in Northern Ireland with symptoms of coronavirus is now eligible for testing.

Please note testing of HSC staff, care workers and care home residents with and without symptoms will continue to be prioritised in order to protect the most vulnerable from coronavirus outbreaks in care settings

When to get tested

You should get tested in the first 3 days of coronavirus symptoms appearing, although testing is considered effective up until day 5.

No testing should be undertaken after day 5, unless it’s for a specific reason which will be agreed on a case by case basis by local microbiologists.

You will also have to be able to maintain strict isolation measures during your commute to a testing centre and while waiting for your results (this includes members of your household).

Testing for the members of the public

Members of the public can book coronavirus testing if they are experience symptoms as outlined above, these can be booked at:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-for-coronavirus/ask-for-a-test-to-check-if-you-have-coronavirus/

General Information regarding appointments - Amended

In line with government guidelines the Practice have suspended all routine booking of appointment.  We would like to reassure you that we are still available should you need to speak to a doctor.  We cannot stress how important it is for you to contact us by telephone if you need medical assistance.
 

In March like other GP Practices we moved towards a 'total telephone triage system'; whereby every patient contacting the surgery in relation to a medical condition is assessed by one of the doctors. A majority of patients are managed by telephone or asked to attend the surgery if appropriate.

This system enables the Practice to minimise the number of patients attending the practice whilst ensuring safe infection control measures. 

We continue to ask that you do not come to the surgery if you have symptoms of covid-19 as outlined above.

You will not be permitted entry to the premised unless you have been advised to attend by one of the GPs or have a prearranged appointment with the treatment room, childhood immunisation clinic or midwife.

We would like to thank all our patients for their on-going co-operation and understanding at this difficult time.

Childhood Immunisations during Covid 19 Outbreak

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.