News – Lane End Surgery

NEW VIDEO CONSULTATION SERVICE

From 21.07.2020 patients can now see an NHS GP by video using Livi. This service is provided free on the NHS. These video consultations will not be with a Lane End Surgery GP, but all Livi GPs are GMC-registered NHS GPs, who (with your consent) will be able to access your medical records.

Livi video consultations can provide medical advice, prescriptions and referrals. The service is available 7.00am – 10.00pm weekdays and 8.00am – 4.00pm weekends and bank holidays. Appointments can be booked up to 7 days ahead or you can join a queue for a same day appointment.

To use this service you will need to download the Livi App to your mobile phone or tablet, at the App Store or Google Play. Visit www.livi.co.uk for more information.

FACE COVERING REQUIREMENTS

It was announced that from July 24th 2020 everyone is required to wear a face covering when entering a shop or business.

This is in addition to wearing one on Public Transport which has been mandatory for some time now.

Some people can’t wear a face mask or covering because of a disability or severe distress. The British Medical Association has advised GP Practices that the most recent Government guidance suggests there is no requirement for people to provide evidence for exemption. It should be sufficient for patients to inform shops, transport providers that they are eligible for an exemption.

The link below provides Learning Disability Exemption Cards, Autism Exemption Cards and Parent and Child Exemption Cards. If you feel you are unable to wear a mask for these reasons and would like to have a card explaining this, please visit www.keepsafe.org.uk/mask and download an exemption card for you to show if asked why you are not wearing one.

Please note, we are not able to provide exemption letters or certificate. Please visit the website above for more information.

COVID-19 UPDATE

We continue to operate a ‘telephone first’ system, so where possible your problem will be dealt with by telephone. Our GPs will book appointments for people who need to be seen, after assessing the risk.

We are trying to deal with all demand on that day. We cannot currently book an appointment ahead, unless assessed first by a GP.

Due to social distancing guidelines we have to limit the amount of patients we can have in our waiting room at any one time (about 6). Thank you so much for bearing with us.

FROM MONDAY 15TH JUNE 2020 WE ARE ASKING ALL VISITORS TO THE PRACTICE TO WEAR A FACE COVERING. THIS COULD BE A FACE MASK OR SCARF.

NOTICE OF ROAD WORK DISRUPTION FROM 15.06.2020

Planned works that are scheduled to start on Front Street, Benton on Monday 15 June 2020. Northern Gas Networks (NGN) will be starting works to replace 530m of ageing metallic gas main. The work will take approximately 11 weeks to complete.

The works will be completed in two phases, with the first phase starting on Monday 15 June 2020, and lasting three weeks. Phase one will start at the junction of Front Street and Coach Lane, near The Black Bull Inn. It will be necessary to install temporary three – way lights on the junction, replacing the existing traffic lights..

When phase one is complete, we will then start works on the main stretch of Front Street. This phase will include digging a trench large enough to replace the existing pipe like for like, to ensure the continuity of a safe gas supply in the area.

To allow the next phase of works to be completed as quickly and as safely as possible it will be necessary to enforce an East to West road closure on Front Street for up to eight weeks.

Temporary traffic lights will be put in place on the junction of Front Street and Coach Lane, and temporary three- way traffic lights will be erected at the junction of Front Street, Station Road and the entrance to Tyneview Park DWP.

SOCIAL DISTANCING IN OUR WAITING ROOM

Within the next few weeks we will be increasing the numbers of patients invited to make appointments with our Health Care Assistants for long term condition reviews, blood monitoring etc.

Please be assured we are taking appropriate measures to keep patients and staff safe and well.

To maintain social distancing we will only be able to have a maximum of 6 people in our waiting room at anyone time.

There are markings both in the waiting room and in the car park (should we need people to wait outside until numbers in the waiting room reduce).

Queuing in our carpark is not something we ever expected to need to introduce, but I hope you all agree that we must do whatever we can to stay open and work safely.

IF YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT, PLEASE HELP US TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE BY:

ATTENDING JUST IN TIME FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
ATTENDING ALONE (UNLESS YOU NEED A CARER)

Help the ﬁght against COVID-19

Has your doctor or nurse said you are likely to have a COVID-19 infection?

Then you could be eligible to join the PRINCIPLE trial and help the ﬁght against COVID-19.

To ﬁnd out more, please see this leaflet and visit: www.principletrial.org

Electronic Prescription Service (EPS4)

All practices are now upgrading to the next phase of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS). This means that almost all our prescriptions will be processed electronically from May 2020.

Electronic prescriptions help save the NHS money. By nominating a pharmacy, you can now miss out the visit to the practice to collect your paper prescription. The prescription will go straight to the pharmacy. Please still give 2 working days after ordering before collecting.

Do not worry if your usual pharmacy cannot issue your medication (e.g. if they do not have a supply). They can give you a token to take to another pharmacy.

THANK YOU!

We appreciate this is a worrying time. We are needing to make some changes to the way we deliver services. By doing this we hope to be able to deal with urgent issues promptly and keep our patients, staff and visitors safe and well.

Our staff team are doing an amazing job in very difficult circumstances, working longer hours, taking on unexpected roles and most of all staying positive and committed to providing the best patient care we can.

Thank you to all of our suppliers and pharmacies for all of their help keeping us stocked.

Thank you to all of our patients for your understanding.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

ALL APPOINTMENTS WILL BE DEALT WITH BY TELEPHONE. IF YOU NEED TO BE SEEN AT THE PRACTICE ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE MADE.

IT IS ESSENTIAL YOU DO NOT ATTEND THE PRACTICE IF YOU HAVE A TEMPERATURE, A NEW CONTINUOUS COUGH OR HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE IN SELF ISOLATION.

Stay alert

We can all help control the virus if we all stay alert. This means you must:

Self-isolate if you or anyone in your household has symptoms.

GENERAL ADVICE ON CORONAVIRUS IS AVAILABLE ON https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Nadia Salim – Advanced Clinical Practitioner

Nadia works as part of the GP team. Advanced Clinical Practitioners can assess, treat and prescribe for a very wide range of problems and conditions.

This role enables the GP team to improve care for our patients, providing appointments to treat acute problems.

Please be assured that if our reception team ask you for information about why you need to be seen, this is confidential and is only used to help make you an appointment with the most appropriate health care professional.