Please use the below useful web link to access an information leaflet for patients who have covid-19 who are well enough to stay at home. It includes useful information on what to keep an eye on, and what to do if things get worse:
Covid Vaccine Scam
We have been made aware of a scam whereby patients are being contacted and offered the Covid-19 vaccine for a charge. The Covid-19 vaccine will only be available via the NHS for free.
Flu Bookings now being taken
We are taking flu bookings, appointments are available for all aged 50+, please contact reception to book or book via Online services. Please make sure you book into the correct clinic for your age group.
Vitamin D Supplements for those who are deemed clinically extremely vulnerable to Covid-19 - Apply by 4th Jan 2021
You may have read the news about FREE VITAMIN D supplements for those who are deemed clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.
Please note this is NOT VIA YOUR GP, but via a central NHS service. You can find out if you are eligible and how to apply here:
You need to apply by 4th Jan 2021
Online Appointment Booking for Flu Clinic
Appointments are now available for booking for flu vaccinations for 50-64 year old patients (date of birth between 01/04/56 - 31/03/71). If you have online access, these can be booked via the online system or you can call the surgery on 01332 880249 to book. If you are under 65 and have previously been invited to attend, you can also still book an appointment.
Healthy, Warm and Well in Derbyshire
Your guide to council, health, voluntary and community services in Derbyshire 2020/2021
50-64 Flu Vaccinations
Patients may have seen Matt Hancock on BBC news this morning, sharing details about the flu vaccination programme for 50-64 year olds. We welcome this news from the government extending the eligibility for flu vaccination, however General practices are learning this information at the same time as you. We are awaiting further details on the supply of vaccinations and guidance on how these will be offered and scheduled.
Your practice is currently experiencing a very high level of demand and the services we provide are under increased pressure due to sickness absence amongst members of our clinical and administrative teams, due to Covid infection. With this in mind, please DO NOT call or visit the surgery regarding flu vaccinations if you are aged between 50-64 with no pre-existing health conditions that make you eligible for a flu vaccination already, as this will increase the pressure on our services at a critical time. It is also likely that we will have to suspend most non-essential services to allow us to support the mass vaccination programmes. Please help us by being considerate with your requests - and your expectations - when communicating with our reception and clinical staff.
We would like to thank you for your patience and for bearing with us during this very challenging period. Please be reassured that patient care is our priority and we will be in touch with you as soon as we are able to take bookings for the 50-64 flu vaccinations.
The national flu team have started to call parents/guardians of 2 & 3 year olds who remain unvaccinated. Some parents/guardians may receive a call from the number 0300 561 0230 and will be announced as the NHS Immunisation Management Service.
08.10.2020 - Public Health England Leaflet
Derbyshire's Director of Public Health is calling on residents in Heanor and the surrounding area to stay alert after a sharp increase in cases of coronavirus - September 2020
The number of cases is rising throughout many parts of Derbyshire but the area in and around Heanor had the highest number of cases across the county between 5 and 11 September rising to 25 from one previous week.
Dean Wallace, who is ...leading Derbyshire’s response to the epidemic, urged local people to help stop the spread by following government advice and restrictions to avoid even tighter restrictions being imposed similar to the extra ‘lockdown’ measures seen in recently in areas such as Greater Manchester.
https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/council/news-events/news-updates/news/heanor-residents-urged-to-stay-alert-following-coronavirus-spike.aspx
School attendance - 21.09.2020
The usual September upsurge in coughs and colds in schools is in full swing. These are different from the specific symptoms of COVID-19 and the following diagram may help. In short, a cold or a cough (unless accompanied by a temperature greater than 37.8C or a persistent new cough) are not in themselves a reason to keep children off school
Problems with booking a test for Coronavirus - 14.09.2020
We are aware that there are some problems nationally with booking a test for Coronavirus. Unfortunately this is not something the practice team are able to help with and calls about this are making the phone lines busier than usual.
You will be pleased to hear that Arthur Medical Centre have been, and continue to see, all patients who need a face to face appointment following a telephone assessment.
Thank you to all of our patients for your continued support during these difficult times. We urge you all to take care of yourselves, your families and your community by following the guidelines on social distancing at all times.
ARTHUR MEDICAL CENTRE FLU UPDATE - 7.09.2020
Flu clinics this year will be run slightly differently; we will be asking you to book an appointment in the usual way, with invites sent to those eligible over the next few weeks, however access to the surgery for the clinics will be managed via a queuing system in the car park and a one way system through the downstairs of the practice. Staff will be on hand to guide you through this process.
Invites will be sent out in the next few weeks, either via SMS or letter to those eligible and we would ask that you ring the surgery on 01332 880249 to book BETWEEN 14.00 AND 16.00 ONLY.
Thank you
The Doctors
Arthur Medical Centre
Covid-19 – The compulsory wearing of face coverings on Public Transport, Shops and Supermarkets - 15.07.2020
Face covering letter - shops and transport
Changes to Shielding Guidance - 29.06.2020
Covid-19 – The compulsory wearing of face covering on Public Transport - 24.06.2020
The compulsory wearing of face covering on Public Transport
Face coverings - 12.06.2020
From today all patients attending GP surgeries across Derbyshire will be asked to wear face coverings. From next week (15 June), it will be compulsory to wear face coverings on public transport and in hospitals in England. To protect patients and NHS staff, Derbyshire GP practices are to follow suit by urging patients to provide, and wear their own face coverings in surgeries, as well as continuing to follow hand-washing and social distancing guidelines. As per government guidance, exemptions apply to very young children, disabled patients and those with breathing difficulties.
Derbyshire's NHS is here to help you - 28.05.2020
During the coronavirus pandemic, our staff have been working hard to ensure that all patients who need urgent care – not just those with coronavirus – have been able to get it. To avoid unnecessary contact, some non-urgent appointments and surgeries have been postponed and others delivered differently using technology.
We will continue to ask patients to attend face-to-face services only when it is really necessary, and where it can be done safely without putting our patients, the public or our staff at greater risk of catching coronavirus. Where possible, appointments will continue to be offered using remote services such as a video or phone consultation.
If you feel unwell or have hurt yourself, you can still get the care and treatment you need. It’s vital that if you’re having a potentially life-threatening medical emergency, such as a heart attack, stroke or really bad flare up of asthma, you contact the NHS.
You might be worrying about a mole that’s changed shape, or grown larger, and think you need to contact your GP.
Everyone in the NHS really appreciates people taking pressure off services for conditions that can be safely managed with over-the-counter medicines, and taken care of at home. But it is crucial that for anything else that you do not risk life or wellbeing – contact NHS 111 online or by phone, get in touch with your GP, visit an Urgent Treatment Centre, or for emergencies go to A&E or call 999. Watch Dr Avi Bhatia’s Here to Help video. Dr Bhatia is a GP in Derbyshire and Chair of NHS Derby and Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group.
If you want to know how Derbyshire’s NHS services are changing in response to the pandemic visit: https://joinedupcarederbyshire.co.uk/public-info-covid-19/help-us-help-you
COVID-19: Find out how NHS services are changing
Are you wondering how NHS services such as GP practices, pharmacies, hospitals and community care are changing as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, then visit the Joined Up Care Derbyshire public website to find out more about local changes to health services, daily updates, FAQs and links to national advice.
Guidance Note for Parents of Children Returning to School from 1st June 2020
Guidance notes for parents - 22.05.2020
Online booking system for blood tests now live - 6th April
UHDB have launched an online booking system for blood tests which can be booked by individuals or their family members/carers. The booking system is live and accepting bookings. For more information and to book, go to: https://www.uhdb.nhs.uk/service-phlebotomy-blood-tests Please book in advance as it will reduce your waiting time and will support social distancing.
Message to patients
General practice staffing has been devastated by the impact of COVID-19; both self-isolation and the need to protect high risk members of staff. We will therefore only focus on urgent patient need.
It is imperative the general public work with us to protect the NHS, not just for unwell patients with COVID-19 but all other urgent conditions e.g. heart attacks, car accidents, cancer care.
- DO think before ringing any services; use online services first. General practice does not have the capacity to field minor queries for well patients.
- DO NOTuse services unless absolutely necessary
- DO NOTrequest Med3s / reports / Holiday Cancellation Letters for COVID-19
- YOU MUSTfollow self-isolation/social distancing guidance
- DO use Electronic Prescribing Service to order NORMAL QUANTITIES of repeat medications
- DO be patient with all staff – everyone is doing their bit and working flat out
Arthur Medical Centre has moved to a total triage system. This means that all calls will be put through to a GP who will either:
- Give advice by phone on how to manage a problem
- Book a routine telephone appointment with the most suitable clinician within a suitable timeframe (this may be several weeks down the line)
- Arrange a face to face appointment with a clinician
Please do not come to the surgery if you do not have an appointment, you will be sent away. This is to protect both patients and staff.
Patients needing information to support their self isolation can either:
Use their Systmonline access to get written information about conditions that they can print off or use Engage Consult to ask for a summary to be attached.
Click on the link below to see a list of conditions:
https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/at-risk-groups.html#at-risk
Information is changing all the time. Please check our website along with NHS online or gov.uk website for the most up-to-date information.
Novel Coronavirus: Advice for the NHS in England – 13th March 2020
We are now in the delay phase of our response to COVID-19. This entails significant changes to how we identify and manage potential cases of COVID-19. Advice for NHS organisations is now as follows:
1. From today the public are being advised to stay at home (self-isolate) without any testing for COVID-19, regardless of travel history or contact with confirmed cases, if they have: a. A new continuous cough
b. High temperature (of 37.8 degrees centigrade or higher)
OR
2. The geographic element of the case definition has now been removed. Travel and contact history are no longer important for diagnosis, which is on the basis of symptoms alone. If people who have travelled do not have symptoms they do not need to stay at home, regardless of their travel history.
Individuals should stay at home (self-isolate) for 7 days from the onset of symptoms following the current advice. If someone has serious symptoms they cannot manage at home they should use NHS 111 online (people should only call NHS111 if they cannot get online).
Coronavirus Update
The NHS in Derbyshire and Public Health England (PHE) are extremely well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.
The risk to the general public is moderate. If you have arrived back to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau within 14 days, follow the specific advice for returning travellers.
Anyone who has travelled to China or places listed above in the last 14 days and develops symptoms of cough or fever or shortness of breath, 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
Information for the public is available at gov.uk/coronavirus.
Like the common cold, coronavirus infection usually occurs through close contact with a person with novel coronavirus via cough and sneezes or hand contact. A person can also be infected by touching contaminated surfaces if they do not wash their hands.
The risk of being in close contact with a person with coronavirus or contaminated surfaces is very low at the current time, as members of the public who have visited Wuhan, Hubei province, China are currently in isolation.
Testing of suspected coronavirus cases is carried out in line with strict regulations. This means that suspected cases are kept in isolation, away from public areas of the GP practice and returned home also in isolation. Any equipment that come into contact with suspected cases are thoroughly cleaned as appropriate. Specific guidance has also been shared with NHS staff to help safeguard them and others. Patients can be reassured that their safety is a top priority, and are encouraged to attend all appointments as usual.
Everyone is being reminded to follow Public Health England advice to:
· Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.
· Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
· Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
You can find the latest information and advice from Public Health England at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.
Self Care
We wanted to let you know about some changes the Practice will be making as a result of new guidance introduced by NHS England in March this year. The guidance made recommendations that GPs and other healthcare professionals should no longer routinely prescribe medicines which can be bought over the counter for minor and self-limiting conditions. These conditions include hay fever, cough and colds, temperatures/fevers, indigestion and headaches.
We have attached an information leaflet which provides help and advice on being self-care aware. It also tells you how best to treat yourself if you do suffer from a minor illness.
We would also like to remind you of the valuable service your community pharmacy offers. They are trained professionals who are able to talk through your symptoms, offering advice and reassurance on how long these may last and what to do if these continue or get worse.
We encourage you to visit the Stay Well Derbyshire website (www.nhsstaywellderbyshire.co.uk) to find out more information on how to self-care.
Self Care Patient Information Leaflet
http://nhsstaywellderbyshire.co.uk