Category: Practice News

Opening Hours

Posted on 26 October, 2021

Dear Patient,

We have temporarily changed our askmyGP in hours service times to support the surgery manage demand:

Monday – Thursday 07.30 – 14.00: (closed to new requests outside of these hours)

Friday: 07.30 – 12.00 (closed to new requests outside of these hours)

Sat – Sun: Closed to new requests

Whilst still enabling good access for patients, this change will support the surgery to effectively work through all of the requests submitted. We are hopeful that once demand settles we will again review the out of hours option for the system. Please also remember that the surgery operates a 3 working day/72 hour initial response time – to support us contacting you, please inform us of your availability when submitting your request.

Once we have reached full capacity of what we can safely deal with today, we would ask that if you have a non-urgent query, please submit a request the next working day via this site.

If you feel that you have an urgent concern that cannot wait until tomorrow, you can still call the surgery until 18:30.

PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL IN CLINICAL REQUESTS AS WE ARE UNABLE TO RESPOND TO THESE DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES.

Many thanks for your co-operation.

The Buttercross & Ilchester Team

Half Day Practice Closure

Posted on 12 October, 2021

Please note that Buttecross Health Centre will be closed from 1PM – 4PM on Wednesday 17/11/2021 sorry for any inconvenience caused.

 

COVID BOOSTER VACCINATION UPDATE

Posted on 30 September, 2021

COVID BOOSTER VACCINATION UPDATE
You are eligible if you are:
– over 50
– a health and care worker
– a young adult with certain health conditions
You must have had your second dose at least 6 months previous and your flu vaccination at least 7 days previous if had already
Please contact 119 to book or to make an enquiry (not the surgery), or if you have received a text invite please use the link to book at a local hub
The surgery will only be vaccinating their nursing/care/residential home patients and staff, housebound patients and those with severe mobility issues.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/book-or-manage-a-booster-dose-of-the-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine/

Covid: Which children are being vaccinated and why?

Posted on 14 September, 2021

People aged 16 and 17, and children aged 12 to 15 who are eligible, will be contacted by a local NHS service such as a GP surgery to book their vaccination appointments.

Some walk-in COVID-19 vaccination sites are offering the vaccine to people aged 16 and 17. You can check if a site is available near you at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/

See this post by the BBC for more information about children receiving the vaccine Covid: Which children are being vaccinated and why? – BBC News

National blood bottle shortage

Posted on 13 September, 2021

A supplier to the NHS has advised us of a global shortage of some equipment used for taking blood tests.
Anyone who needs a test for urgent health problems, will still get one but where your clinician recommends that it’s safe to do so, then you may be asked to come back for a test at a later date, or your appointment may be rescheduled.
Given the nature of the shortage, we cannot give an exact date for when the test will be rescheduled, but please be assured that if your condition or symptoms require it, then you will get a test, and we will be re-booking your test when supplies become more easily available.
If your condition or symptoms change or get worse, please contact the NHS as you would normally

Support your surgery

Posted on 6 September, 2021

Support your surgery so it can be there to support you

GPs, their teams and patients have faced an extremely challenging time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Face-to-face contact has had to be limited across all NHS services to protect you and keep you safe from the risk of infection.

We know that it’s been frustrating for some of you who have not always been able to book a face-to-face GP appointment. Despite lockdown measures lifting, we must be honest and tell you that the pandemic has not ended, the threat of COVID–19 remains and general practice will continue to struggle to meet the growing needs of patients.

This isn’t the way we want it to be. But there are millions of patients whose treatment has been delayed now seeking help, more tests to administer and more bureaucracy, as well as millions more vaccine appointments to deliver in the coming months.

We can’t meet this challenge, without more support. General practice desperately needs help, which is why we’re calling on the Government to provide the funding needed to provide better
services, more GPs, and staff to see you promptly, and sufficient safe space in waiting areas and for staff to see you.
Your GP surgery needs your support, so it can be there to support you. Please take a minute to sign our petition and show your support for your local practice by www.bma.org.uk/supportyoursurgery

 

 

Infection control Measures from the 19th July 2021

Posted on 16 July, 2021

Coronavirus Banner
As you are aware, the government will be removing all legal restrictions from Monday 19th July 2021.  However at the same time, in healthcare, we have a duty to ensure that we keep all of our patients, staff and vulnerable community as safe as we can, particularly considering the rising number of COVID infections.  For this reason we are writing to let you know that, in line with many other NHS organisations, SHS will continue with the infection control measures that we have had in place for the last 6 months.

Therefore the following measures will remain in place;

Staff and visitors to the practices will be required to wear a surgical face mask unless exempt. Patients who are unable or refuse to comply will be asked to phone the practice and alternative instructions will be given. Staff will still wear full PPE when they meet with you and you will be asked screening questions.

  1. Only invited patients ( and one carer) with appointments will be allowed to enter the building
  2. All patients entering the practice must use hand sanitiser provided
  3. As droplets can be spread across distance, keeping apart will ensure that you are less likely to come into contact with the virus. The 2 metre social distance rule will still be maintained throughout the practice.
  4. All areas will be well ventilated so please be advised that the room may be cooler than normal as a result.
  5. Please only use the toilets if you really need to as they need to be cleaned between visits.

We wish to thank our communities for continuing to help us keep everyone safe.

Menopause & HRT Webinar 27/07/2021

Posted on 8 July, 2021

SAVE THE DATE

Menopause & HRT Webinar

Date: Tuesday 27th July, 7pm

Presenter: Dr Kathryn Patrick

Joining instructions to follow via website & social media