As a result of the current COVID-19 outbreak, we are facing unprecedented demands on our services. In addition, we are also facing substantial staffing shortages due to those needing to self-isolate in line with current guidance.

We are working to minimise face-to-face contact with patients in order to:
– reduce the risk of transmission of coronavirus;
– to protect our most vulnerable patients and staff; and
– enable clinicians to continue to care for those patients who need it most.

The vast majority of consultations will now be done via phone, e-consultations or video consultation. Clinicians will make a case-by-case decisions based on their experience to determine whether it is safe to manage each patient without physically seeing them or whether, in some circumstances, they need to see a patient in person.

Patients will be asked to ring the surgery with any query they have. All patients will be telephone triaged by the clinician. If the clinician needs to examine the patient, you will be given an appointment time and asked to wait in your car on arrival. If the patient has no car then they are to be asked to wait outside or in the lobby until the clinician is ready to see them and will be screened before entering. The clinician will ring the patient when they are ready and screen them for COVID-19 symptoms. The clinician will make a clinical decision whether they can see them at their car or whether the patient needs to come in for an examination.