Keeping you safe at your GP Practice
Attending the practice following the removal of Covid restrictions from 19th July 2021

Your GP practice is working hard for you and wants to keep you safe and confident when attending the surgery. Although Covid restrictions have ended in the community, extra caution is needed in health care settings.

• Clean your hands: use the hand sanitiser provided
• Continue to wear face masks / coverings unless you are exempt
• Follow social distancing requirements

You must not attend the practice if you have any Covid symptoms

Keeping you safe is our priority.  Please help us to help you by supporting these actions.

Thank you for your ongoing co-operation

There is a lot of GP bashing in the media at the moment.

We as a practice, have remained seeing patients face to face on a medical need basis throughout the whole pandemic. Yes - accessing the surgery has been in a different way but if someone has needed to be seen they have been. Any changes were brought in to protect the staff to ensure continuity of service we deliver to our patients - sick staff = no service.

Our GPs, nurses, nurse practitioners health care assistants and many other team members have all seen people throughout the last 15 months and this is not going to change.

Our workload has increased hugely since this time last year, not taking into account that we have delivered over 6 000 covid vaccines since January as well.

Please understand that every member of the practice team has gone above and beyond their job, sometimes at a cost to themselves (and sometimes their family) to ensure that the patients get the best possible care that we can deliver.

We do not have any control over hospital appointments or operations so please don't shout at us if you can't get what you need elsewhere in the system- we truly understand your frustrations as we have to try to navigate the system on a daily basis, often with the same outcomes as you.

We will get things wrong occasionally, and are happy to look into anything we could do better, but we never set out to annoy or upset anyone.

Our Doctors and staff are tired, we've been through the same things that you have in this pandemic whilst working harder than ever before and a patient shouting or swearing can be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

We  ask that you be kind to anyone you come in to contact with at the surgery - we are trying our best to make sure every patient gets what they need and the many, many lovely patients we speak to make the job very worthwhile.

Your GP practice is open: but you will notice some differences

Along with all GP Practices in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, we are delivering the covid vaccination programme.  This is the biggest immunisation programme in the history of the NHS in response to one of the most serious challenges to public health the world has faced.  This vital work will prevent thousands of people suffering serious illness or hospitalisation. We are proud to be involved in this essential work.

We also know that our patients continue to need our help with all the usual health care needs they have.  So, although we are very busy we remain open to provide the care you need.  It's important to:

• get medical help if you think you need it
• keep any appointments or procedures you have booked – unless you’re told not to go
• go to hospital if you’re advised to

However, during this busy time and with Covid still a significant threat to people’s health we ask for your ongoing co-operation and understanding to help us help you.   This means:

1. We may have to rearrange appointments or clinics, sometimes at short notice;
2. To prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) there have been changes to GP appointments. But it's still important to get help from us if you need it. You can contact your GP surgery by:
   -    visiting our website
   -    using the NHS App (see below)
   -    calling us
   -    You can also order repeat prescriptions online.
3. You will only be asked to visit the surgery if absolutely necessary. We will advise you about what to do. A phone or video call with a GP, nurse or other healthcare professional may be booked for you. We will discuss the best option with you.
4. Reception staff may ask you a few questions about your condition to make sure you get the right care you need.  They will never make a clinical decision about whether you need see a doctor but will be able to advise you about what the alternatives are if appropriate;
5. Your local pharmacist can provide advice and treatments for minor ailments and conditions and without the need  to book an appointment;
6. Often you can use self –care to meet your health needs.  The best place to get accurate health information is the NHS website. The NHS website has information and advice on medical conditions and symptoms,  common medicines, healthy lifestyle
7. Go Digital!  The NHS has a range of Apps that can help you look after yourself.  You can use online services and apps that may allow you to: Visit Health at home to take control of your health and wellbeing with advice and information on self-care, conditions, treatments and medicines. You can use online services and apps that may allow you to:
   •    order repeat prescriptions
   •    see parts of your health record, including test results
   •    book, check or cancel appointments
8. If you have an urgent care need you can also call NHS 111 which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
9. The NHS APP is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet.
      

Thank you very much for your continued support and please continue to follow the public health advice and stay safe during this pandemic. 

Your GP Practice Team

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Station View Health Centre have made changes to the way they offer ‘Same day’ appointments

‘Same day’ appointments are available for patients to book on the day and these are booked by calling the surgery at 08.00.  These appointments are intended for patients with acute illnesses/problems that need to be actioned by a Clinician that day.

These appointments will now be booked in time order to prevent the further loss of appointments. 

We would also like to remind patients that our ANP, nurses, B12, INR and blood appointments can be booked online without the need to call the surgery. 

If you would like to sign up to Online Access, please speak to a member of the reception team.  (You will need to provide photo ID)

We would like to thank you for your ongoing support.

Changes to repeat prescription ordering

The way repeat prescriptions are ordered has changed.  Since the 30th June 2019 you have to order your repeat prescriptions directly through our GP practice, and not your high street or internet pharmacy or appliance contractor.

To help with ordering repeat medication, you can sign up to Online Services, please speak to a receptionist about signing up.

For more information please see the West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group's website HERE

Click here for an information poster

Over the Counter Medication/Treatments for Self-Limiting Conditions

As you may be aware, the NHS is under unprecedented financial pressure and it is vital that all NHS resources are used in the best way possible, therefore we are encouraging Patients to self-care in the first instance by managing symptoms through non-medicinal intervention or alternatively, to seek advice from a community Pharmacist and purchase an OTC medication to manage minor ailments as outlined in the ‘Guidance for Self-Limited Conditions’ further down.

This will also help to reduce the number of unnecessary appointments.  If a Patient consults with a GP, or an Advanced Nurse Practitioners the Practice will no longer prescribe medicines which are available over the counter for self-limiting conditions, unless there are exceptional circumstances.  

Click here for more information about this change and self-limiting condtions and self help advice.

Important Notice

In order to save our patients queuing in the cold winter months our front doors will now not be opening until 8.20am so please do not come and queue at the door unless you have an appointment already made.

This will enable us to have two extra staff answering the telephones, so will be able to make your appointment over the telephone prior to your visit.

Our telephone lines will be available from 8.00am as usual.