Appointments

UPDATE 06/01/2021

General Practice is not closed. We are very much open and have always been.

We have received a message from NHS England to stop all non- essential routine work.

As of Wednesday 6 January, general practice has entered level 4 of the RCGP escalation framework. This escalation level and associated actions set out below will be kept under continual review.

 This will mean the cessation of additional non-essential work and continuation of only urgent/essential activities.

 We will cancel all non-essential work and prioritise the following:

• Covid-19 vaccinations
• Covid+ pathways including pulse oximetry
• Care home support
• Serious acute illness and deterioration in long term conditions
• Support for people with mental health needs, learning difficulties and autism with being seen in primary care
• Ensure support for the digitally excluded/extremely clinically vulnerable patients with appointments
• Ensure essential drug monitoring
• Palliative care / end of life care
• High risk or poorly controlled long term condition care – requires remote care and risk stratification for face to face care against Covid risk
• Antenatal and postnatal care

The following services will be suspended for a limited period which will be kept under review 

 - Contraceptive coil checks/implants and changes

- Pessary change unless overdue

- New patient checks

- NHS health checks

- Medication reviews (that are not overdue)

- Frailty and over 75 routine annual review (End of life/palliative care and high risk continues as above)

- Minor surgery

- Non-urgent investigations

- Vitamin B12 injections where it is not post bariatric surgery and the patient can be converted to oral

- Ear syringing

We will be continuing bloods for medicine monitoring if they are overdue as well as to support high risk long term conditions. All NHSE-commissioned services must continue including immunisations and vaccinations, and smears. This may be further reviewed in the coming days.

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Due to the coronavirus outbreak, how you contact us will be different at the moment. This is to limit face-to-face contact whenever possible and help stop the spread of coronavirus.
 
Your GP practice is open.

Appointments are being delivered online, over the telephone and face-to-face.

Please see the news section of the website for the current statement from Frimley Hospital regarding suspension of routine work (04/01/2021)
 
Please consider self-care options first, such as NHS.uk or speaking to your pharmacist. You can also call NHS 111.

If you need to see your GP, please complete an e-consult. This can be used for both medical problems and administrative queries. If you are unable to complete an e-consult or your medical problem is very urgent then please contact us via reception - our opening ours are 8am to 8pm.

Please do not come to the surgery unless you have an appointment.
 
If you are waiting for a check-up, please be assured we will be in touch.
 
If you are asked to come into the surgery for a face-to-face appointment, please remember to wear a face covering. Measures are in place to keep you safe from infection during your visit to the surgery.

The following services are not available or have been suspended because of the Coronavirus pandemic

Ear Syringing
Spirometry
Minor Surgery
Vitamin B12 injections (except patients who have had bariatric surgery)

You may experience delays in the following services :

Travel Vaccinations
Insurance Medicals
Non-urgent paperwork
Contraception implants and Coil changes (we are able to provide routine pill checks and alternative contraception via telephone appointments with the nurse)
Ring Pessary changes

There are no changes to the following services:

Suspected cancer and serious medical problems reviews and referrals

Suspected cancer blood tests

Childhood immunisation

After childbirth services: mother & baby checks - these will now   be  8 weeks after delivery and first baby immunisations will be   undertaken at the same time.                                                               

Smears for those on annual recall or ordered by the hospital.     

INR Star (Warfarin testing)                                                         

Dressings                                                                               

Removal of stitches/staples/clips                                               

ECGs                                                                                     

Prostap/Zoladex injections                                                           

Drug monitoring bloods

https://www.patientaccess.com/

Since April 2016, you have been able to access some of your patient record online.

This can be done in two ways:
1. Via the NHS App - please download from the relevant App store on your smart device
2. Via Patient Access - please registering with Patient Access by clicking the link below. Please complete the form and bring it to the surgery along with the necessary identification to collect your password and user ID codes

The medical records information that you will be able access from your records will include recorded allergies, medication or immunisation/vaccination records, document titles, coded consultation entries and test results. You will NOT be able to access full consultation notes or documents at present.

With both options you can not only access your records on line; you can also booking appointments and request repeat prescriptions.

Patient Access Application Form

Please note the conditions of access for children between the ages of 11- 16 years.

Home Visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible.

If you do need a home visit, because you are housebound or too ill to visit the practice, please try and contact us via reception before 12:00.

The reception team will forward your request to one of our health care professionals, who will assess how urgently you need a visit and arrange for the appropriate member of staff to attend.

This may be a doctor, a nurse practitioner or a paramedic.

You may also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP.

Chaperone Policy

What is a Chaperone?

A chaperone is someone who will accompany you during a consultation should you wish to have one or if the doctor feels it that it would be more appropriate.

Who can be a Chaperone?

A chaperone can be a family member or a friend. A formal chaperone is someone such as another clinician or a member of staff who has received appropriate training. A number of our non clinical staff have been trained as chaperones.

Why do I need one?

You can ask for Chaperone to be present for support and reassurance or if you feel uncomfortable about undergoing an intimate examination. The doctor or nurse may request a chaperone during a consultation if they feel it is appropriate.

Guidelines

All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present at any time where they feel one is required.

This chaperone may be a family member or friend, or alternatively, a formal chaperone (i.e. a trained member of staff).

Wherever possible we would ask you to make this request at the time of booking your appointment.

If required, we will endeavour to provide a formal chaperone at the time of request. However, occasionally it may be necessary to reschedule your appointment.

If you would like to see a copy of our chaperone guidelines or have any questions or comments regarding this then please contact the practice manager.

Transport

Do you require patient transport to get to a healthcare appointment?

If you have a medical condition that means that you are unable to use a bus, dial a ride or private car/taxi to access healthcare appointments you could be eligible for patient transport.

Please call 01483 571122

Or click on this link to access the information page for more information: https://www.surreyinformationpoint.org.uk/Services/670/Patient-Transport-Bo

As a patient you should expect the following from the service:

• A short phone eligibility questionnaire to judge what scheme of transport is most appropriate
• To be asked details about the journey you would like to book
• To be given advice alternative services if PTS is not appropriate

 Patients are advised that transport must be booked the day before it is needed

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced)

Fit For Work                                                                                                      

Fit for Work is a voluntary service that offers the wider working population access to occupational health advice and support. If you have been off work for some time and you would like some advice or support, then please click on the link below to take you to the website or speak to your GP who can refer you.

Fit For Work Website

Training Pactice

The surgery has a long standing history as an accredited training practice for doctors intending to become GP's. This means that the practice and doctors have had to achieve a number of standards which have been assessed by the GP Deanery for Kent, Surrey & Sussex acting on behalf of the National Postgraduate Medical  Education Board.

These are some of the points for your information:

• Doctors in training are called registrars and are employed by the practice, with one the doctors here allocated as their trainer
• The registrars are fully qualified doctors who are likely to have a lot of experience of hospital medicine.
• Sometimes other doctors or medical students are trained and supported in the practice.
• If you are seeing one of the registrars you can expect to receive the quality of service you would from your usual GP. If you have any concerns please mention this to a member of staff.

Video Recording

In order to successfully complete their training they need to be assessed on their consulting skills. This is done by the appointed trainer viewing videos of the registrars consultations or sitting in with them in clinic.

You may therefore be asked for your permission to have your consultation recorded. If you agree you will be asked to give your written permission and a consent form will be available for you at the front desk. The recordings are used solely for educational purposes only.

Since the 1^st of April 2020, Upper Gordon Road Surgery has always been here for you and has completed the following and more

Total number of available appointments (GP and nursing) : 21, 247

Face to face GP and nurse appointments : 4524

E consultation : 4391

Review calls throughout the lock down period for our most vulnerable shielding patients: 600 plus

Home visits : 122

Baby and mother checks : 36

Under 5yrs urgent triage calls : 490

Referrals and urgent medical advice from secondary care : 1276

Review of our diabetic patients : 330

Review of our respiratory patients : 238

Blood samples taken : 1244

Musculoskeletal assessments: 385

Prescriptions : over 100,000 items issued

We are also equally vulnerable and please look after us as we try and do the same for you!