.png "econsult")
See the Support Groups Tab (right hand side) for more info on local services as we get updates
22nd MARCH 2020
IMPORTANT UPDATE AS TO HOW THE PRACTICE IS MANAGING HEALTH SERVICES LOCALLY
In order to keep our services running during the Covid-19 outbreak we have taken measures to reduce the spread of infection in this area. We want to make sure all of our patients and their families reduce the risk of being in contact with people who are unwell, by offering as many alternatives to visiting the practice in person as we can. We also need to protect our Doctors and Nurses as, if they are unwell, we will not be able to help local people, not only with Covid-19 but also with all the many other health problems they experience.
Face to face appointments with GPs and Nurses are only taking place at Yateley Medical Centre. You will only be seen if you have been given an appointment, patients turning up at the Reception Desk asking to be seen will be sent home and asked to call first.
From Monday 23rd March, Yateley Medical Centre will close our front doors at 18:30 as many of our part-time evening staff are in "at risk" groups. Our phone lines will still be open and emails, e-consults etc. will be dealt with until we close at 20:00
Monteagle Surgey and Hartley Corner Surgery are closed to patients so that the risk to clinical staff is reduced as they help as many patients by e-Consult and phone calls. Following these contacts, if they assess a patient needs to be seen face to face, they will arrange for this to be done safely at Yateley Medical Centre.
Please DO NOT come to the Medical Centre if you can avoid doing so.
The Medical Centre is a higher risk are (lots of sick patients) but people are still coming in with casual queries, to drop off prescriptions (put them in the post box outside if you can't manage the electronic ways) or to ask for appointments. You are putting yourself, your family and our staff at inncessary risk by doing this.
Please THINK before you call us for information and guidance. We are currently taking more than four times our usual level of calls, with less staff as some are self-isolating. Many calls are simply asking for guidance about Covid-19. self-isolation or claiming sick pay - information which is all available on the NHS website www.nhs.uk
Help us free up the phones for patients who are unwell NOW and for the vulnerable and older patients who cannot access the internet.
Things you can do instead:
- do an e-Consult (see top of page) - it's easy and you get a response the same day
- download the NHS App - allows you to order prescriptions online as well as check test results and many other things too
- order prescriptions online, via this website (see under Repeat Prescriptions) or email us on NEHFCCG.OHG@nhs.net As a last resort, we will take prescription requests over the phone but only if all other options have been explored as, if everyone uses this option, we would be snowed under. The doctors are not prescribing significant extra medication "just in case". We are not anticipating shortages if people order just what is required.
- all prescriptions are being sent electronically to your choice of Pharmacy. If you have not nominated a pharmacy, the doctor will send to the one nearest to where you live and contact you to let you know this. Let us know if you would prefer another pharmacy next time.
- all paperwork is being posted to you so no need to collect sick notes, letters etc.
This website will be updated regularly as things are changing so quickly. Thank you for working with us to keep our community safe.
See the Support Groups Tab (right hand side) for more info on local services as we get updates.
STAY AT HOME IF YOU - OR OTHERS IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD - HAVE CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMS
Stay at home if you have either:
• a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (>37.8C)
• a new, continuous cough – this means you've started coughing repeatedly
Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you're staying at home.
Testing for coronavirus is not needed if you're staying at home.
How long to stay at home
Anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days.
If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.
After 14 days, anyone you live with who does not have symptoms can return to their normal routine.
But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms start. Even if it means they're at home for longer than 14 days.
If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days.
If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible.
If you still have symptoms after 7 days
After 7 days, if you no longer have a high temperature you can return to your normal routine.
If you still have a high temperature, stay at home until your temperature returns to normal.
If you still have a cough after 7 days, but your temperature is normal, you do not need to continue staying at home. A cough can last for several weeks after the infection has gone.
Use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service if:
• you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
• your condition gets worse
• your symptoms do not get better after 7 days
https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19/
Tips for staying at home
It's important to stay at home to stop coronavirus spreading.
Do:
• try to keep at least 2 metres (3 steps) from other people in your home, particularly people over 70, or those with long-term health conditions
• ask friends, family and delivery services to deliver things like food shopping and medicines but leave them outside
• sleep alone, if possible
• regularly wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds
• drink plenty of water and take everyday painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, to help with your symptoms
Don't:
• do NOT have visitors (ask people to leave deliveries outside)
• do NOT leave your home, for example to go for a walk, to school or to public places
Coronavirus – Covid-19 – Volunteering
Hart Voluntary Action is joining the wider effort in the district to create a co-ordinated response to supporting local residents, who will be most affected by the public health guidance around self-isolation at home.
If you would like to volunteer your time or donate goods and services, please complete the response form below, and we will contact you as soon as possible. Thank you.
Hart Voluntary Action Coronavirus Volunteering Form
Statutory disclosure of confidential patient information under COPI 2002 3(4)
The Department of Health & Social Care has issued an notice to GP surgeries informing them of the use of COPI 2002 3(4) to mandate the disclosure of personal confidential data to designated organisations, for COVID-19 related purposes.
This is the statutory power enabled within
The Health Service Control of Patient Information Regulations 2002.The notice can be viewed
here.The first such statutory disclosure is for the extraction and uploading of (previously consented) patient information to UK Biobank.
That order can be viewed
here.Oakley Health Group, in common with all other healthcare organisations, must comply with such orders. Patients cannot object to the processing of their personal confidential data in this way.
GP records sharing with SCAS NHS 111
Oakley Health Group will shortly be allowing SCAS NHS 111 access to relevant and important information from our patients GP records (important medical history, operations, allergies, medication etc). NHS 111 do not have access to the entire GP record, but a useful summary of it.
Such access will only occur if:
• You (or someone looking after you) rings NHS 111
• The NHS 111 call handler escalates the call to an NHS 111 clinician (doctor, nurse, paramedic)
• You give your explicit permission for your GP record to be accessed (and you can say yes or no on each occasion)
The only exception to this rule will be if you are unable to consent (e.g. you're unconscious) and it is a genuine emergency warranting access to such information.
In contrast with other NHS data sharing schemes, no data is extracted or uploaded out of our GP system - information is viewed in real-time, as a read only data stream. There are no secondary uses of the data (such as for marketing, commercial uses etc).
In light of the COVID-19 crisis, we have made the decision to enable such access as soon necessary data sharing agreements between the surgery and SCAS NHS 111 have been signed.
We have produced a factsheet about this scheme:
https://www.oakleyhealth.org/website/X82206/files/A5GPConnectFactsheet.pdf
We have undertaken a data protection impact assessment:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bnzzk8gqudqyzcv/OHG%20GP%20Connect%20DPIA.docx
We have produced a GDPR-required privacy notice:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/x33r4y3mz3cv5l4/GPConnect.pdf
Whilst you can say yes or no to allowing information from your GP record to be accessed on each occasion that you contact NHS 111, you also have the right to opt-out of the scheme completely (details in the fact sheet). This will, however, mean that NHS 111 can never access your information, even in an emergency, and even if you say yes. If you do opt-out, you can change your mind at any time by contacting the surgery.
In time, this way of accessing GP records - which is safe, transparent, consensual, and fully compliant with data protection law - will be extended to our GP out-of-hours service (NHUC), and the ambulance service (SECAMB).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR MARK HINTON TO RETIRE IN APRIL 2020
Our Senior Partner, Dr Mark Hinton will be retiring on 24th April 2020. He has been working in General Practice since 1988 and will be much missed by staff and patients alike. His patients will be transferred to the care of Dr Daniel Mason or Dr Vicki Goodall.
Dr Karl Bennett will take on the role of Senior Partner, whilst Dr Gareth Robinson remains as our Managing Partner.
From Anne Strong, Chair of OHG Patient Participation Group: "As many of you may be aware, Dr Mark Hinton will be retiring on 24th April after 32 years as a very well-liked and respected family GP. Whilst of course some patients may want to bring in individual gifts, the Patient Participation Group is organising a collection to which anyone is welcome to contribute if they wish. Just ask at Reception at the Hartley Corner Surgery site. Many Thanks
The Making Connections Directory is an easy to use directory of local community services. It has been created to help Oakley Health Group patients connect with support services and community groups near to where you live. Click here
NEW SKILLS CLINIC
A new drop-in clinic takes place at Yateley Medical Centre every Tuesday afternoon 13:00 - 15:00. Vivid Housing working with Hart District Council provide free advice on job hunting, CV building, interview skills, volunteering opportunities and training courses. For more information click here.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National recycling scheme for all respiratory inhalers
There is a national recycling and recovery scheme for all types of respiratory inhalers. Patients can hand in their empty, out of date or unused inhaler to a participating pharmacy for recycling. Visit the Complete the Cycle website https://uk.gsk.com/en-gb/responsibility/our-planet/complete-the-cycle for more information, including a pharmacy finder to locate participating pharmacies.
MAKING APPOINTMENTS? HELP US TO HELP YOU
- Phone calls for all 3 surgery sites are answered in our Help Hub Office at Yateley Medical Centre.
- All Receptionists from all 3 surgery sites take turns working in the Help Hub
- Call 01252 872333
- Making a ROUTINE appointment? Try to call after 11:00am to avoid the rush
- Avoid Mondays when you can.
- Call after 11am for Test Results OR
- SIGN UP for Patient Online Access – see your test results and letters from Hospital!
- Making an appointment at the desk? You don’t need to go into the particular surgery you want the appointment at.
- For example - want an appointment at Hartley Corner and find yourself passing Monteagle near Waitrose? The Receptionists there can do this for you.
- PPG (Patient Participation Group) "Top Tips" for your appointment: "Top Tips" for your appointment with the Doctor
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zero Tolerance Policy
The NHS operates a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients, and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation, we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.
We will try to help our patients however we can, but verbal and physical abuse will not be tolerated.
OHG Facebook page
We have a Facebook page now, where we will also post news and information about Oakley Health Group.
Please do visit that page and "Like" or "Follow" it if you would like our posts to appear on your newsfeed.
Free NHS Wi-Fi now available at Oakley Health Group!
Friends and Family Test (FFT)
The Friends and Family Test (FFT) is an important opportunity for you to provide feedback on the care and treatment you receive and to improve services.
Please click HERE to enter your feedback (anonymously).
(Site updated 04/04/2020)