Due to the recent surge in Covid-19 and the pressures on the NHS, we have been asked to stop any

NON-ESSENTIAL work immediately. This will allow us to concentrate our efforts on patients who are really unwell with and without Covid and vaccinate patients as quickly as we can. We will keep this under review.

We are asking that you ONLY call us or do an online consultation if you have an URGENT request. If it is a ROUTINE request, we will ask you to contact us when the pressures have reduced. We are still taking all prescription requests as normal. Please do continue to contact us for serious illnesses or urgent matters. You can also call 111.

Useful local advice for parents and carers of babies, children and young people can be found at

Frimley Healthier

Together

Covid Vaccinations in Yateley

If you are Over 70 or at High Risk of Complications from Covid (Shielding) you should, by now, have been offered a vaccination by the practice. If you believe that you, a family member, friend or neighbour has been missed, please call the practice (or do an e-Consult) and let us know.

Covid Vaccination for 65 – 69 year olds

We have now been asked to vaccinate all of our 65 - 69 year olds locally, so we will be contacting patients in this group to arrange vaccination in the next week. If you have been sent a letter, asking you to book into one of the Mass Vaccination Sites, you may still do this if you wish.

We are currently working to identify patients who will be in the next cohort to be invited (Group 6) - those at higher risk of Covid because of their health conditions and invitations will be going out shortly once clarification is received about who should be included in this group.

We have had numerous queries from unpaid carers and understand that arrangements for this group will be issued shortly - please stop calling and emailing the practice in the meantime.

The good news is, that the proportion of local people who have been vaccinated, is significantly higher than the national average and the team here at Oakley Health, supported by our wonderful volunteers, are fully committed to getting every dose of vaccine we receive, into the next cohort of patients as quickly as we possibly can!

Please do not phone or email us to find out when you are going to be offered a vaccination (unless you are Over 70 or Shielding) – we will contact you when it is your turn. 

When we do contact you, please attend your booked appointment at the requested time

Please continue to follow all the guidance to control the virus, protect the NHS and save lives.

COVID-19 Clinical Risk Assessment Tool

NHS Digital have commissioned a COVID-19 risk assessment tool for use by healthcare professionals. When warranted, the use of this tool will allow a healthcare professional to assess an individual's risk of COVID-19.

The tool has been registered by NHS Digital as a Class 1 medical device with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The tool necessarily involves inputting relevant information from a patient's record into the online tool, to enable calculation of risk assessments, and as such we are required by law to provide our patients with the following information:

• A DPIA that we have produced
• A privacy notice
• A more detailed privacy notice

Further information about the tool can be found at:
https://digital.nhs.uk/coronavirus/risk-assessment/clinical-tool/information-for-patients

Flu Jabs 20/21

Having a flu jab will not stop you from catching Covid-19, but it will help to prevent you catching flu which can cause serious illness itself. If our hospitals are busy treating patients with Covid-19, we want to try and stop them having to cope with a flu epidemic at the same time.

Huge numbers of local people have already been vaccinated but if you are entitled to a free flu jab and have still not been vaccinated, then contact us to book an appointments as we still have stocks of vaccines available.

For more information about this year's flu vaccination programme and to find out if you are entitled to a free jab click here. 

How can we help you?

Getting the care you need during the Covid-19 pandemic.  

Appointments

We are operating a "total triage" system. That means you need to have a discussion with a clinician who will try and help you. If a face to face appointment is needed, they will arrange for this to happen at a time and place which keep you and us safe.

Use our e-consult system at the top of the page - you will get a response the same day - this is the option the doctors would prefer you to use if possible.

Call us and let us know what you need. A doctor or nurse will call you back and video consultations are available too. If you call and our lines are busy, you can send us an email on NEHFCCG.OHG@nhs.net and a Receptionist will call you back.

Face to face appointments are currently happening at Yateley Medical Centre and Hartley Corner Surgery. Patients with Coronavirus symptoms will be seen in our "Hot Zone" at Yateley Medical Centre, separate from other non-symptomatic patients. 

Please do not come into any off our sites without an appointment.

All patients who need to be seen face to face should arrive wearing a face covering, to help keep staff and other patients safe.

Prescriptions

To request a prescription:

• Post your request into our post boxes at any of our sites
• Email us on NEHFCCG.OHG@nhs.net
• Request via Online Access
• Download the NHS App
• Use the e-consult service
• call us (our least favourite option - only as a last resort please !)

Your prescription request, once prescribed, will be sent to your nominated pharmacy for you to collect. Please order in good time, and avoid "urgent prescriptions" whenever possible.

Self Care

If you think you might be able to help yourself, our e-consult system can point you in the right direction. Alternatively, the NHS website www.nhs.uk and the NHS App both have symptom checkers and sensible advice. A particularly good site for concerns about children is www.what0-18.nhs.uk

Routine Care

We are doing our best to provide as many of our services as possible for our patients and being as resourceful as we can in these unprecedented times. The list below is just an indication so e-consult, email or call us to discuss you needs further.

Baby Immunisations - a clinic has been running throughout the pandemic, combining mum and baby's 8 week check with baby's first vaccinations. Pre-school boosters are also taking place as normal.

Blood tests including warfarin monitoring - blood tests are available including those needed for hospital appointments. As a consequence, we are not doing some routine monitoring of patients with stable conditions, who may safely delay these checks under clinical guidance.

Cervical Screening - up and running again -  contact us for an appointment

Diabetes - Specialist Nurse advice available

Family Planning - contact us with your requirements, ideally using e-Consult

Mental Health Support - we recognise the addition strain that many are feeling under lockdown and telephone appointments are available with our Mental Health Practitioners, Tatenda Makombe and Sharon Burns. You can self-refer for free NHS CBT, counselling and therapy contact Talk Plus or for more information about Crisis Services, Learning Disabilities, Services for Older Adults or services for Children and Young People click here

Orthopaedic Practitioners - available for muscular-skeletal advice and guidance - their preference is to be contacted by e-Consult if possible

Respiratory, including Asthma and COPD - Specialist Nurse advice available

Other Concerns

We are aware that some of our patients are concerned about aspects of their health but do not want "to bother the doctors" at such a busy time.

If you have any of the following symptoms, then you should contact us straight away:

• Lumps, bumps or swelling
• Blood in your pee, poo or coughing up blood
• Unexplained pain
• Change in bowel habit
• Extreme tiredness
• Weight loss (unplanned)
• Cough lasting over 3 weeks, especially if you have ever smoked

We are your local GP practice; we’re working very hard and doing things differently but are still here.

If you need our help – contact us!

The NHS test and trace service – be aware of scams

Oakley Health Group has a factsheet for our patients explaining how to spot genuine contacts from the service - and how to avoid scams:

Beware of scams - the NHS Test and Trace service