Covid Restriction Update: July 2021

Throughout the pandemic we have strived to make the surgery as safe as possible for all our patients and staff. We will continue to do so going forward.

From the 19th July nothing will change at the surgery - patients will need to still wear a mask, socially distance and use hand sanitiser in the surgery and staff will continue to wear PPE.  We do understand that it can be frustrating, but we know that when people come to us, they are sick and vulnerable (and some cannot receive the covid vaccinations due to medical reasons) so we feel it would be wrong to not take these small precautions that can protect people. 

In terms of opening up, we like to manage your queries in the safest way possible which means we have to reduce the number of patients entering the Practice unnecessarily. We have never stopped assisting with your queries when you come to Practice entrance and we have never stopped patients entering for appointments. In fact, our GPs have consulted with much higher numbers of patients than we did pre-covid, not counting vaccinating a majority of the adult population twice in the last 6 months.

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Grove Medical Centre has come so far in trying to minimise the impact of Covid and we are sure you understand that we need to keep the surgery as safe for ALL patients as we can.

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General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR) - Data Opt-Out

Please see the video below from Dr Richard Pile, a GP specialising in Cardiovascular and Lifestyle Medicine, and the Wellbeing lead for Herts Valleys CCG. He has put together this presentation to help you consider what wellbeing being means to you, to explore the key areas that determine this, and to plan how you will succeed in making the changes that you want to live life better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnS4Nq4ECdA

We are aware that patients may have concerns about the safety of the Astra Zeneca vaccine following reports that some countries have suspended its use due to concerns about blood clotting.   

We are delighted to have been able to deliver the first dose of the covid-19  vaccine to so many of our patients in recent weeks. The vaccination centre at Allum Hall has worked really well and we are continuing to bring patients in for their vaccine – particularly focussing on those who are clinically at risk, and also our unpaid carers. We have also started to invite our more elderly patients in for their second dose.

There are some weeks when we are not receiving as much supply of the vaccine as we would like, and we know this has led to some frustration and concern. We do liaise with our colleagues in the NHS locally to try to  get more vaccine stock into our centre, but the supplies are controlled nationally and this means we can’t always offer as many vaccine appointments as we want to.  If you or someone you care for is eligible for a vaccination and is very concerned about waiting to be vaccinated, you can alternatively try to book online at  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus- vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/  or dial 119 to see if an alternative nearby vaccination centre has any appointments.

We are expecting the supply to increase considerably from the middle of March so we hope to be able to call in many more people after that – for their first and their second doses, and in line with national guidance about priority groups. Please be assured that nobody who is due a second dose will have to wait longer than 12 weeks for it.

For more information on the vaccine programme in this area, you can use this link https://www.healthierfuture.org.uk/covid

Thank you for your understanding.

Volunteers are needed at the new Covid Hubs (vaccination centres), to help with the following.

We need Drivers with cars to help transport people to and from the Hubs.

We need Stewards to help direct people when they are in the Hubs.

And finally, we need people to do data entry, inputting patient details etc.

Please note that all Covid restrictions will be met.

If you are willing and able to volunteer, please email the surgery at: thegrove@nhs.net and your details will be passed to Herts Health, who will contact you to check what you can do to help.

DO NOT call the Surgery  please email your interest only.

The Practice now has a new Surgery Pod that can be used by patients without clinical supervision to perform tests and provide information that will be transferred directly to your patient medical record. The Surgery Pod is a multilingual touchscreen computer that is connected to digital scales and our blood pressure monitor. 

You can use the Surgery Pod to measure your blood pressure, weight, input your height (using standalone height measure) and answer questions about your lifestyle such alcohol intake, smoking and exercise. The Surgery Pod also allows for reviews of anxiety, contraception as well as a comprehensive new patient health review. Other types of reviews may be added in the future. 

The Surgery Pod is located in the Booth next to the reception desk. Appointments slots to use the surgery pod can be booked any day by calling reception on 020 3538 3959 – Please advise the receptionists what you will be using the Pod for so that they can allocate the correct amount of time for your visit. We would recommend calling between 10.30-12.30 and 2.30-4.30 to book a appointment slot with the pod. The Pod with have available slots between 8.30am – 6.30pm every working day. 

When using the Pod please follow the instructions that are provided in the booth - If you get stuck, please speak with a receptionist who will be able to assist.

Notice: Patient's MUST wear their own face covering/mask to enter the practice when attending for appointments

The surgery would like to welcome Dr Chandegra who joined us on the 10th June 2020

We are excited to announce that we have launched online consultations for our patients. Click here for more information.

We have been made aware of some inaccurate information circulating regarding special ‘rescue packs’ for patients with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Please do not contact your GP practice for a rescue pack. You should continue to manage your condition in the usual way and if you feel you have symptoms of COVID-19, visit https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 for further guidance.

Carers Survey 2019.docx