Facial Coverings and Exemption Cards Update July 2020

The wearing of masks by staff and face coverings by the public will play a role in preventing the spread of infection so that patients and visitors can attend practices without fear of contamination. It will also reduce the risk of a whole team within a practice being required to self-isolate should one member contract COVID-19. 

It is now mandatory to wear facial coverings on public transport and it will be mandatory to wear a facial covering in shops/supermarkets from Friday 24th July 2020

To find out;

  • when you can take your mask off
  • to learn about different types of masks
  • how to be safe wearing a mask
  • if you’re exempt from wearing a mask

Please click here

Supplying face mask exemption letters to patients

Our Practice (like many others) is seeing an increase in requests from patients for letters of exemption to wear face masks in various public settings. The Government guidance suggests there is no requirement for evidence for exemption. It should be sufficient for someone to declare that they are eligible for an exemption direct with the person questioning them (e.g. bus driver).

The BMA has indicated that practices are therefore not required to provide letters of support for those who fall under the list of exemptions, or to those who do not fall under the list of exemptions.

Some transport providers are providing evidence of exemptions themselves.

Being Exempt from Wearing a Face Mask

We understand that some people can’t wear a face mask or covering because of a disability or severe distress.

The link below provides Learning Disability Exemption Cards, Autism Exemption Cards and Parent and Child Exemption Cards. Download the PDF below to print your exemption card

Click here for printable Face-Covering-Exemption-Cards

23rd June 2020 – Special Announcement from our Senior Partner Dr Robin Evans

I would like to announce that, after 32 years, I am retiring as a Partner at Swallownest General Practice in July this year.

I first came to work here as a trainee GP in 1985 for one year and, after 2 years further training in hospital, I joined as a full Partner in February 1988.

Throughout my time here I have considered it both a privilege and a pleasure to work in this community. I have seen many changes both in society and in medicine during my career, but the fundamental nature of General Practice has not changed – it is simply the process of two people (doctor and patient) trying to find the solution to a problem together. Sadly we are currently all facing the same huge problem of how to keep ourselves and our families safe during this dreadful pandemic.

I hope that you all find a way of coping and keeping yourselves healthy until things return to something like normal.

Best wishes to you all.

Dr Rob Evans

Dr Evans retired Thursday 9th July 2020

14/05/2020 – Update during Covid-19

We would like to thank you for your support, understanding and patience during these difficult times. We all need to continue to follow Government advice to ensure that we don’t create a further peak. We would kindly ask that you follow the important information in the details below:-

  • We are continuing with telephone and video consulatations for now and the clinician will advise during this should you need to attend in person.
  • If you are asked to attend the Health Centre, please do not arrive earlier than you need to as we need to ensure there are as few people in the building as possible please.
  • Please attend alone wherever possible.
  • Please wear a mask or face covering to protect you and our staff. Please find the Government link showing you how to make one https://bit.ly/2T3uUdf
  • Please kindly bring your own hand sanitiser as we do not have sufficient supplies.
  • With regards to shielding patients – Government guidance is that you should be shielding currently until 30th June. If you wish to return to work any sooner, you will need to discuss this with your employer. This is not our decision to make. Please follow Government guidance here https://bit.ly/3byOIeO
  • We have started planning on how we can make a phased return to our clinics and appointments. These discussions are being made with careful consideration for all. We are trying to prioritise based on RCGP guidance and we would kindly ask that you respect the decisions that are made.

We will update you with further information as soon as we are able.

Thank you and stay safe!

17/04/2020 – Updated consultations via telephone/video and general communications

We hope you are all coping during these strange and surreal times. As you are aware we have reduced footfall to protect you and our staff. We are consulting using different methods at present; these include telephone and video consultations. Please watch the short video attached to find out more about how this works from a patients point of view.

https://support.accurx.com/en/articles/3790662-my-gp-has-sent-me-a-video-link

It is of the utmost importance during normal times that we have the correct contact details for you so that we can communicate with you effectively to continue to care for you as best we can.

Please update your contact details on the link below, or check with us when you call us that we have the right number for you. https://www.mysurgerywebsite.co.uk/secure/cod.aspx…

Along with other changes we have made in light of the Covid pandemic; we are trying to communicate with our patients in different ways. These may include sending documents via text. Please see the link below for how this works.

Thanks again to you all for your support and understanding.

16/04/2020 – Scam telephone calls

Please note that although our clinicians are calling patients to care for them during this worrying time, and particularly those patients who are shielding; we would never discuss financial issues with our patients, unless to signpost for genuine support information for them. We have been made aware that one of the numbers calling is 0114 5534088. If we call our patients, our number will show up, unless a clinician is calling from their own phone, in which case the number would be withheld. Please take extra care and be vigilant at all times. Stay safe.

7/04/2020 – Coronavirus Update

Help for Vulnerable Residents:-

Do you need support during the covid-19 outbreak?

If you, or someone you know of, are living alone, vulnerable and have no one else to help with basic tasks, then the Rotherham Heroes volunteers are here to help.

The Rotherham Heroes Volunteer Programme is a borough-wide volunteer programme, coordinated by Voluntary Action Rotherham and Rotherham Council, to help vulnerable people across Rotherham during the Coronavirus outbreak.

For more details see the link https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/emergencies-1/coronovirus/2 or Goodsam on the details here https://www.goodsamapp.org/about

Video consultation:-

As we are restricting the number of face to face appointments, we are undertaking telephone consultations as well as video consultations. To find out more about how these work, please click the link. https://youtu.be/DI2rvhcAaIw

Easter Bank Holidays

Please note that as a result of Covi-19 and the ever increasing pressure on the NHS over the weeks to come, we are open as usual on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

2/04/2020 – PPE Plea

We would be interested in hearing from anyone if you could help us with regards to Personal Protective Equipment, (in particular Visors) to enable us to protect our staff and patients during the current pandemic. Please contact us via email [email protected] or by phone on 0114 4333888 if you can help.

27/03/2020 – Staffing Update!

Dear All,

During these times of great uncertainty, we are very pleased to bring some good news to you all. We are very proud to have recently employed 4 new salaried GP’s as follows:-

  • Dr Holly Wild who started 24th March will be working Tuesday and Friday each week
  • Dr Cathy Evans who is starting 30th March will be working Monday, Wednesday and Thursday each week
  • Dr Debbie Curran who is starting 27th April will be working Monday, Tuesday morning, Wednesday and Thursday each week
  • Dr Janet Chelliah who is starting 1 May will be working Wednesday morning and Friday each week

We hope you will be as pleased as we are and welcome them to our Team at Swallownest Health Centre.

15/3/2020 – Coronavirus Update

Dear Patients,

Over the upcoming weeks, there will be major changes to how we work in General Practice.

As you are aware, we are doing our best to minimise non essential patient attendances. This is to reduce the spread of Coronavirus and protect our most at risk/vulnerable patients that need to come to the surgery for essential procedures, whilst also protecting our amazing and valuable staff.

Appointments: In light of the current Covid pandemic please can we ask that you share with friends and family the information posted on here as it comes directly from the surgery.

Please be patient with us as we try and support the community in the best way.

All appointments tomorrow (Monday 16th March) have been cancelled. If you had a pre-booked appointment please note that you will be contacted by telephone either by a GP or Nurse to discuss this and they will arrange the best way forward This will be the case for the rest of the week and for all appointments until further notice.

Prescriptions: We want to limit the number of patients attending the surgery where possible. If you have prescriptions that are awaiting collection please note we can send them to the pharmacy of your choice, but you will need to inform us of this and where you would like them to go .

We would encourage as many patients as possible to register to order online where they can. We will ask you a number of questions over the phone to establish your identity so that you don’t have to attend to show ID. You cannot register another adult, we will need their permission to do so.

IF YOU HAVE AN URGENT MEDICAL PROBLEM PLEASE CALL THE SURGERY AND YOU WILL BE CONTACTED BY A CLINICIAN. PLEASE ENSURE YOUR PHONE NUMBER IS UP TO DATE. THOSE PATIENTS THAT NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION WILL BE SEEN ONCE ASSESSED OVER THE PHONE BY A CLINICIAN.

Thank you,
Swallownest Health Centre

Important - Up to date contact details.

‼️‼️‼️‼️Please complete the details in the form below to update your contact details if you think we have incorrect ones, including your mobile phone number.
We need to change how we communicate with patients due to current Covid-19 climate.

Thanks for your co-operation.‼️‼️‼️‼️

https://www.mysurgerywebsite.co.uk/secure/cod.aspx…

Coronavirus – Advice for Patients 13/3/2020

  1. Anyone with a fever (>37.8 or if you feel you have a fever) or anyone with a new continuous cough needs to self isolate for 7 days in case you have Corona virus
  2. You do not need to call 111 or your GP
  3. You can self certify your illnes for your employer
  4. You will not get swabbed unless you are unwell enough to be admitted to hospital
  5. If you become unwell during this time then you need to contact 111 for advice, not the GP surgery.
  6. At the moment other household contacts do not need to self isolate
  7. After 7 days you can return to work (even if cough still present)
  8. If you have had close contact with a swabbed positive case you should already have been informed to self isolate for 14 days. You can self certify for 7 days and get the other 7 days from NHS 111.

You can find the latest information and advice from Public Health England at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Advanced Care Practitioner for Home Visits as of November 2019.

Swallownest Health Centre would like to welcome a new Advanced Care Practitioner to our team.

Sarah will now be undertaking the majority of home visit requests, together with our other Advanced Nurse Practitioners Elin and Liz. This will allow GPs to deal more effectively with patients seen at the surgery.

Sarah is an experienced Advanced Care Practitioner who can diagnose, treat, prescribe, refer to hospital and give advice.

Home visits are strictly for housebound patients only. Please be mindful that several patients can be seen at the surgery in the time it takes to do one home visit and daily surgery emergency appointments are available.

If you feel a home visit is required, please call the surgery by 10.30am to allow us to try to assess your condition as promptly as possible.

Our receptionists will ask for a brief reason for the visit and contact details. You will then be contacted by our Nurse Triage team for further clinical information and advice.  You may then be called back again by our visiting team if it’s thought that another service may be more appropriate.

If a home visit is then required, this may now be anytime from 8.30am – 6.30pm. If your condition deteriorates in the meantime, please contact the surgery or if an emergency, dial 999.

Thank you.