To all our Patients 20th December 2021

We are all concerned about the effect of the Omicron virus and are aware of the warnings from the Prime Minister. As per Government advice, we are currently prioritising the patients who are in most need of medical help. By only ringing the surgery when it is essential, we can respond to our patients with the highest need more efficiently. 

It is important that you continue to put your health first so please continue to seek urgent medical help when you need it.

The call to support delivery of the new booster campaign makes it impossible for us to maintain all normal services. If you need routine care and your condition is stable, we may need ask you to wait longer than usual to arrange an appointment.

If you already have an appointment, there are no changes at the current time so please attend as normal.

We realise that it is frustrating to have to wait longer than usual for routine appointments and reviews, but we ask for your patience and understanding when contacting the surgery.

Before contacting the practice, please do consider self-help and pharmacy options such as these

The NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/

111 online: https://111.nhs.uk/

Mental health support: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/your-mind-plan-quiz/

Find a pharmacy: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy

Advice for parents of children and young people: https://what0-18.nhs.uk/

Help us to keep you all safe and well by keeping our phone lines free for those who need urgent medical help.

Thank you

Dr Cole and Partners

We're High Risk
We must act cautiously and maintain Covid Control measures

To all our Patients

We are aware of the planned move to lifting the remaining Covid restrictions in England from the 19th of July.

Medical settings are a higher risk environment and will need to be subject to more control measures than other public facilities.

We are acting very cautiously and are maintaining:

• Social distancing
• Face coverings
•  PPE for healthcare staff

The delta variant is more transmissible and patients may come to the surgery when they are contagious.

It is our duty to do all we can to keep both our patients and our staff safe whilst we deliver our care.

Thank you

Dr Cole and Partners

COVID-19 & VISITING YOUR GP SURGERY - PLEASE WEAR FACE COVERINGS.

COVID-19 PROTECTIONS ARE STILL IN PLACE lN THlS SURGERY.

In line with current Government guidance patients are required to continue to wear a face covering in all healthcare settings.

Face coverings primarily protect others. so doing so- unless exempt – is key to preventing spread of infection.

CONTINUE TO RESPECT (2M) SOCIAL DISTANCING

TEST AND ISOLATE IF YOU HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS.

If you have symptoms you must get a PCR test as soon as possible & before visiting your GP. Rapid lateral flow tests should not be used to confirm infection.

lt's vital that you and anyone in your household isolate until you receive your test result, and for  10 days thereafter if the result is positive.

Wash/Sanitise Hands Regularly

We are here to help

As we are still in the Covid pandemic, the NHS recommends that we triage or phone back every patient who wants advice from a nurse, doctor or other healthcare professional.

If you need medical advice or treatment, please ring us on 01489 576708  or visit our website www.Lockswoodsurgery.co.uk and send us your query

Our opening hours are 8 am – 6.30 Monday to Friday

We ask many of the patients we have telephoned, to then come to the surgery for a face-to-face appointment, but due to infection control measures and social distancing, we can only let patients into the surgery if they have a planned appointment.

We are keen, as we are sure you are too, to avoid transmission of infection and so to ensure social distancing we are closely monitoring how many patients are in our building including sitting in the waiting room. We need to take more precautions than shops etc due to the vulnerability of some of our patients.

We know that some of these measures are frustrating for you as they are for us. We are facing unprecedented demands with a huge increase in the number of calls we are receiving and the need for us all to catch up with the monitoring of patients which was not possible in the height of the pandemic.

We all look forward to lockdown measures continuing to ease but in the meantime, many thanks for your patience and understanding

Dr Cole & Partners

12.05.21

2 March 2021

Contacting us for an appointment

We are still open, but due to the coronavirus outbreak, how you contact us will be different at the moment.

Face-to-face appointments are available to all patients where there is a clinical need. You will be asked to first discuss your conditions over the phone or online with a member of the healthcare team to assess what would be most appropriate for you and which practice member would best provide it.

We are offering online consultations and video consultations, as well as telephone consultations.

These can be convenient and flexible ways to receive healthcare. If you need to be seen face-to-face this will be arranged. If you have a preference about how to access care you can discuss it with us.

Four ways to seek healthcare advice

1. Visit our website and complete a confidential online form to request advice or treatment. We will respond as soon as possible, usually within two working days. Online forms should not be used for very urgent medical problems.
2. Call your surgery to arrange an appointment. You will usually be assessed by a Clinician on the telephone first, with face-to-face care arranged if clinically needed. If you have a preference about how to access care you can discuss it with us.
3. For urgent issues or out of hours, you can also contact NHS 111 or go online to seek advice 111.nhs.uk
4. Download the NHS App to order repeat prescriptions and get health advice.

Statement from the NHS in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

Over the last couple of weeks, you are likely to have noticed a marked difference in the way things are being done in general practice as we manage Covid-19. Thank you for adapting so quickly to these new ways of working.

To limit the spread of Covid-19, we have worked to reduce footfall through practices by using online consultation systems like e-consult, telephone appointments and video consultations to ensure we continue providing you with the care you need.

Please click here to read for further details.