Steyning MEDICAL PRACTICE - 01903 843400

Important information about the coronavirus (COVID-19)

PLEASE DO NOT PRESENT AT THE MEDICAL PRACTICE IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: A NEW COUGH, A HIGH TEMPERATURE (ABOVE 37.8 C),  IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ANYONE WITH CORONAVIRUS OR THINK THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE CORONAVIRUS.

The NHS and Public Health England (PHE) are well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.

The latest information on symptoms of coronovirus infection can be found here.

NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can give advice and tell you if you need to seek medical help.

Please use this service if:
- you think you might have coronavirus
- you've been in close contact with someone with coronavirus.

Like the common cold, coronavirus infection usually occurs through close contact with a person with novel coronavirus via cough and sneezes or hand contact. A person can also be infected by touching contaminated surfaces if they do not wash their hands.

• - Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.
• - Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
• - Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• - Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.

Testing of suspected coronavirus cases is carried out in line with strict guidelines. This means that suspected cases are kept in isolation, away from public areas of GP surgeries, pharmacies and hospitals and returned home also in isolation. Any equipment that come into contact with suspected cases are thoroughly cleaned as appropriate. Specific guidance has also been shared with NHS staff to help safeguard them and others.

This is an evolving situation and the advice has changed based on emerging information. We will update our website as further guidance becomes available. Further information can be found on the Public Health England website.

Appointments

We are currently open between 8.00am and 6.30pm only.

Due to current concerns regarding Coronavirus (Covid-19), with effect from today we will be operating a full telephone triage system.

If you need to see a doctor, a nurse or arrange a blood test, please telephone the surgery and the receptionist will put your name on a list for one of the clinical team to call you back. We can also currently only offer telephone advice for online booking.

PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE HEALTH CENTRE unless you have been contacted first by one of the clinical team.

If you have a routine appointment that has already been booked, and you develop a fever or a new continuing cough, or feel that you have symptoms of Coronavirus infection, please do not come to the Health Centre, but telephone the Practice for advice.

Please note that our Upper Beeding Surgery branch site is currently closed to patients.

Attending your APPOINTMENT

If you are advised to attend for an appointment, please arrive at your allocated time and use the intercom at the front door to speak to a receptionist.  Once your clinician has put on the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), they will come to collect you from the front of the building. You will be given a mask to wear.

Please bear in mind that you will need to wait for your appointment outside the Practice and you will not be able to use the waiting room, so please wear suitable clothing for the weather. We kindly ask that you attend the appointment alone. If you are bringing a child to an appointment, we ask that only one parent accompanies them. We apologise for any difficulties that this may cause, we are taking these measures to protect our staff and patients. Thank you for your patience and understanding at this challenging time.

NOTICE OF PRACTICE CLOSURES

We are occasionally closed for training events. Please click here for dates and further details.

NEW NHS APP

If you’re a patient at our practice you can now use the new NHS App, a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet. You can use the NHS App to check your symptoms and get instant advice, book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view your GP medical record and more.

If you already use SystmOnline, you can continue to use it. You can use the NHS App as well. Click here for more information.

armed forces veteran friendly

We are delighted to announce that we are now an Armed Forces Veteran Friendly accredited GP Practice. This means that, as part of the health commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant, we have a dedicated clinician who has a specialist knowledge of military related health conditions and veteran specific health services. This is important in helping ex-forces to get the best care and treatment. If you are ex-forces, please let your GP know, to help ensure you are getting the best possible care.

Electronic Prescription Service

We are upgrading to the next phase of The Electronic Prescription Service (EPS), which will replace paper prescriptions from 1st June 2020. This means that prescriptions will instead be sent electronically by the GP to a pharmacy of your choice. You will no longer be able to collect a paper repeat prescription from the Practice – instead, you will go straight to your nominated pharmacy to pick up your medicines.

You will have more choice about where to get your medicines from because they can be collected from a pharmacy near to where you live, work or shop. Furthermore, because your pharmacist has already received your electronic prescription, they may be able to prepare your items in advance, so you may be able pick it up with no extra wait. We are therefore asking our patients to nominate an EPS pharmacy. Please speak to a member of  staff to update your preference.

Electronic prescriptions help save the NHS money.

Read more about EPS on the NHS website.

GP Improved Access Hubs – We’re here for you, for longer

GP and nurse appointments are now available during the evening up to 8pm during the week and during clinics on a Saturday and Sunday for people across Coastal West Sussex. These appointments may be at Steyning Medical Practice or they may be at a neighbouring GP practice locally. Click here for more information

Thank you

We would like to thank the 98% of patients who attended their appointments with us in February 2020.

Please think of others when you can no longer attend or need your scheduled appointment. If you cannot attend, please call 01903 843400. You can now also reply to your sms reminder with the word 'cancel'.

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