Dear Patients,
Thank you for your support during this testing time for our community and for general practice.
We are open for business almost as usual, (with a few important modifications.) Please don’t feel you need to keep away. We are here to help if you have a medical problem, and we are making sure that the practice remains a safe place in which to come for an appointment and to receive care.
How are things different?
We ask that everyone coming into the practice wears a face covering, with the exception of very small children and those who are unable on valid medical grounds.
The front doors of the practice are closed. There is a a bell to ring when you arrive, and our patient care coordinators will come and open the doors.
To enable effective social distancing, we are asking patients not to come more than five minutes early for a scheduled appointment. Depending on the circumstances, you may be asked to wait outside the practice doors until you are called in by a clinician.
All our clinicians are wearing PPE when they work.
How do appointments with GPs work?
As usual, we operate a duty doctor clinic every day for urgent clinical problems that need to be dealt with on the day.
We offer routine appointments with all GPs, and appointments with our nurses, health care assistants and pharmacists as usual. GPs appointments will be by telephone. A decision will be made about whether a face to face assessment is also needed.
What about nursing services?
Nursing appointments and those with Health Care Assistants are available as usual. Please do not attend if you have flu-like symptoms or a fever. Check with the practice first if you are unsure.
Nurses are performing most usual care, including chronic disease checks, wound care, immunisation and cervical smears.
We are not offering ear syringing or spiromety at this time.
What about contraceptive services?
We have resumed coil fitting and implant fitting. Please contact the practice if you would like to arrange this.
I have had a letter or a message inviting me to come for a diabetes or asthma or COPD check. Is it safe to come in?
We have taken the decision to restart checks for chronic diseases We feel that, at the present time, the benefits outweigh the risks. We have procedures in place to make the practice a safe place to visit, and we want to make sure our patients are receiving the care that they need for their long term conditions. This decision has been taken in line with national and local guidance.
Will I be able to have an appointment at the hospital?
At present, the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust is not yet accepting new referrals for routine problems for several of its departments. Appointments for scans and investigations are now being offered. We ask for your understanding and patience as the hospital and local NHS managers find a way to open up these services safely.
What is happening with the flu clinic this year?
It will be particularly important to have an effective immunisation programme this year to prevent people getting influenza whilst covid is still in circulation. The guidance for practices about how to arrange the clinics is still awaited. We will update this page as soon as we have further information.
