Strep A
For updated information on Strep A, please access NHS Inform guidance by clicking on this link Streptococcus A (Strep A) | NHS inform
FLU & COVID IMMUNISATIONS
Flu & Covid vaccinations are NOT carried out in your GP surgery. These are being co-ordinated at Health Board level and we are sorry that surgery staff will be unable to assist with any queries on appointments. For more information see below.
- You can access NHSInform (www.nhsinform.scot/winter-vaccines) for all advice and information on winter vaccines
- There is also a National Vaccination Helpline – 0800 030 8013 (open Mon-Fri 9-6 and Sat 9-1)
- All px aged 65+ will be lettered by the Health Board with an appointment time for vaccination. The letter has contact details and instructions on what to do if you cannot attend or wish to change your appointment.
WHY ARE GP PRACTICES WORKING DIFFERENTLY?
How is our practice working now?
All appointments with a GP will be by TELEPHONE in the first instance.
If the GP subsequently feels that you need to be seen face to face, they will invite you to attend the surgery.
The use of initial telephone consultations allows the GPs to respond more efficiently to the ever increasing demand for appointments. We appreciate that this is a change that may take some getting used to however, in many cases, the reason for an appointment can be effectively managed by a telephone discussion and prevent you requiring to travel to the surgery in person if not needed. It helps to ensure that everyone gets the type of appointment felt clinically appropriate and allows the GP to spend more time with patients who require physical examination.
It is also important to note that most people are unaware that there are other health professionals who are better placed to deal with the many symptoms for which patients have always contacted the GP. We feel it is important to ensure that we provide you with the information you need in order to make an informed choice. To assist with this, the Doctors here at the surgery have asked that the receptionists now ask you the reason for the appointment - this will allow them to advise you of the options available to you to ensure you are dealt with by the RIGHT person at the RIGHT time. We should be grateful if you would share this information with them and we assure you that all discussions with receptionists are treated with the same confidentiality as those with a GP or nurse.
Please click on the link for some helpful guidance.
Why do reception staff ask personal questions?
GP reception staff are vital members of the practice team and treat all information as confidential.
They ask questions to ensure that patients are directed to the best support, within and outwith the practice.
They are trained to ensure patients are seen by the most appropriate member of the practice team and ensure GPs can prioritise the patients with the greatest clinical need.
Why am I seeing someone who is not my GP?
Many GP practices have teams of specialists working alongside the GPs.
These teams have widened and may include Nurses, Health Care Assistants, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Mental Health workers and Community Links workers.
Your needs may be dealt with more effectively by one of these team members.
Where else can I get help?
NHS Inform has lots of information to help you to help yourself.
Community Pharmacists can help with many common illnesses and can prescribe some medications.
Community Optometrists will advise people with urgent eye complaints.
Community Dentists will manage any dental problems.
What about emergencies?
If you have an urgent health issue please contact your GP practice during the day.
If you have an urgent issue and think you need to go to the Emergency Department please call NHS 24 on 111, day or night.
If you have a life-threatening emergency please call 999 or go to your local Emergency Department.
Please be patient. Please be kind
All our health services are under enormous pressure and our staff are working extremely hard. We are open and here if needed. Please work with us to help us ensure you get the right care, in the right place and at the right time by the appropriate health professional for your needs.
Coronavirus - Our advice to patients
Key websites to support your mental health and wellbeing
You may be worried about yourself and your family and how you can look after your mental health at this time. It’s normal to feel stressed, scared, confused and even angry during these times. If you have any of those feelings only get information and advice from credible and reliable sources. Limit the amount of time you spend checking the news and avoid some of the ‘fake news’ stories that are going around.
NHS Inform will give you all the advice you need to keep yourself safe. www.nhsinform.scot
Pregnant and new parents: www.parentclub.scot
Children and Young People: www.youngminds.org.uk Parent helpline; 08088025544
Mental Wellbeing and COVID-19 - SAMH – www.samh.org.uk
How to look after your mental health – www.mentalhealth.org.uk
General Anxiety: www.anxietyuk.org.uk Text service 07537416905
For anyone needing support for domestic abuse as well as family members, this is a confidential, sensitive service for anyone to call. You can speak to a professional in your preferred language: 08000271234 or email helpline@sdafmh.org.uk
New App from NHS Scotland enables you to get an isolation note to give your employer as proof you need to stay off work because of COVID-19 – You DON’T need to get a note from your GP; http://www.111.nhs.uk
PATIENT ACCESS
The surgery is now giving you the opportunity to be able to book advance routine GP and Physiotherapy appointments ONLINE. You can still book 'on the day' and telephone appointments via the surgery. If you wish to register to use this service, please call in to the surgery and a member of staff will be happy to process this for you.
THIS SERVICE IS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED
URINE SAMPLES
The surgery will NO LONGER accept the handing in of urine samples to reception for suspected urine infections, unless they have been specifically requested by a GP or other healthcare professional.
In order to treat and deal with urinary symptoms effectively, we ask that you follow the guidance below:
a) If you are a female aged 16-65 years and are NOT pregnant or have NOT suffered from repeated urinary infections in the past, please contact your local pharmacy in the first instance or,
b) Phone the surgery reception on 0141 959 3391 for advice and direction
Been off sick?
You do not need a Doctor's line for absences from work of less than 7 calendar days. Please click on this link http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/sc2.pdf to download a self certificate.
Anyone who is undertaking a community service order and has been asked to provide a Doctor's sick note will require to make an appointment to see a GP and may thereafter be issued with a Standard Sickness Certificate for which there is a fee of £20.00
Bowel Screening Information
Bowel screening is offered to everyone in Scotland aged between 50 and 74 years.
A testing kit is posted to your home address shortly after your 50th birthday.
The screening programme has been shown to reduce the death rate from bowel cancer.
However there are some risks involved with subsequent investigation of a positive test result.
It is important to make an informed decision before returning the bowel screening testing kit. The following statistics may help:
Death rates from bowel cancer per 10,000 patients without screening:
Men aged 50 - 22
Men aged 60 - 70
Death rates from bowel cancer per 10,000 patients with screening:
Men aged 50 - 18.5
Men aged 60 - 58.8
The usual investigation of a positive result is a colonoscopy – a thin flexible tube with a camera is passed through the back passage to look at the large intestine to identify any source of bleeding.
This test is usually well tolerated but can have some complications including:
Heavy bleeding requiring further investigation or medical advice - 1 in 150 chance.
Perforation (the colonoscope causes a hole in the wall of the bowel) - 1 in 1500 chance.
In extremely rare cases colonoscopy may result in death – 1 in 10,000 chance.
Any questions regarding the programme can be directed to the doctors at the practice or addressed at the following website:
http://www.healthscotland.com/uploads/documents/20560-TheBowelScreeningTest.pdf