COVID-19 Latest information for our patients 14/04/20
The ongoing health, wellbeing and safety of our patients and staff remains our top priority. We are continually taking steps to keep everyone as safe as possible in these uncertain times by monitoring advice from the Government, Ministry of Health, Southern District Health Board and the WellSouth PHO.
As a valued patient, we believe it is important to give you as much information as possible on the extra precautions we are taking within the practice to ensure your safety and that of staff when face to face consultations are necessary. Video and telephone consultations are currently our preferred means of consultation but we want to reassure patients that should it be necessary for them to have a face to face consultation with a doctor or a nurse it is safe for them to come into the medical centre for that consultation.
To ensure your safety:
- We have locked our carpark door and all entry into the medical centre is via the front door.
- Entry should be by appointment only.
- We have divided the building in two.
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- Carpark side is the “dirty” side where one doctor will see all patients that we deem appropriate due to our rigorous triage of phone calls. Separate waiting area for these patients.
- Rest of the building is “clean” for all other face to face appointments, i.e. childhood immunisations, wound checks, normal face to face consultations with your GP if video or telephone is not appropriate.
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- Social distancing is available in the waiting room.
- Hand gel provided for your use.
- Masks are available if appropriate.
- All hard surfaces that come into patient contact in the consulting rooms are wiped down with a medical cleaning agent after each patient contact.
- Waiting areas and toilet facilities are cleaned regularly during the day.
- Flu vaccines for our eligible patients (65 and over and those eligible because of certain medical conditions) are being given in your car. Appointments are necessary.
Due to the fact that most patients are not presenting at the practice we would appreciate your prompt on-line payments for your video, telephone consultations or repeat prescription requests that are currently faxed to a pharmacy of your choice.
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- All consultation fees remain the same prior to COVID-19 whether it be by video, telephone or face to face.
- You will be sent a text with the amount you owe after your consultation which will include our bank account details for on-line banking payment.
- Please use the name of the person who had the consultation and date of consultation as a refence with your payment so we can correctly allocate your payment.
For more information on how to prepare for a video consultation with your doctor visit our website: Video Consultations
We appreciate that this is a difficult time for all, but we want to make sure that our patients are continuing to get the healthcare they need during this lockdown period and don’t put off seeking a consultation with their doctor. Remember you are able to travel to your doctor’s or pharmacy should you need to.