Service Update – 15th July 2021

Posted on July 15th, 2021

The past 18 months have been challenging for all of us and we would like to take the opportunity to update patients on how we expect our services to change over the coming weeks with the relaxation of restrictions in England.

Preventing transmission of Covid is vital for the health and safety of our patients and our staff. Primary Care settings are a high risk area for the transmission of infection with unwell and vulnerable people attending surgery. We will therefore be continuing to require our patients to wear face coverings, and sanitise hands, upon entry to the practice as a condition of service. Our clinicians will also continue to wear PPE in consultations. This simple act helps to protect both vulnerable patients but also staff – If our staff have to isolate, then we cannot continue to provide a service to our patients.

We would strongly rebuke any claim that our services have been ‘closed’ over the past 18 months as reported in some press and social media avenues.  We have been handling most enquiries via a telephone triage service with subsequent examination appointments where necessary. Whilst the realisation is that technology and telephone appointments are effective and efficient, we appreciate that patient access to our services is fundamentally important, and some of our patients do struggle with this method. We are therefore increasing the number of patient bookable face to face appointments. Where patients may require or request a face to face examination these will be made available however waiting times may be longer for these appointments than their remote counterparts.

We are also going to physically re-open our doors without the need for intercom access; this is to, again, improve access for patients who may struggle with contacting us over the telephone. As stated above all patients will be required to wear a face covering and sanitise hands when entering the building. Social distancing must be maintained within the premises; We ask that the foyer is kept clear at all times and patients do not queue within the building. Where possible we would ask that all patients continue to contact us by telephone wherever possible.

If you have any of the symptoms of Covid – temperature, new continuous cough, loss of smell/taste – then please do NOT attend the surgery. Specialist ‘Hot’ services are in place to offer consultations or home visits to patients either positive, or symptomatic, of Covid. Please inform the receptionists and clinicians if you have any of these symptoms and we will refer you to these services for treatment if they cannot be dealt with remotely by us.

We appreciate your continued support and understanding.

Many Thanks

Market Surgery