In March the British Medical Association (BMA) held a ballot asking GPs to support action against the erosion of funding for general practice that over the past few years has had a negative affect on patient care and staff morale.

We have changed our process for ordering prescriptions, the prescription request box has now been removed as a method of ordering medication. You can use the following methods to order prescriptions:

• NHS App
• hchcscripts@nhs.net
• Triage form

The process has been changed for a number of reasons. 

1. To aid us in our on-going parking issues. With it, we hope that footfall will be reduced in the surgery and parking will be easier for patients and staff. 
2. We will be able to provide a more efficient service to patients as prescription re-order requests are accessible 24/7 via the NHS app & Patient Access. 
3. By reducing the footfall in the surgery we will be reducing our carbon footprint and doing our bit for the planet.
4. We are modernising General Practice.

If you come into the surgery, in person, with a repeat prescription. Or call the surgery to order medication and have access to the internet, you will be asked to request your medication via the NHS app or through our online services. We will NO LONGER accept repeat prescription slips. We have information panflets regarding this at the Reception Desk and the Dispensary desk. 

We are aware that some patients will not have internet access and are unable to use online services. In this case, please come to the Dispensary desk or call the surgery, where we can arrange additional support as needed.

‘Our aim is to provide the best possible health care for you and your family.’ Our practice is classified as semi-rural, based in a purpose built health centre in the heart of the community in Holmes Chapel.

We have a growing practice population, currently around 13,000 patients, served by an extended Primary Health Care Team including doctors, practice and community nurses, reception staff, physiotherapists and health visitors. We are part of the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board.

Our aims here at Holmes Chapel Health Centre remain:

• Safe, Effective Care for our Patients.
• Remaining resilient in terms of our staffing to be able to remain open and provide our services.

We are in a unique period of time: facing an uncertain challenge and we will do all we can to support our patients.

The NHS wants to give people better ways to see their personal health information online. We know that people want to be able to access their health records. It can help you see test results faster. It also lets you read and review notes from your appointments in your own time.

We’re now letting you see all the information within your health record automatically. If you are over 16 and have an online account, such as through the NHS App, NHS website, or another online primary care service, you will now be able to see all future notes and health records from your doctor (GP). Some people can already access this feature, this won’t change for you.

This means that you will be able to see notes from your appointments, as well as test results and any letters that are saved on your records. This only applies to records from your doctor (GP), not from hospitals or other specialists. You will only be able to see information from 12th October. For most people, access will be automatic, and you won’t need to do anything.

Your doctor (GP) may talk to you to discuss test results before you are able to see some of your information on the app. Your doctor (GP) may also talk to you before your full records access is given to make sure that having access is of benefit to you. There might be some sensitive information on your record, so you should talk to the Health Centre if you have any concerns.

Download the NHS App, or open the NHS website in a web browser, to set up and log in to your NHS account. Owned and run by the NHS, your NHS account is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services online.

• get your NHS COVID Pass – view and download your COVID Pass for travel abroad
• get advice about coronavirus – get information about coronavirus and find out what to do if you think you have it
• order repeat prescriptions - see your available medicines, request a new repeat prescription and choose a pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to
• book appointments - search for, book and cancel appointments at your GP surgery, and see details of your upcoming and past appointments
• get health advice - search trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments. You can also answer questions to get instant advice or medical help near you
• view your health record - securely access your GP health record, to see information like your allergies and your current and past medicines. If your GP has given you access to your detailed medical record, you can also see information like test results and details of your consultations
• register your organ donation decision - choose to donate some or all of your organs and check your registered decision
• find out how the NHS uses your data - choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning
• view your NHS number - find out what your NHS number is

It has been a long, soggy winter, but spring has finally sprung, and hopefully the cold and flu season is coming to an end.

COVID-19 is still around but is a milder illness for most patients, and therefore less of a concern to many. We need to consider COVID-19 as a cause of upper respiratory symptoms, but self-testing is no longer practical for most patients as test kits are unavailable or out of date.

It is important we continue to protect our patients, and staff. If staff members test positive for COVID-19 they are still required to isolate which has a massive impact on our ability to deliver healthcare for the community. We therefore request that if you test positive for COVID-19 or suspect you may have COVID-19, please let us know before visiting the Health Centre and wear a mask to reduce spread. 

One of the many things the pandemic taught us was the effectiveness of face masks in preventing the spread of all respiratory infections. If you have a cough or cold, whether COVID-19 or otherwise, wearing a face covering will help protect others from catching your infection. You should also wear a face mask if you feel at risk, due to increased vulnerability or proximity to anyone with respiratory symptoms.

Common sense and respect for others is all we ask. 

We are asking all our patients to use an online form to contact the surgery.  This will apply to anything you would normally call the surgery about; to book a routine or urgent appointment, request a prescription, and let us know about changes to your treatment or medication, to follow up results and all other administrative and clinical queries.

Whilst our phone lines will still be open, if you do call the surgery we will politely request you complete an online form.  If your personal circumstances mean that it is impossible for you to do this, or for someone you know to complete the form on your behalf, our patient support team will assist you with this.

The form is brief, and will ask you the following questions:

• What your query is about
• What action you would like
• Your preference for who or when you would like to deal with your problem.
• You will be invited to submit photos if relevant.

You will be able to submit a form between 8am- 3.30pm (Monday to Friday)

All forms will be screened by a GP on the same day.

You can watch a video about how to submit your form here: https://youtu.be/7zMLbE8CiKg

What happens after my form is submitted?

• Administrative tasks will be dealt with by our patient support team in the usual way.
• Clinical queries are screened by the doctor and categorised according to urgency of need (red, amber, green).  We have appointments available within different time frames, including on the same day.  Our patient support team will contact you to arrange an appointment.
• We may organise some investigations for you while you are waiting to be seen.
• It may be possible to deal with your problem directly without the need to see a clinician.  Alternatively, you receive advice about self care or other services you can refer yourself to. 

Why has Holmes Chapel Health Centre decided to change to this system?

Since the pandemic, primary care has faced an unprecedented level of patient need in the context of a national recruitment crisis for both clinical and non-clinical staff.  Whilst we have worked very hard to maintain our staffing levels, it is more important than ever that the right problem is dealt with by the right person to ensure we can provide our patients with the safest and most efficient service. 

We hope that by making better use of appointments we will be able to increase capacity and reduce waiting times.

We also hope that it will be easier for vulnerable patients who really need to get through on the phone.

Experience from other practices already using a total triage system has shown that overall patient satisfaction is generally greatly improved.

What if my problem is urgent?

You should still submit an online form.  Please do so as early as possible on the day to ensure your problem can be dealt with by our duty team.

Can I request a prescription using the online form?

Yes, though for simple repeat prescriptions please use the usual prescription email hchcscripts@nhs.net

 What if a patient does not speak English?

We understand that it can be difficult for non-English speaking patients to access care, and we have no wish to make this harder.   If possible, please ask a friend or family member to complete the form, or consider using an online translation tool such as google translate.   If these options are not possible our patient support team will assist you with an interpreter if necessary.

What if a patient is housebound, elderly, or not able to use online systems?

We will work hard to recognise vulnerable patients who cannot be expected to use the online form (though we would still encourage family members and carers to use the form on the patient’s behalf as it is a very useful way of communicating with the surgery).  These patients will still be able to speak to our patient support team who will complete a form on their behalf.