**Effective 1st April 2022** your GP Practice will provide support during surgery hours in lieu of calling 111 if you are unwell with COVID-19 symptoms.
COVID-19 symptoms:
- New continuous cough
- High temperature
- A loss or changed sense of normal smell or taste (Anosmia)
Care for COVID-19 and other health conditions can be accessed by calling the surgery on 0345 337 1150, selecting option 2.
The receptionists will ask the nature of the problem to help us assign your urgent medical need to the most appropriate healthcare professional. Please provide a contactable telephone number to enable the health professional to return an initial triage telephone call.
If you need medical advice when your GP Practice is closed, call NHS 24 on 111.
Visit www.nhsinform.scot/COVID-19 for further COVID-19 support information.
The NHS Inform Website contains all relevant information regarding management of the Coronavirus Pandemic including mental health support, self-isolation advice, shielding patients advice and provision of fit/isolation notes due to COVID-19 illness or isolation. https://111.nhs.uk/isolation-note/
Care for COVID-19 and other health conditions can be accessed by calling the surgery on 0345 337 1150, selecting option 2.
The receptionists will ask the nature of the problem to help us assign your urgent medical need to the most appropriate healthcare professional. Please provide a contactable telephone number to enable the health professional to return an initial triage telephone call.
COVID Vaccinations, Testing and Symptom Checker
If you have a general query about the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit the NHS Inform website or use the national helpline 0800 030 8013 which is open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week.
Please avoid calling the surgery with any general queries about the COVID-19 vaccine as we are unable to give you any further information and must try to keep phone lines open for people who are unwell and seeking medical care.
For further COVID testing or vaccination information please visit the following:
NHS Grampian COVID-19 Site: www.nhsgrampian.org/covid-19
Symptom Checker: https://www.nhsinform.scot/self-help-guides/self-help-guide-coronavirus-covid-19
Vaccine Information: www.covidvaxgrampian.com
NHS Grampian Vaccination Drop In Clinics: https://www.nhsgrampian.org/COVID-19-vaccination-clinics How to get a record of your vaccination: https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine/after-your-vaccine/get-a-record-of-your-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-status
Scot Gov: www.gov.scot/coronavirus
If you require to rearrange an NHS invited vaccination appointment, please contact the number on your invite letter or visit www.nhsinform.scot/covid19vaccineappointments (website includes option for online appointment rearrange).
COVID Vaccination Status
*Please do not contact your GP Practice to ask for a COVID vaccination passport, status or exemption certificate - they are unable to assist*
Please visit NHS Inform for up to date information at https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine/after-your-vaccine/get-a-record-of-your-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-statusYour vaccination status is a record of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations you've received in Scotland or the Common Travel Area (England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland).
You may be asked to provide your status when you're travelling abroad or attending certain venues or events.
Access your COVID-19 Vaccine Status online, by logging on to https://vacs.nhs.scot/csp?id=csm_login, you will require your username from your vaccination appointment invitation letter, (reminder request option if forgotten) or contacting the Freephone COVID Status Helpline, 0808 196 8565 (10am to 6pm daily).
Vaccination Exemption - there are a very small number of people in Scotland who cannot be vaccinated or tested for medical reasons.
If you think you cannot receive the vaccine or test for a medical reason, your local vaccination centre or the COVID Status Helpline (0808 196 8565) can:
- answer questions you may have
- can advise on what arrangements may be put in place so you can be vaccinated or tested safely
If you've done this, and you cannot be vaccinated or tested for medical reasons, you'll receive a secure paper exemption certificate in the post, covering both vaccination and testing.
You should not contact your GP directly about an exemption certificate. GPs cannot provide exemption certificates.
GP Practice Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
GP Practices have remained operationally open throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic. Urgent medical problems are still dealt with by GPs, nurses and other staff. As we move into a phased recovery, most medical services will start to come back on stream, but this does not, and cannot mean a return to normal. Much of what you contact the surgery about can be dealt with without physically attending, so patients are asked to phone or email first, with telephone or video calls arranged, and only those who need face to face contact are asked to attend to keep you, and others, safe with as few people as possible in the buildings. Because it's likely that those attending will have health problems, it's important to ensure safety so staff will wear PPE during consultations, and you will be asked to wear a face covering/mask. Contact time will be kept to a minimum for everyone's safety but despite this, each appointment needs to be longer, flow through the buildings will be controlled, and waiting rooms will seem very different. The way service is delivered will stay changed for a long time to come. We all need to feel safe when we use the NHS and need our NHS staff to be safe.
Please visit https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/your-community-health-care-services for further helpful information regarding community health care services and changes to services resultant to Coronavirus.
The following helpful video explains why consultations are by telephone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hP9Yn5-zFE
Primary Care: Why are GP Practices still working differently?
The Pandemic is not over yet. We must protect the Primary Care Teams and vulnerable patients by keeping contact to a minimum.
How are Practices working now? All appointments are being triaged - this means that people with the greatest need are being seen first.
What is Triage? The clinicians will assess every eConsult and phone query and decide who needs to be seen in person, who needs a phone consultation, who needs to be seen via video and who can be directed to a community pharmacist etc.
How do we triage? Clinicians will look at all the information available and make an assessment loosely based on:
'Hear it' - phone consult,
'See it' - video consult (Near Me)
'Feel it' - face to face appointment
Why do receptionists ask personal questions? Put simply, because they have been asked to. Anyone that is tasked with answering a call at a GP practice must maintain strict confidence and only ask questions to help you to get the right treatment from the most appropriate resource.
eConsult? eConsult is an online way of contacting your doctor for help and support. There is lots of information that you can use to help yourself too. Find out more by watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fGEpzrgAJc
What about emergencies? For genuine medical emergency call 999 and ask for an ambulance. If you need emergency care but are not in imminent danger then you should call 111.
Where else can I get help? NHS Inform has a wealth of information to help you to help yourself: https://www.nhsinform.scot/ Community Pharmacists (chemists) can help with many common ailments and illnesses and can prescribe some medicines too.
Please be patient. Primary Care Teams have been working incredibly hard throughout the Pandemic. Many of our teams are exhausted and they really are doing their best to help you. We, just like you, want to get back to as close to normal as possible, as soon as possible, but we are not there yet.
FACE COVERING - EXEMPTION CARDS
A doctor’s letter is NOT required for facemask exemption. If you have a disability or are distressed by wearing a mask you can print one of these cards at home.
NHS Near Me Video Appointments
The healthcare professional may request an NHS Near Me video appointment (powered by the Attend Anywhere system) to further assess the problem.
NHS Near Me is a video consulting service which allows patients to attend their appointment from their own home or wherever is convenient, using their own computer, smartphone or tablet device.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS NO WALK-IN SERVICE AT THE SURGERY.
DO NOT VISIT UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO BY AN ELLON HEALTH CENTRE PROFESSIONAL.
If you have been asked to attend the surgery and become COVID symptomatic or are under household isolation due to a symptomatic member or Test Trace Isolate (TTI) on the day of your appointment, DO NOT ATTEND THE SURGERY but call to cancel and receive alternative support arrangement.
Prescriptions can continue to be ordered either online or via the telephone prescription order line for pharmacy collection. Results continue to be available via the results line.
Technology has never been more needed than at this challenging time. It can help to reduce loneliness and social isolation by connecting you to family and friends. But it doesn’t always work for everyone. AbilityNet is a UK-wide charity with a 20+ year history of promoting a digital world accessible to all, working with older and disabled people to help them make the most of their devices whether it’s a laptop, tablet, desktop or phone. Their team of friendly, DBS-checked volunteers can offer support for making the devices work best for you. Call 0800 048 7642 or visit www.abilitynet.org.uk. We are not specifically endorsing or recommending this organisation, but offering this information as a potential signposting opportunity for services.
Groups at Higher Risk (Shielding)
Those patients most at risk from Coronavirus will receive a letter from the Chief Medical Officer, giving practical and detailed advice on how to protect themselves and access the care and treatment needed. Those on the shielding list are advised to follow guidance issued to the general population in Scotland, highlighting the importance of stringent physical distancing and hygiene measures to decrease exposure to COVID-19.
The following video from Health Care Improvement Scotland (HIS) is to help the public understand why their GP practice may be phoning them to discuss aspects of anticipatory care planning.
http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/coronavirus_covid-19/care_planning_conversations.aspx