Like many businesses across the UK, we are closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and following the advice provided by UK health authorities.
Both of our practices are open but we asking that you do NOT come to the surgery if you have symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are encouraging all patients to check the latest Government advice at www.111.nhs.uk before attending the surgery.
CORONOVIRUS UPDATE (10/02/21):
COVID Vaccination Update:
We have now starting inviting patients in Priority Group 5 (65-69 years old)
All patients in this priority group will be contacted by the surgery in the coming weeks via text or phone. Appointments will become available each week upon confirmation of our delivery dates. There are a lot of patients in this group so we kindly ask that you do not contact the surgery unless invited to do so.
We will keep you updated with information as we receive guidance from NHS England on the release of the next cohort – Priority Group 6 (those aged 16 to 65 years with an underlying health condition – follow the COVID-19 link to the right)
CORONOVIRUS UPDATE (05/02/21):
If you are aged 70 and over or are clinically extremely vulnerable (shielding) and have not yet received your vaccination or booked an appointment then we kindly ask that you contact the surgery. We are struggling to make contact with some of our patients in these priority groups, thank you.
CORONOVIRUS UPDATE (13/01/21):
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SERVICES AT QUAY LANE SURGERY
We would like to update you on some urgent but hopefully short-term changes at Quay Lane Surgery. These changes will affect all of the other 8 GP practices in East Cornwall too.
As you may be aware, COVID-19 infection rates for Cornwall are high. As well as supporting our patients, our colleagues are also being affected. All this is happening, while we are delivering the largest vaccination programme the NHS has ever delivered.
Our doctors, clinicians and administrative staff are at the forefront of the vaccination programme and will be working shifts at the vaccination hub. We want to deliver vaccines to you and your families, as quickly and safely as possible. To help us do this national guidance has advised us to reduce all non-urgent work.
Our GP practice will remain open. You should continue to contact us if you have an urgent concern or have symptoms you are worried about. Please use the e-consultation portal on our practice website or contact us by phone. If you do need to speak to us on the phone, please expect us to ask you some extra questions to allow us to triage your call.
We will continue to offer urgent and emergency appointments and ask that you please be patient with us during this time.
If you have a routine problem that can wait, it will really help us if you wait until our normal services resume. We expect services to be back to normal in 4 to 6 weeks. This will allow us to ensure we can redeploy staff to run the vaccination clinics.
You can also use your local pharmacy for advice. You can also contact NHS.uk or call 111 for support. NHS 111 is available 24/7 and as well as providing advice can also direct you to a local service and will let them know you are on the way.
Our vaccination programme has started and we are currently inviting patients to attend the vaccination centre at Pensilva Millennium Centre or the China Fleet Country Club. We anticipate that there will be weekly clinics, however, will be dependent on regular vaccine deliveries. We hope more sites will open up in the very near future, however, the first site to go live will be Millennium House and patients will be invited to attend at this site via their GP practice. We kindly ask that you do not ring the surgery to enquire about booking an appointment but wait until you are contacted by a member of our team. Alternatively you can book an appointment at a mass vaccination clinic on receipt of an invitation from NHS England.
Please be reassured we are all working as hard as we can to look after you and ensure a vaccination programme happens quickly and safely to protect us all.
Thank you for your help and understanding.
Mrs Debbie Todd
Practice Manager
For and on behalf of the Partners of Quay Lane Surgery
COVID VACCINE - TEXT MESSAGE SCAM!
Please be aware of a new text message scam, asking patients to book their vaccination appointment and requesting BANK DETAILS as proof of identity.
For more information:
Step into Wellness Project
Please look at our new Step into Wellness project for people 60+ who have been shielding or impacted by Covid-19. A wellbeing coaching programme designed by Cornwall Council and Age UK Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. If you want to find out more or refer via email to stepintowellness@ageukcornwall.org.uk or call our Community Helpline on 01872 26638.
Self –Help Information On-Line:
If you have any questions about the Covid-19 Vaccine:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/
Psychological Support and Counselling:
https://www.cornwallft.nhs.uk/outlook-south-west/
Musculoskeletal problems (joint, back or muscle problems):
https://mskr.info/?companycode=mskr2019
General medical information
www.111.nhs.uk
www.patient.info
COVID Vaccinations in East Cornwall (updated 11/01/21)
The East Cornwall Primary Care Network Team are working hard to provide the much awaited COVID vaccination to our patients. Appointments are now being offered to patients in priority group 1 and 2 at the mass vaccination centre at Millennium House, Pensilva on Thursday 14th January 2021. Do not ring the surgery about booking an appointment or turn up at Millenium House without an appointment. Quay Lane Surgery have an allocation of vaccines and will contact patient directly as vaccines are delivered and appointments become available.
Following extensive trials, 2 safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19 have been approved by regulators and are now being made available to us and are supplied to us in batches to our vaccination site. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has said that both the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine ‘give very high protection against severe disease’ and both have good safety records. Both vaccines are being used across the county. This is an enormously complex vaccination programme using two new vaccines and is unlike anything the NHS has ever delivered before. The programme is initially focussing on sites that can deliver high volumes of vaccinations. As NHS England rapidly roll out the programme further, they are looking at other delivery models and more localised vaccination centres.
We are experiencing a higher than average number of calls in the practice from patients enquiring about the vaccine. We kindly ask that you do not contact the practice; we will contact patients to offer an appointment once we are in a position to do so, focussing on the priority groups*. Everyone at the practice is working extremely hard to make sure people receive their vaccine as quickly as possible. Please be patient with us during this time as we are working hard to vaccinate as quickly as possible using the supplies that we receive. On days where GPs, nurses and other staff are supporting the vaccination programme some routine appointment may be rescheduled to an alternative day. Urgent GP appointments will be available and patients will be seen if deemed appropriate. More vaccination clinics are being made available all the time and everyone who is eligible will receive the vaccine in due course.
We will keep you updated as and when we receive more information from NHS England, thank you for your patience.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JVCI) advice on Priority Groups for COVID-19 vaccination:
- Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
- Those 80 years and over and frontline health and social care workers (housebound patients)
- All those 75 years of age and over
- All those 70 years of age and over
- All those 65 years of age and over
- Those 16 - 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality - see conditions list below
- Those 60 years of age and over
- Those 55 years of age and over
- Those 50 years of age and over
Clinical conditions list for priority group 6:
- a blood cancer (such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma)
- diabetes
- dementia
- a heart problem
- a chest complaint or breathing difficulties, including bronchitis, emphysema or severe asthma
- a kidney disease
- a liver disease
- lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as HIV infection, steroid medication, chemotherapy or radiotherapy)
- rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or psoriasis (who may require long term immunosuppressive treatments)
- have had an organ transplant
- had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
- a neurological or muscle wasting condition
- a severe or profound learning disability
- a problem with your spleen, example sickle cell disease, or you have had your spleen removed
- are seriously overweight (BMI of 40 and above)
- are severely mentally ill
COVID VACCINATION UPDATE - 11/01/2021
Following extensive trials, 2 safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19 have been approved by regulators and are now being made available to us and are supplied to us in batches each week. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has said that both the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine ‘give very high protection against severe disease’ and both have good safety records. Both vaccines are being used across the county.
The NHS continues to prioritise those that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the government has decided will benefit the most – specifically the over-80s, care home residents and all frontline health and care staff.
We are inviting people for vaccination in order of the priorities set out by the JCVI, starting with over 80s. Please do not contact us about the COVID-19 vaccination unless we have already contacted you.
When we do contact you, please attend your booked appointments with us.
Everyone at the practice is working extremely hard to make sure people receive their COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible. Please be patient with us during this time - we are working hard to vaccinate as quickly as possible using the supplies that we receive.
On days where GPs, nurses and other staff are supporting the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, some routine appointments may be rescheduled to an alternative day. Urgent GP appointments will still be available, and patients will be seen if it is deemed appropriate.
More COVID-19 vaccination clinics are being made available all the time – everyone who is eligible according to national guidance will receive the vaccine in due course.
Hands, Face, Space remains key – even once people have been vaccinated.
You can get more information about the COVID-19 Vaccination online via the NHS website.
Information Leaflets:
Women of Childbearing age, currently pregnant or breastfeeding
Guide for Older Adults
Information for people who have had their COVID vaccination
Why do I have to wait?
Mask Exemption Cards
Appointment Information:
We have had to suspend most appointments at the surgery and we ask that you ONLY ATTEND if you get a confirmation call, message or letter. We have also suspended the booking of appointments online via Patient Access. We are introducing GP Video Appointments at the surgery. If asked to attend an appointment you must wear a face covering.
Please remember that you can access advice from your GP via E-Consult and consult a GP via video via LIVI. See practice website for details.
Diabetes Sick Day rules (follow links below):
https://trend-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/A5_T1Illness_TREND_FINAL.pdf
https://trend-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/A5_T1Illness_TREND_FINAL.pdf
Diabetes Type 1 - What to do when you are ill
Diabetes Type 2 - What to do when you are ill
Dispensary Information:
The dispensary team are working very hard to process your requests as quickly as possible. However due to a huge increase in requests it is causing a delay to collection times. Please allow one week before collecting.
National Guidance stipulates that GP Practices should NOT support patients trying to stockpile as these actions may put a strain on the supply chain and exacerbate any potential shortages. This is non-negotiable and for this reason you must only order your usual supply of medication and no more. Please do not request additional supplies as we will have to deny your request. Should this guidance change then we will inform patients.
From Tuesday 23rd March the Dispensary will be closed between 1 - 3pm every day. This measure has been put in place due to the unprecendented demand on our service as the COVID-19 incidence increases. Our priority is to ensure we continue to meet this increase in demand and support the health and wellbeing of our customers and staff during this difficult time. It is vital therefore that we introduce measures and provide the best service for all. These changes are to enable our Dispensary team to prepare prescriptions.
To prevent cross contamination and to keep our staff and patients safe we are asking that all payments for prescriptions are made by contactless card rather than cash, thank you.
When attending the surgery to collect medication you must wear a face covering.
A home delivery service is provided during the Pandemic to those at-risk patients required to isolate for 12 weeks and have received a letter. Please contact the surgery for details. This service ended on 31st July 2020.
Testing:
If you have symptoms and want to organise a test then you can do it in 2 ways:
Follow the link: https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test
or Ring: 119
Need help with Shopping?
For patients who need help with shopping who are not on the 'high vulnerable shielding' list you can contact:
Volunteer Cornwall: 01872 266988
E-Mail: requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk
The surgery team can also refer patients who need help with shopping and other essential supplies, befriending services or hospital transport through the NHS Volunteer Responders Service. Please contact the reception team for details.
Sick Notes:
Patients requesting COVID isolation notes should follow this link:
https://111.nhs.uk/isolation-note/
What to expect when going to hospital (Derriford Hospital):
Attending Clinical Appointments
What to do if you are extremely vulnerable and need help - follow link below:
https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/council-news-room/media-releases/news-from-2020/news-from-april-2020/what-to-do-if-you-are-extremely-vulnerable-and-need-help/
This is a very challenging time for us all and we would appreciate your co-operation during this period of uncertainty and kindly ask that you remain courteous to our staff at all times.
Our priority is the health and safety of all our patients and staff.
Cornwall Hospice Care
At this difficult time, many may be feeling more isolated than ever. Cornwall Hospice Care are able to offer support via video call and telephone to patients and carers. Follow link below for details:
Cornwall Hospice Care
Bereavement Services in Cornwall
Bereavement in Cornwall Flyer
Government plan to tackle loneliness during lockdown
The Government has launched a plan to tackle loneliness and social isolation during the COVID-19 outbreak and period of social distancing. #Let’sTalkLoneliness
Cancer
If you have symptoms that are new, persistent, concerning or progressive, contact your GP online via their website or on the telephone for an initial assessment.
The best chance of successful treatment for cancer is through early detection. GPs are able to assess over the phone and by video and if necessary, they can plan for you to safely be seen face-to-face.
We are treating people with cough or fever in separate locations from those with other symptoms to ensure it is safe for you to attend the practice, if we think it is necessary.
Clinicians are using protective equipment (such as masks) when they do see people face-to-face to minimise the risk of transmission.
Hospitals are continuing to offer tests for cancer, and treatment for cancer. Social distancing measures are in place to keep patients and staff safe when they do come in for their tests. The type of assessment may change and it may take slightly longer than normal, but this is still better than delaying until after the pandemic.
Hospitals are taking care to make their cancer assessment services safe for patients to attend, where this is necessary. Some have moved cancer services off-site, some are using video consultations.
Children - Paediatrics
We appreciate that everyone is trying to do the right thing by staying at home at this time, however, we are concerned that those caring for children, especially children with complex or underlying health conditions, may be too worried about going to hospital at this time to seek urgent medical help in the way that they normally would.
Nationally, the number of children with a delayed presentation to hospital is increasingly leading to further health complications and increased risk of serious illness, which could be avoided if medical help was sought sooner.
If you’re a parent with a seriously unwell child, we want you to know that the NHS is here for you. Children still get sick and we want you to connect with us when this happens
If you have to go to A&E there will be special arrangements in place to protect you and your child from the risk of infection.
You know your child better than anyone else, and if you think your child is unwell or deteriorating you must seek medical help and not delay presentation. Doctors will want to make sure that your child is treated before their condition deteriorates.
Childhood Immunisations
It’s really important to attend for immunisations when you have been invited, they are the single most important way to protect you or your child from disease.
Vaccinating children helps prevent the development of deadly or incurable viruses and diseases such as Meningitis, Measles and Pneumonia.
Delaying vaccinations could leave you and your child vulnerable to serious illnesses
Book your appointment for immunisations as planned, staff will ensure that it is safe for you to attend.
Cervical screening
The cervical screening programme for routine checks is currently suspended but first calls and those who have previously had an abnormal result and are on a yearly recall are continuing.
If you have been asked to make an appointment for cervical screening, don’t put it off, It's one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer.
Marie Curie support for professionals during COVID-19
Marie Curie Companions for professionals is one-to-one emotional support for staff looking after dying people in care homes.
- Provided by Marie Curie Senior Nurses, who specialise in end of life care, using a person-centred approach, the service aims to:
- Provide emotional support and comfort for care home staff
- Reduce staff stress levels and help build resilience
- Provide practical advice on dealing with dying, death and bereavement
- Access to emotional and bereavement support for family members and friends
- Act as advocate for care home staff if required.
- To access Marie Curie Companions for professionals’ service email SouthWest@mariecurie.org.uk
Marie Curie are also offering a number of online resources that care home staff can access at any time:
- New online information hub about end of life care during coronavirus. Aimed at family and friends who are looking after a loved one towards the end of life, it is designed to help make them feel more confident in the care they are able to provide, answer key questions and help them feel empowered to ask for help when it is needed.
- Palliative Care Knowledge Zone - expert information, knowledge and support to help you deliver the best possible care for people living with a terminal illness