Theale Medical Centre Update

The UK is experiencing a COVID-19 Pandemic. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, GP practices have had to make changes to normal working practice for the safety of patients and staff.

Symptoms

If you have symptoms associated with coronavirus, including a new continuous cough or a high temperature, you are advised to stay at home for 7 days. DO NOT ENTER THE SURGERY or go to a pharmacy or the hospital.

If your symptoms are serious, or get worse, NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need further medical help and advise you what to do.

Only call 111 direct if you cannot go online, or are advised to do so by the online service.

If anyone else in your household is experiencing a new and continuous cough or high temperature, you must stay at home for 14 days, even if you are feeling well.This is to contain the spread from people with no symptoms.

Please visit www.nhs.uk for more information and advice.

Appointments

If you have a booked GP appointment, it will be changed to a telephone appointment – please do not come to the surgery. All GP appointments at the surgery will be screened by a GP telephone call first and then a decision will be made if the patient needs to attend the surgery. Many simple conditions or queries can be managed over the phone.

If you have an appointment booked with a nurse, she may call you to ask some details. Depending on the nature of your symptoms, situation, and appointment, you may be asked to rebook when the current crisis is over.

Our teams are working hard to keep patients informed of these changes via text and website alert.

Telephone lines

Telephones will be answered as soon as possible but the surgery is experiencing high volumes of calls and has unplanned staff absences. If you have a routine query, please ask the receptionist a question via the website. Questions submitted on the website unfortunately may take longer to receive a reply than under normal circumstances.

Special access arrangements

If you require special access arrangements as you are unable to use the telephone please contact us on rccg.tmc@nhs.net

We can then arrange a suitable way to conduct the consultation.

Private (non-NHS) work

Requests for non NHS services (requests for medical records/medicals etc) will be dealt with once the surgery is able to return to normal service.

On behalf of all the Clinical and Non-Clinical Staff at the Theale Medical Centre, thank you for your patience.