Welcome To Our Practice

We are a friendly team of professionals who have deep roots in the community, and we have looked after the great majority of our patients for a considerable time.

A supplier to the NHS has advised us of a global shortage of some equipment used for taking blood tests.

Anyone who needs a test for urgent health problems, will still get one but where your clinician recommends that it’s safe to do so. Routine blood tests will not be carried out until this issue has resolved.

Given the nature of the shortage, we cannot give an exact date for when this issue will be resolved, but please be assured that if your condition or symptoms require it, then you will get a test.

If your condition or symptoms change or get worse, please contact us as you would normally.

Covid restrictions will end in many settings in England from Monday.

However, Public Health England’s infection prevention control guidelines and hospital visiting guidance are set to remain in place for all staff and visitors.

That means NHS visitor guidance will stay in place across all health services including hospitals, GP practices, dental practices, optometrists and pharmacies to ensure patients and staff are protected.

Staff, patients and visitors will also be expected to continue to follow social distancing rules when visiting any care setting as well as using face coverings, mask and other personal protection equipment.

The NHS will continue to support staff in ensuring that the guidance is followed in all healthcare settings.

Patients may have seen media reports about general practice moving away from telephone triage from Monday 17 May. Telephone triage for appointment requests was in place at Orchard Family Practice prior to the pandemic and this will continue. As has been the case before and during the pandemic, patients will be offered a face to face consultation where this is deemed clinically necessary.

ECONSULT

PLEASE NOTE FROM MONDAY 4TH OCTOBER ECONSULT WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM 8AM - 12PM EVERY WEEKEDAY (EXCLUDING BANK HOLIDAYS).

Please only use this service if you require medical advice from the GP. If you have been asked to make a review appointment with the GP or another member of the practice team, please do not submit an eConsult, but instead telephone the surgery on 01634 337620.

This service is only available between 8am - 2pm every weekday.

CORONAVIRUS

COVID-19 Vaccinations

As a surgery, we have decided NOT to sign up to provide vaccination for the PHASE 2 roll out (under 50 years) in-house.

Over the last year, we have worked incredibly hard to keep up with all our normal work, as well as providing staff for Parkwood. 

We committed to providing the service to our older and vulnerable patients, however now that the groups of patients are more mobile, able to travel and book their vaccines at other providers i.e. vaccination centres, we as a surgery feel is is time to concentrate on other health care priorities.

We are not a huge team and have worked many hours of unpaid time to get the vaccine out there and we feel the time is right now to step back from Covid-19 vaccinations in the surgery and crack on with so many other things people are concerned about.

If you are under 50 and waiting for a first dose, please do not contact us but book an appointment via the nhs.uk website, the link is below:-

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

We are rolling out second doses and ask that you do not contact the surgery. We will be in contact with you as and when your second dose is due.

Thank you for your understanding.

COVID-19 Testing

You can get a free test if you:

• Have symptoms of Coronavirus: a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to your taste or smell (Please note you do not need to have all of these symptoms to book a test. If you are experiencing any one of these symptoms you must book a test)
• You're getting a test for someone you live with who has symptoms
• You've been told to get a test before you go into hospital
• Your local council asks you to get a test
• You're taking part in a government pilot project

Hospital 'Expedite Letters'

Millions of outpatient appointments and treatments have been delayed in NHS hospitals during the pandemic. When patients contact the hospital, they are sometimes told to ask their GP for an ‘expedite letter’. This is frustrating for you and for us, and rarely results in your appointment being brought forward.

If your gallbladder or arthritis pain is worse, if your mobility has reduced, or your tinnitus increased, this is not something a GP can measure. We take your word for it, and the hospital should too. Only the hospital can compare your needs with those of other patients on their waiting list.

Orchard Family Practice has created two letters for you to use if you want to inform a hospital of a change in your symptoms. One is for patients waiting for an appointment with a Specialist, the second is for patients waiting for a follow-up appointment, treatment, or operation.

Please download and print a letter, completing your details and explaining the change in your symptoms. You should post your letter to either Outpatient Appointments (for first appointments) or your consultant's secretary (for follow-up care).

In the event of a change in potentially life-threatening health condition- for example, a known cancer, or heart or lung symptoms- please contact Orchard Family Practice, NHS 111 or 999 in the first instance.

Expedite 1st Appointment

Expedite 2nd Appointment