Latest News

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20th November 2020

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9th of November 2020

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Individuals should not be seeking routine outpatient, ambulatory or primary care, elective treatment while in their 14 days of isolation after return from Denmark. Primary and secondary care organisations should assess that an individual has returned from Denmark and delay elective and non-urgent treatment until after the 14 days of isolation.

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14th of September 2020

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ESSEX HOUSE MEDICAL CENTRE

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Despite the recent reports in the news we are still open and actively seeing patients.

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To minimise the risk to our patients and staff we are however trying to do more telephone consultations than face-to-face appointments purely to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

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This however does not mean that you cannot have a face-to-face appointment with one of our Drs or Nurses if we cannot help you over the phone.

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From the 14^th of August 2020 to the 14^th of September 2020 we have seen

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2675 patients for face-to-face appointments

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812 patients received a telephone consultation

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135 patients contacted us via E-Consult

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3024 prescriptions were issued to patients

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We are still here for all of our patients and working as hard as before

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27th August 2020

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Important Patient Information

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Please do not attend the surgery if you have any symptoms of COVID-19

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As of Thursday 27^th August 2020, Essex House Medical Centre will be operating a new one way system.  Patients with pre-booked appointments only will now be allowed into the building through the main front entrance, one patient at a time.   

Patients are advised not to arrive early for their appointment.  You will need to wear a face mask. Only the booked patient will be allowed into the surgery. If the appointment is for a child, please ensure only one parent/carer attends with them.

Each patient arriving for a pre-booked appointment will need to enter the initial front door and press the intercom button located on the wall to their right.

The Receptionist will log you in and give access to the building. As you enter the main building you will be asked to stop and sanitise your hands using the gel provided. You will also need to have your temperature taken at this point. If your temperature is 38 degrees or above: your appointment will be unable to proceed and you will be asked to leave the building by the rear exit. The GP will then telephone you to assess you and agree what to do next. 

The waiting area is marked out to accommodate social distancing and you will need to wait in the marked locations laid out on the floor. Due to the limitations of space no seating will be provided other than a single seat for any disabled patient who may be booked for an appointment. Please be aware that there are no toilet facilities available for use whilst you are in the surgery.

The calling board will be operating and you will be called for your appointment by your name appearing on the television screen as usual. No printed tickets will be issued at this present time.

Once your appointment is completed you will need to leave by the back exit door. Unfortunately at this present time if you need to make any further appointments you will have to contact reception via the telephone.

We thank you for your patience and understanding for any ‘teething’ issues that may come to light as we open the surgery for the first time in several months.

17th July 2020

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Under Wearing a Face Mask - exemptions

SOMERSET LOCAL MEDICAL COMMITTEE have advised the  following:

The LMC consulted the General Practitioners Committee and received the following reply. "We specifically raised this with NHS England and there is full agreement that GPs should not be approached to write these. We would encourage practices to decline... It is actually rather difficult to envisage any circumstance in which the wearing of a face mask would be genuinely medically contra-indicated."

Please do not request a letter from your GP to support exemption from wearing a face mask.

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2nd June 2020

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New Text Messaging Service

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We have upgraded our  text messaging service in order to provide a better service.

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This means that you will get a reminder the day before your appointment and should you wish to cancel this you will be able to text CANCEL back to the surgery and avoid having to ring in.

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Now when you book a new appointment there may be a delay in receiving your confirmation text message but you will still get one.

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We also hope to update any patients who have mobile numbers with vital information via text message so please let us know if you have a mobile number which we can add to your record.

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4th May 2020

Use our new consultation system.

https://www.online-consult.co.uk/org/essex-house-medical-centre

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