If you have been prescribed emollients please read this information GOV.UK: Skin creams alert

As of Monday 15th June, face coverings must be worn when attending the practice. You may be refused entry if you do not wear a scarf, face mask or some other sort of appropriate face covering. Please see attached guidance:

From 15 June, we are asking patients and visitors to wear a face covering at all times when visiting our surgery, or services we provide in the community. Patients and visitors may also wear a face mask if they choose, but a face covering is sufficient.

Wearing a face covering (or mask) will help to limit the spread of Covid-19, and protect others from the virus.

For the face covering to be effective, please be aware that:

• It should cover your nose and mouth while allowing you to breath comfortably
• You should wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before putting it on and taking it off
• When wearing the face covering, you should avoid touching your face at all times
• You should also follow other infection control safety measures when visiting our hospitals, including social distancing and regular hand washing

For safety reasons, the following groups do not need to wear a face covering when visiting our hospitals:

• Young children under the age of 2
• Anyone with breathing or developmental difficulties
• An unconscious person
• Anyone who experiences genuine discomfort or distress while wearing a face mask
• Pregnant women who have gone into labour
• Anyone unable to remove their mask without assistance

We would like to thank patients and visitors in advance for wearing a face covering or mask when using our services. This is an additional measure we have put in place to help everyone stay safe. The most important thing people can do is to observe social distancing, and wash their hands regularly – however, the wearing of a face covering or mask will reduce the risk of infection even further.

Engage Consult can help you stay safe while we deal with COVID-19. By using Engage Consult we can triage you and make sure you only need to visit the practice or another service if it’s absolutely necessary. It also helps to keep our staff safer.

Engage Consult is easy to use. It can be used from a smartphone, tablet or computer than has an internet connection.

Carers can use Engage Consult. People caring for relatives, care and residential homes can all use Engage Consult on behalf of the people they care for.

Medical consultations are ALWAYS reviewed by an appropriately qualified clinician.

Only a clinician will make decisions about your care. Engage Consult gathers information for the clinician to use, just like the clinician would when you see them. Engage Consult doesn’t make any decisions about the care you should receive.

It;s available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and messages are reviewed every working day. Patients will get a response the same day or the next working day.

The system is safe and secure. It’s regularly tested to ensure it stays secure and safe.

If you use Engage Consult then it will help us to get you the care you need at the earliest opportunity. This is because when you use the service you provide information about your problem which our clinical staff can use to decide on the best course of action.

The service can be used for admin enquiries as well. Patients can ask when their repeat prescription will be ready or ask for a doctor’s letter or fit note.

It typically takes 5-10 minutes to complete a questionnaire. Most questionnaire can be completed in 5-10 minutes, whereas complex problems, or multiple problems, may take longer.

Owned and run by the NHS, the NHS App is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet.

To use the NHS App you must be aged 13 and over and registered with a GP surgery in England.

The NHS App is available now on iOS and Android.

Download on the App Store

Download on Google Play

What the NHS App does

Use the NHS App to:

• get advice about coronavirus – get information about coronavirus and find out what to do if you think you have it
• order repeat prescriptions – see your available medicines, request a new repeat prescription and choose a pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to
• book appointments – search for, book and cancel appointments at your GP surgery, and see details of your upcoming and past appointments
• check your symptoms – search trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments, and get instant advice or medical help near you
• view your medical record – securely access your GP medical record, to see information like your allergies and your current and past medicines
• register your organ donation decision – choose to donate some or all of your organs and check your registered decision
• find out how the NHS uses your data – choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning

Keeping your data secure

After you download the app, you will need to set up an NHS login and prove who you are. The app then securely connects to information from your GP surgery.

If your device supports fingerprint detection or facial recognition, you can use it to log in to the NHS App each time, instead of using a password and security code.

Get help with the app

If you have any issues using or downloading the app, check the NHS App help and support page.

For advice on home isolation for Coronavirus, please view the leaflet from Public Health England.

The NHS in Milton Keynes and Public Health England (PHE) are extremely well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.

The risk to the general public is moderate. If you have arrived back to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau within 14 days, follow the specific advice for returning travellers.

Anyone who has travelled to China or places listed above in the last 14 days and develops symptoms of cough or fever or shortness of breath, should immediately:

• Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu
• Call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the country

Information for the public is available at gov.uk/coronavirus.

Like the common cold, coronavirus infection usually occurs through close contact with a person with novel coronavirus via cough and sneezes or hand contact. A person can also be infected by touching contaminated surfaces if they do not wash their hands.

The risk of being in close contact with a person with coronavirus or contaminated surfaces is very low at the current time, as members of the public who have visited Wuhan, Hubei province, China are currently in isolation.

Testing of suspected coronavirus cases is carried out in line with strict regulations. This means that suspected cases are kept in isolation, away from public areas of the GP practice and returned home also in isolation. Any equipment that come into contact with suspected cases are thoroughly cleaned as appropriate. Specific guidance has also been shared with NHS staff to help safeguard them and others. Patients can be reassured that their safety is a top priority, and are encouraged to attend all appointments as usual.

Everyone is being reminded to follow Public Health England advice to:

• Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.

You can find the latest information and advice from Public Health England at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

For information about home isolation, view the leaflet from PHE.

View our September Newsletter