Noticeboard

Telephones

With effect from Monday 26 October 2020, our telephone lines will be available between 08.00 and 18.00.  the practice will remain open until 18.30, Monday to Friday.

Covid 19 Vaccine

A trial is soon to be started at Synexus, Hexham General Hospital - please see our research page for more details if you are interested in taking part.

E-mail and e-Consult service

Please do not e-mail us directly with private or confidential medical information.  This is not a secure channel.  Please contact us via the e-Consult service instead. 

This is available via the online form found half way down the home page. Just click on the blue e-Consult box and follow the instructions.  This is a secure way of contacting us and the system will direct you appropriately.  If you need GP advice, you will receive a response the following working day and they will arrange any follow up or consultation that may be required.

Research project

If you'd like to take part in a research study about data sharing, please look at our Reseach page.

Face coverings and hand washing

In line with Government recommendations, if you are entering the surgery premises, please wear a face covering.  we also now have hand washing facilities at the entrance doors.  Please wash your hands when entering and leaving the building.

 

Patient Access Update

If you access our online services, Patient Access has started to offer private services through the portal.  These services are in no way endorsed by or connected to the practice.  patient access are also updating their security and shortly when you log in you will be asked to provide a 5 digit pin number.

Repeat medication

Pharmacies are taking longer to dispense medication due to supply issues.  Please allow 7 days before collecting your medication or check with the pharmacy.

Online booking

We have been advised not to offer online booking for face to face appointments for the time being.  Appointments are for telephone consultations only so please leave a contact number.  The GP or nurse will telephone you as close to the appointed time as possible.  However, they will not be able to call multiple times if they cannot speak to you.

 

 NATIONAL DATA OPT OUT

Information about the national data opt-out programme can be found at:

www.nhs.uk/your-data-matters or telephone 0300 303 5678

Mobile telephone numbers

Please make sure we have your up to date contact details.  We use mobile phone numbers to send appointment reminders and other appropriate messages.  If you provide us with a mobile telephone number we will assume you are happy to use this to contact you unless you tell us otherwise.

Carers

Please let us know if you are a carer so that we can refer you to Carers Northumberland for support, if you so wish.

Non NHS work 

This is not a priority for our team so it may take up to 3 weeks for us to provide insurance reports, to complete holiday cancellations forms etc. Please note there may be charges for these private services, so please ask.

 

Please also be aware that we cannot guarantee to turn around sick note requests within 48 hours, nor can we provide sick notes in advance.

Smoking and E-cigarettes

There is a blanket no smoking policy in the Primary Care Centre and Hospital site.  This extends also to e-cigrettes as there is no current evidence as to their efficacy or safety.

Online Booking and Medication Requests

To book appointments and order repeat medication 24 hours a day 7 days a week download an application form or please speak to one of our reception team.  for full details regarding security and consent please select item 4 in further information on the right of our home page

Application form for online access

Visitor Tansport for Wansbeck and North Tyneside

If a patient is transferred from Hexham General Hospital to Wansbeck or North Tyneside general hospitals for further treatment, a free daily shuttle car operates from Hexham to enable relatives to visit.  To book a place on this service, which leaves Hexham General Hospital at 1pm, contact 0344 811 8111 and ask for extension 5388.

 

Blood Tests

blood_tests_4A blood test is when a sample of blood is taken for testing in a laboratory. Blood tests have a wide range of uses and are one of the most common types of medical test. For example, a blood test can be used to:

  • assess your general state of health
  • confirm the presence of a bacterial or viral infection
  • see how well certain organs, such as the liver and kidneys, are functioning
A blood test usually involves the phlebotomist taking a blood sample from a blood vessel in your arm. and the usual place for a sample is the inside of the elbow or wrist, where the veins are relatively close to the surface. Blood samples from children are most commonly taken from the back of the hand. The child's hand will be anaesthetised (numbed) with a special cream before the sample is taken.

 

You can find out more about blood tests, their purpose and the way they are performed on the NHS Choices website.

Test Results

blood_test_resultsSince our telephones are very busy in the early morning, we would ask you to telephone for test results (eg blood, urine, x-ray) after 2.00 p.m.each day if at all possible.

Note that the practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection and we will only release test results to the person to whom they relate unless that person has given prior permission for the release of this data or they are not capable of understanding the results.

When you take your test you will be told how long it will be before your results are returned to the practice.

it is your responsibility to check your results and to make an appointment to discuss the results with a doctor if you are advised to do so.

Our reception staff are not qualified to comment on results.

X-Ray

doctor examining an x-rayAn X-ray is a widely used diagnostic test to examine the inside of the body. X-rays are a very effective way of detecting problems with bones, such as fractures. They can also often identify problems with soft tissue, such as pneumonia or breast cancer.

If you have a X-ray, you will be asked to lie on a table or stand against a surface so that the part of your body being X-rayed is between the X-ray tube and the photographic plate.

An X-ray is usually carried out by a radiographer, a healthcare professional who specialises in using imaging technology, such as x-rays and ultrasound scanners.

You can find out more about how x-rays are performed, their function and the risks at www.nhs.uk

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