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.

 

Dr Ben Frankel is able to perform no-scalpel vasectomies at the practice.  Your GP needs to refer you for this procedure, which necessitates a telephone consent appointment prior to booking a date for the procedure itself.  Please ring Sele Medical Practice on 01434 602237 if your vasectomy operation date needs changing, or your appointment cancelling.

General Information

Patient Information Leaflet

The procedure will be carried out at Sele Medical Practice in our minor surgery facility.  The procedure takes approximately 20-30 minutes of operating time with some post operative recovery time, meaning that each patient spends between 45 mins and an hour at the practice.

Please arrive just a few minutes prior to your appointment time.

Benefits

  • No scalpel technique carries lower complication rates.
  • Postal semen sample service. The kit for this is given after your vasectomy. The sample is done after 25 ejaculates usually between 3 and 6 months post vasectomy. If this is clear you get the all clear. If there are residual semen then a second sample is done at 7 months post vasectomy on site at the RVI.
  • Vasectomy should always be considered to be permanent contraception. Reversal is not usually funded by the NHS and only has a 50% success rate.

 Risks

  • Local anesthetic is used for this procedure please inform us if you have ever had a severe reaction to this medication.
  • Bruising is kept to a minimum during the procedure but can occur in the first 7-10days. Please avoid any knocks or vibration to the area. If any sudden changes in size occurs please seek soon advice.
  • Infection is pretty obvious when it occurs, red, sore, swollen and fever. Please seek advice ASAP from your GP or 111 should this occur.
  • Pain and ball ache. Most men get 2-3 weeks of an ache with occasional sharp pains. 90% are pain free at 3 weeks, up to 10% take up to 6 weeks to be pain free and 2% can go beyond 6 weeks. Simple analgesics are usually all that is required.
  • Failure rate; 1:1000 find their semen samples don’t clear and need a redo. A rarer failure is when a chap gets the all clear to use their vasectomy but maybe years down the line a tube will rejoin itself to the other cut end, this is very rare at a rate of 1:2000.

 Pre op Advice

  • The procedure will be carried out at The Sele Medical Practice in our minor surgery facility, where you will sign a consent form.  Hexham Primary Care Centre is sited at the left hand side of Hexham General hospital, near the East Entrance. Please present to our reception desk @ NE461QJ
  • The procedure takes approximately 20-30minutes of operating time, you lie on a bed with drapes over you and 1-2 nurses helping Dr Frankel.
  • Afterwards we give you the post operative advice and the semen sample packs, most patients spend about 45mins at the practice.
  • Numbing cream (called Emla cream) can be bought from a pharmacy to take the edge of the local anaesthetic injection, this is your choice. Rub the cream into the front of the scrotum just below the base of the penis an hour before your operation.

 On the Day

  • Please be mindful of infection symptoms.   If you feel unwell, please ring Sele Medical Practice to rearrange your appointment on 01434 602237.
  • Please eat and drink as normal prior to your operation and arrive a few minutes early.
  • Please shower and shave the base of the penis and scrotum area during the 24 hours before before arrival.
  • Please bring supportive underwear.
  • Please arrange for someone to take you home or a taxi, as you may feel unable to drive after the operation.

 Post operative activity

  • We always operate on a Friday morning to give most men the weekend to recover.
  • Everybody recovers slightly differently. Listen to your body if you do something and it makes your ache or swelling worse your probably doing it too soon. You may need to take a few days off work.
  • Seek advice asap if you see signs of infection or sudden changes in pain or swelling. This can be via your GP or 111.

 

Call 111 when you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergencyNHS ChoicesThis site is brought to you by My Surgery Website