IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS - UPDATED MONDAY 29 JUNE

Due to the coronavirus outbreak and to ensure patient and staff safety, the way we normally offer services is changing.  Please keep checking here for updates.  For general coronavirus information and guidance please see the NHS Inform website   www.nhsinform.scot   The information which pops up on the screen when you first log onto this website is particularly useful.  Please also see the coronavirus section of the practice website in further information. 

The main information on changes to services offered by the practice is below but any new updates will be posted here before being moved to the main section below.

We appreciate that this is a frustrating time and you may be anxious about health matters but please be patient and kind to our staff and adhere to any requests for information.   We would like to thank every patient who has and continue to help us to implement our restrictions, your patience and support is very much appreciated.

NEW  - RE-INTRODUCTION OF SOME SCREENING SERVICES

From Monday 29 June the Scottish Government will be announcing the intention to re-introduce cervical screening in some circumstances. If you had been invited for screening prior to lockdown and hadn't yet made an appointment or had had an appointment cancelled you may arrange an appointment.

From mid-July to end August any patient who would have been invited for an appointment as a result of a non-routine result will be invited to make an appointment.

It is envisaged that routine recall will not re-start until at least September.

Public messaging will provide further information.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE UNWELL

As at Monday 29 June, our doors remain closed  and access to the practice is by telephone.  Our telephone lines are open from 8.00am - 6.00pm, Monday to Friday.    

Both urgent and routine matters will be dealt with from 8.00am - 4.30pm but after 4.30pm we will only deal with your call if it is an urgent matter.   On days when demand is extremely high, for example, on Mondays, we may amend the time from which we start dealing with urgent matters only.   This allows us to ensure we are providing as safe a service as possible for the patients who urgently require our attention.

Following your telephone call, the doctor or nurse may decide that you should have an appointment and will explain the process of attendance to you.   We may also suggest a consultation via an alternative method and this will be discussed with you if appropriate.

We would strongly advise patients not to ignore symptoms that are unrelated to coronavirus and risk delay of diagnosis or treatment.  

THE FUTURE OF GENERAL PRACTICE

General Practice in the future will be different as we have to ensure social distancing in the same way that every other organisation does.  We do not have the physical capacity to deal with the same volume of patients as we did previously but we are here to help so please ask for help if you need it.   Mondays are particularly busy at present so if your problem can wait please consider calling later in the week.

Some of the ways things will be different include:

Telephone triage and telephone consultations will continue and video consulting may become more widespread with face to face consultations being the exception

The practice may look different - you will be guided through various routes, the waiting room will have no/less chairs, there will be visible 2m markers, you may have to queue outside the building

Staff will continue to wear PPE - masks, gloves, aprons, face shields

Social distancing should be adhered to at the practice as it is in any other environment

POST-CORONAVIRUS REHAB ADVICE LINE

This is an advice line for patients who are concerned about their recovery from coronavirus.  It is open 9.00am - 12.30pm, Monday to Friday.   The number is 07969 334 704.   It is being staffed by Physiotherapists from the Pulmonary Rehab Team.

They can provide advice on:  walking, exercise, ongoing symptom worries, getting back to work, mental health, fatigue, breathing more comfortably, strength, pain management, anxiety, traumatic reactions.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE/THINK YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OF CORONAVIRUS

As advertised on the NHS Inform website we would ask any patient who has a concern that they have symptoms of coronavirus to refer to the up to date information on the NHS Inform website  HERE  Please contact 111 in the first instance instead of phoning the practice.   A dedicated team have been set up to deal with these queries and provide advice.  

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE A GENERAL ENQUIRY ABOUT CORONAVIRUS

If you do not have symptoms and are looking for general information about coronavirus, a free helpline has been set up on 0800 028 2816.

If you are viewing this on a mobile device please see the news section for information on how to look after your mental health during this time.

CHANGES TO SERVICES OFFERED BY THE PRACTICE

Prescriptions

You may wish to allow a little extra time for processing but please only order what you require as over-ordering puts more pressure on the surgery and the pharmacies.

Prescription ordering:  Please order your prescription via one of our online services or put your written request in the letter box outside.   Please also nominate a pharmacy for your prescription to be sent to.  You can find detail of our online services in the prescriptions section of our website.

Prescription collection:  All prescriptions are being sent to a pharmacy for patient collection.  Please advise when ordering which pharmacy you would like your prescription sent to.  You will then collect your prescription directly from the pharmacy meaning you only have to make one trip out.

The pharmacies are also very busy with telephone calls asking if prescriptions are ready for collection.  Please try to limit telephone calls to allow them to prepare the prescriptions.

Requesting an appointment

If you require an appointment, reception staff will take the details and you will be called back by a doctor or nurse, depending upon the circumstances, who will contact you by telephone to discuss how best to manage your situation.  If you require an appointment they will fit you into this and explain the process.

Changes to services

As per government guidance we have suspended some of the non-essential and private tasks we usually undertake in order to allow us to prioritise work related to the coronavirus outbreak and to deal with urgent matters to ensure that we provide as safe a service as possible to our patients.

The following information details the changes we have made to our appointments and some other services as at Monday 29 June.

Isolation note

Get an isolation note to give to your employer by clicking on the link below and answering the questions.

You can send an isolation note to your employer as proof you need to stay off work because of COVID-19.

You don’t need to get a note from a GP.

Get an isolation note questionnaire

Can't get an isolation note?

You need to contact your employer if you require to shield from COVID-19 due to underlying conditions but are currently well. Please don't phone 111 or your GP.

Welfare Rights Officer

Should you require any welfare rights advice please call the Granton Information Centre office on 551 2459 or 552 0458.   They are not seeing patients face to face but aim to do as much work as possible over the phone.   If you are a new client you will be sent a mandate in the post which you will need to complete, sign and return to them directly before they will be able to do the phone appointment with you.   They will give you all the information you require.

Suspended tasks

Routine chronic disease management recalls - should you have an underlying health condition and need medical advice please call the practice but you will not receive your regular annual invite.

Routine blood tests - should you attend an appointment and require a blood test the doctor will endeavour to do this for you at the time.  Other tests will be suspended unless clinically indicated

Travel vaccinations - suspended for the foreseeable future.

Smears/bowel screening/breast screening - national screening programmes have been temporarily suspended.   For further information please see HERE.   See above for updated information on cervical screening.

Routine medical reports/insurance reports/other private letter or certificate work - we have suspended work in this area for the foreseeable future in order to allow us to care for our most vulnerable patients, however, we will prioritise these if the GP feels they are required.

HGV medical examinations - these have been suspended by the practice for the foreseeable future, however, the Government has announced that drivers who require an HGV medical examination can apply to have their licence extended.

Adoption/Fostering and other medical examinations - suspended for the foreseeable future

Subject Access Requests - these will be triaged for priority but the usual timescale of one month for completion of work may not be possible.  If this is the case we will keep in touch with your

Non-complex dressings - if you are able to manage your wound at home the nurses will discuss this with you and provide you with dressings.  For any necessary dressings we now have a nurse working in the community and she will liaise with you to arrange visit times

Ear syringing - suspended for the foreseeable future.

Vit B12 vaccintions - loading doses will still be provided.  Regular vaccinations will be discussed on an individual basis if necessary.

Other types of vaccinations - Generally suspended but nursing staff will advise whether your vaccination is required within a particular timescale

Continuing tasks

Pre-chemo bloods

Complex wound dressings - We now have a nurse working in the community and, if your dressing is complex and requires nursing input, she will liaise with you to arrange visit times

Sick lines - in special circumstances, as determined by the GP, a sick line will be issued.  This will be posted to you to save you attending the surgery

Please note - this list is not exhaustive but we are trying to provide information on more regular tasks.  All other requests for appointments will be triaged by the doctor or nurse as described above.  

This is an unprecedented and fast moving situation and further changes to our systems may need to be made in light of developments.  We will keep you updated on any further changes.  

Thank you.

A new service has been set up by the Minor Injuries Unit allowing video consultation to take place.   Please see link below for further information.

MIA - Minor Injuries Assessment - by video

Welcome to Ladywell Medical Centre (East)

If English is not your first language you can translate the page using the "translate page" in Quick Links on the right hand side.

With patients' needs at the heart of everything we do, our website has been designed to make it easy for you to gain instant access to the information you need. As well as specific practice details such as opening hours and how to register, you’ll find plenty of useful pages covering a wide range of health issues along with links to other relevant medical organisations.

Self care for patients

Please see the section in the "Further Information" on the right hand side of the screen on "Self Care for Patients" and NHS Inform health information.   You can also attend your local Pharmacy for advice on minor ailments.

Get Well, Keep Well

Of course we’re not just here for when you are unwell. Our team of healthcare professionals and back-up staff offer a number of clinics and services to promote good health and wellbeing whatever your medical condition.

Join In

We hope you enjoy having a look around the site and familiarising yourself with some of the online features such as ordering a repeat prescription. Whatever your thoughts, be sure to let us know via our feedback function. Comments and suggestions are always welcomed to help us improve the way we look after you.  Please note we do not provide medical advice via e:mail.

Access

There are two different Practices in the building and there is access, by ramp, to both East (Featherhall Avenue) and West (Ladywell Road) entrances of the Medical Centre, with a disabled toilet at each end.

Consultation numbers and Did Not Attend (DNA) information

In the 20 working days of February 2020 the GPs and Nurses provided 3401 consultations to patients.  The GPs also did 320 home visits and 783 triage calls. 

111 patients did not attend for their appointment which means that 96.7% of patients attended for their booked appointment.  Thank you to all patients who attended and those who cancelled their appointment allowing it to be used by another patient.

Online Services

There are two separate ways you can conduct online services.  Via this website you can:

• order repeat or acute (special request) prescriptions
• cancel appointments
• update your contact details

Our new Patient Online Services (www.patient-services.co.uk) allows you to:

• renew or order repeat prescriptions
• view booked appointments
• cancel booked appointments

To register for Patient Online Services please see information in the Clinics and Services section.

You can still contact the practice by phone or in person, this is just another option, which other patients have found is more convenient and saves them time.