Welcome to Baddow Village Surgery

 COVID-19 VACCINATION INFORMATION

Please scroll down for our latest updates and important information in red

Chelmsford City Health PCN (Primary Care Network) of which Baddow Village Surgery is a member commenced COVID vaccination clinics on 15 January 2021

We are contacting patients after reviewing their records to ensure those most at risk are invited first. 

We are inviting patients to book via text message using AccuBook. This allows you to book online when you follow the link at the bottom of the text message.

Patients without mobile telephone numbers will be contacted via email or their home telephone number.

Our designated site for delivery of the vaccination is Whitley House Surgery, Crompton Building, Writtle Road, Chelmsford CM1 3RW – DO NOT CONTACT WHITLEY HOUSE SURGERY DIRECTLY

Parking is available and volunteers will be guiding patients to parking spaces and then on to the Surgery. Vaccinating staff will be provided by all surgeries from Chelmsford City Health PCN. 

If you receive an invitation and are not available to attend the first sessions please let us know as soon as possible so that we contact the next patient in the list.

Currently there are no plans to hold vaccination clinics at Baddow Village Surgery as our contract with NHS England is for the vaccines to be delivered only at the designated PCN site. 

Update 4 March 2021

Second Vaccination

We do not have any details on when we will be receiving vaccines for the second vaccination.  We are usually advised one week before we receive a delivery.

Please check the website regularly as we will update on here the dates we have sessions available and which patients can book into those sessions (this will be based on the date of your first vaccination). 

For those patients with a mobile phone we will send a text message with a link to book online.  If you are unable to book via the text message you can call the Surgery. 

If you do not have a mobile phone or someone who can check the website and let you know when to call us - please be assured that if we contacted you for your first vaccination we will call or email you for your second.

Please DO NOT call to book into a session unless you received your first vaccination on the dates stated as there will not be an allocated vaccine for you.

Invitations have now been sent by text for the next clinic on Wednesday 10 March

For the second week we are receiving a lower number of vaccines and therefore are only providing sessions on one day

If you do not wish to wait for an invitation from the surgery eligible patients can book via the national booking system at www.essexcovidvaccine.nhs.uk (or by calling 119 for free), or by calling 0344 2573 961 (open 10 am to 4 pm, local rate).

Patients without a mobile phone or email will be called on their home number.  Where there is an answerphone a message will be left to call the Surgery.  Where no answerphone is in service we will call on two more occasions.  If we fail to contact the patient the record will be marked as a failed contact and the invitation retracted.

Please ensure your contact details are up to date - you can do this by registering with the NHS App

When we have invited all patients within a cohort this page will be updated requesting patients who have failed to respond to contact the Surgery so we can book your vaccination - PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE SURGERY UNLESS WE REQUEST YOU TO DO SO

We have now invited all patients aged 65 years and over

65 years and over - not housebound and not living in a residential home - and not booked an appointment yet?

We have not been able to contact you.  Please call the Surgery and ask to be put through to the COVID Booking Team - ONLY 65 years and over please as you will be allocated a vaccine at our next available clinic.

Many patients have not updated their contact details and the numbers on their record are out of service.  

As booking appointments is time sensitive if a patient does not respond within 72 hours the invitation will be retracted and another patient invited. 

If you would like to be invited at a later date please advise when you will be available so we can add you to the waiting list. 

If possible please let us know via email if you have made arrangements to have the vaccine elsewhere, if you wish to decline the vaccine or if you wish to defer until a later date at baddow.surgery@nhs.net

DO NOT CALL THE SURGERY - WE WILL CONTACT YOU 

If you have not received an invitation for your COVID vaccination please be patient.  We can only invite patients where we have a vaccine available for you.  Patients are invited by cohort as directed by the Government.  Within each cohort patients are invited by their level of risk - this is determined by a risk stratification report which is generated by our clinical system. 

Cohort 6 Patients

We are CURRENTLY inviting Cohort 6 patients  these are 16 - 64 year olds who are clinically vulnerable.  This Cohort includes informal carers which are those who are in receipt of a carer's allowance or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person, someone who has severe mental illness or whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill.

Anyone who is currently on our carer's register may receive a call as we are reviewing the register.

Carers

If you are requesting to be added to the carer's register we require details of who you care for, your contact details and consent to share this information with Essex County Council who will be carrying out a carer's assessment and then advising the Surgery to add you to the carers register.  

Informal Carers for Children

Please be aware that parents are not classified as informal carers unless they care for a child with special needs and in these cases the GP will be requested to code your record.

Screening Questions

When calling to book you will be asked the following questions:

Have you had a positive result for COVID19 in the last 4 weeks or are you awaiting a test result?

Have you had a Covid vaccination in the last 12 weeks?

Have you had any other vaccination in the last 7 days or are you due to have one in the near future?

Have you ever had a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) or do you carry and epipen/JEXT pen?

Letters from NHS England inviting you for a vaccination

Letters are being received by patients from NHS England to invite them to book at vaccination centres - these letters are not being sent out by the Surgery and we do not have a list of patients who have been sent these.  If you would prefer to book at The Lodge, Runwell, Great Leighs Racecourse or one of the hospital sites please follow the instructions in the letter.

Booked or had your vaccination at a site other than Whitley House Surgery?

There is no need for you to call the Surgery to let us know you have booked this - we will receive a notification for all patients when they are vaccinated irrespective of where the vaccine is given however if you receive an invitation from the Surgery please call us to let us know so your invitation can be cancelled and the vaccine allocated to another patient.  

Care Home and Housebound Patients

Care home residents who are registered with the Surgery and care home staff have now been vaccinated. New residents and staff will be offered the vaccine as soon as feasible.

Housebound patients - many patients have now been vaccinated.  We will be arranging further visits to vaccinate our remaining housebound patients as soon as we have vaccines available.

Health and Social Care Workers

If you are a health or social care worker registered as a patient at Baddow Village Surgery and are eligible for the COVID vaccination please ask your employer to email baddow.surgery@nhs.net from an official employer's email address, stating your role, date of birth and address so that we can ensure we invite the correct patient.

Update on how many Baddow Village Surgery patients have received their vaccination

Our PCN had its first delivery on 14 January and since that date Baddow Village Surgery staff have provided 33 vaccination sessions (to 12 February) at Whitley House Surgery, we have also vaccinated our care home patients and most of our housebound patients.

These sessions and visits have been in addition to continuing our usual provision of care for our patients. 

Below is the data up to 18 February showing the number of patients registered in each cohort and number remaining to be vaccinated.

CEV = Clinically extremely vulnerable

HSCW = Health and Social Care Workers

Further information about the local COVID vaccination programme is available at

eput.nhs.uk/news-events/coronavirus/coronavirus-vaccine/

Flu Vaccinations 

We still have free vaccines available for patients who are eligible:

Patients who will be 50 years or over on 31 March 2021

At Risk Patients Over 18 and under 65 by 31 March 2021 

At risk patients

Please see at-risk eligibility criteria by clicking the link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/

Please cancel your appointment if you are unable to attend

Due to PPE changing and cleaning between each patient this has meant a reduction in the number of appointments that we are able to offer at the Surgery so please cancel if you cannot attend an appointment ensuring you give sufficient notice so another patient can be seen.

Thank you.

Coronavirus Update

22/02/2021

In response to the ongoing situation nationally, Baddow Village Surgery are following NHS England guidance to protect our most vulnerable patients whilst providing care for our whole population. It is vital that our patients continue to seek medical attention when needed and engage with routine care when invited. The measures set out below allow us to provide a safe environment to treat our patients, including our most vulnerable.

Attending the surgery: Talk before you Walk!

Baddow Village Surgery has been OPEN throughout the pandemic and continues to care for our patients.  For the purposes of safety in communal areas, the surgery FRONT DOORS REMAIN LOCKED and access will only be permitted to those who have an appointment arranged by a clinician. Please use the intercom at the front entrance to gain access. We have limited space in our waiting areas.

IF YOU ARE ATTENDING THE SURGERY WE ASK THAT YOU WEAR A FACE COVERING.

Please be aware that all staff will be wearing masks and clinicians will be wearing PPE when you are seen.

Prescription Collection

For those patients collecting prescriptions from dispensary or dropping off samples requested by a GP/Nurse, there is a bell on the dispensary window on the Longmead Avenue facing wall of the building. Please do not ring between 1-3pm, when it is essential for our dispensary to close for staff to prepare prescriptions.

Shielded Patient List

Recently advised of shielding status?

As of 16/2/2021, patients recently identified as clinically extremely vulnerable (at high risk) will have begun receiving shielding patient list letters directly from the government. Patients may have been identified using the new Covid-19 Population Risk Assessment tool. Multiple factors including age, ethnicity, BMI and past medical history inform this score. 

Most notably, those women with a history of gestational diabetes (diabetes in pregnancy) were identified as potentially high risk. We have been awaiting clarification regarding this and it has been confirmed on 21/2/2021 that women with a history of gestational diabetes who do not now have type 2 diabetes may not need to shield. We will be reviewing these cases and contacting patients as soon as possible.

Newly identified patients will be contacted and offered their covid-19 vaccination in line with national guidance.

As of 5/1/2021 patients identified as being on the Shielded Patient List (also known as Extremely Vulnerable Group or High Risk Group) have been issued with new advice in light of the current lockdown measures. These patients will be written to directly by the government.  This letter will explain current advice and serve as evidence that can be presented to employers, if required.

Baddow Village surgery is not responsible for issuing this letter. Please do not request medical certificates for the purpose of shielding as we will not issue these.

Patients on the shielded list will have priority for supermarket deliveries and prescription delivery services during the current lockdown phase, if required.

Approximately 400 patients from our almost 13000 list size are currently identified on the Shielded Patient List.

For any updates regarding shielding status, please see the gov.uk website. 

National Guidance for Suspected Coronavirus Cases

• The government has put is place a policy of SELF ISOLATION for any patient with a new onset cough,  and/or fever and/or loss of sense of taste/smell, that could be attributed to Covid-19 infection. Patients well enough to remain at home should self isolate for 10 days and ALL HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS should self isolate for 10 days. If any other household member who is already self isolated develops symptoms, they should remain isolated for 10 days from the onset of their symptoms EVEN IF this means for longer than 10 days in total from when the first household member became symptomatic. Patients well enough to remain at home WHO LIVE ALONE should self-isolate for 10 days. 

• If a patient is concerned that they are not well enough to remain at home with these symptoms then they should use the online NHS111 assessment tool, dial NHS111 or contact the surgery.

• Testing for Covid-19 can be requested for anyone via the gov.uk website. If you do not have internet access then call 119.

• Track and Trace is now in operation. Any contact will be from the national team and their instructions should be followed. The practice are not involved in this process.

• Medical certificates will not be issued for self-isolation or household isolation. Please utilise the NHS isolation note service available online. You can do this for yourself or another individual.

For patients with suspected coronavirus who are isolating at home 

Click here to read guidance for patients isolating at home

Your Appointment

• Please do not attend the surgery to request an appointment or make any enquiry. Our front door is locked and you will not be permitted onto the premises.

• Access to online appointments will be restricted to telephone appointments only.

• Video consultations may be conducted if you or someone with you has internet access and a suitable mobile device and our clinical staff deem it necessary.

• Face to Face GP/ANP appointments will only occur when deemed necessary by a GP/ANP who has assessed the patient via telephone first. Patients will be asked to inform our reception staff of the reason for their appointment request to assist us in assessing the urgency of the call back.  Please be aware that GPs may telephone at any time on the day of your appointment or in advance of your expected appointment day, as we work to deal with the appointment demand. 

• Any patients with a fever or respiratory tract infection symptoms who are directed to us by NHS 111 will be telephoned by a GP. We will assess and decide upon the suitable management of each individual case.

• All Long Term Condition Clinics (asthma, COPD, diabetes) are continuing. The practice will contact you when we can conduct your review. You may be contacted via text message, telephone or video. We are using an application called Accurx and you may receive a text message with a link to 'florey.accurx.com'. Some patients will still require a face to face appointment and it is essential that we minimise unnecessary attendances to the surgery to make it safe for these to take place.

• We continue to provide other services including vaccinations and smears.

• Some services are temporarily suspended including NHS health checks, B12 injections, some contraception services, minor ops and some injections.

Hospital Services

• The local hospitals are processing referrals. There is a significantly increased waiting time for first appointments. Your appointment may be via telephone. The hospital will inform you of how you will be contacted.

Request for contact details

• IT IS VITAL WE ARE ABLE TO CONTACT OUR PATIENTS IN A TIMELY AND EFFICIENT MANNER. We continue to respect our patients confidentiality fully but if you are willing to be contacted via SMS text message or EMAIL please inform any of our staff when you speak to us or follow the instructions below.

Other Surgery Services

• Our home visit policy remains unchanged. Patients requesting a home visit will be contacted by a GP/ANP via telephone before a visit is confirmed.

• Our dispensary policies remain unchanged. Telephone requests for medication are not routinely accepted. We encourage you to download the NHS app, use SystmOne online if you have password access or make a request in writing. We WILL NOT issue more than a months supply of any medications under any circumstances.  Stockpiling of medication is unacceptable.  Medication will not be issued when there is not a current clinical indication e.g. inhalers. GPs and our dispensary are working to ensure that repeat medications are up dated without any non-essential delay but please bear with us at this time of high demand.

• Please do not ask us to deliver medication when we would not usually do so. We ask that our local communities, their families and friends, help those self-isolating or social distancing due to high risk at this time. 

Safeguarding our Patients

At this time when we are socially distancing and confined to our homes, we know that there are vulnerable adults or children who may be at greater risk or struggling to cope. We remain vigilant in safeguarding our patients. You may find these resources below useful:

• National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/

• NSPCC helpline: 0808 800 5000 If you're worried about a child, even if you're unsure, contact NSPCC professional counsellors for help, advice and support.

• Childline 0800 1111: Offers free, confidential advice and support for any child 18 years or under, whatever the worry.

• MIND: Mental Health Support with specific advice on ‘Coronavirus and your wellbeing’. www.mind.org.uk

• YoungMinds: Supporting children and young people and their parents/carers with their mental health and wellbeing. Specific advice on managing self-isolation and anxiety about coronavirus. https://youngminds.org.uk

• ICON: Babies cry: You can cope. http://iconcope.org/

• SafeLives: Specific resources for domestic abuse and COVID. http://safelives.org.uk/news-views/domesticabuse-and-covid-19

• IRISi interventions: irisi.org/iris/find-your-local-iris-site/

• MENCAP: The voice of learning disability, has an easy read guide for any individuals with learning disability on their website www.mencap.org.uk 

We thank our patients for their understanding during this time of unprecedented challenge for the NHS, and our staff for their unwavering dedication and hard work in caring for our patients.

The Partners

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Patient Information on Coronavirus

The latest information on symptoms of coronovirus infection and areas where recent travel may have resulted in a high risk of exposure can be found on

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Call 111 if you need to speak to someone.
Everyone is being reminded to follow the public health advice on the NHS website to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus.

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My Care Record

Our practice is now part of My Care Record - supporting the delivery of joined-up care.

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, additional measures are being put in place to help health and care providers to deliver effective care. This includes how the information from your care records is used. My Care Record is an approach to improving care by joining up health and care information.

Wherever possible, health and care professionals will be able to access care records from other services if it is needed to deliver care for individuals with COVID-19 or COVID-19 symptoms.

For example, we are working to make sure doctors, nurses and co-ordination staff at places you may receive advice or treatment can see important information from your GP record. This will include health and care professionals at neighbouring GP practices, NHS 111 and regional centres for the treatment of critically ill patients including the NHS Nightingale Hospital in London. This will make it easier and faster for them to deliver effective care for you if it is needed. Please see the My Care Record website for more information including the Privacy Notice to support this work.

Further information can be found at: http://www.mycarerecord.org.uk/

Information for patients explaining how your data is being processed to support vital Coronavirus (COVID19) planning and research is detailed in the Further Information section on the right hand side of this screen  - GDPR Privacy Notices/COVID Updates.

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Unwell Child

Please click on the link below to open a document giving advice for parents when your child is unwell or injured

COVID-19 advice for parents when your child is unwell or injured

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Support for Carers of Patients with Dementia

We understand this is a worrying time for everyone, and there may be particular concerns for people who support someone living with dementia. The NHS in your area has been working with Essex County Council and other local organisations, including community and voluntary groups, to identify and reach out to people like you – people living with dementia and people who care for them.

By making welfare calls to you, we can find out more about your needs and help people to avoid reaching the point of crisis. The initial contact will come from the Alzheimer’s Society through their Dementia Support Workers (who are professionally trained).

They will ask how you are doing and discuss possible worries you have, for example:

• The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and how you can reduce the risk to you and others
• Getting access to food and medicine
• Seeking advice and help from your GP or pharmacy
• What happens if you or the person you support becomes unwell
• Making contact and staying in touch with family and friends
• Activities that you can do with your loved ones to take your minds off things

These calls will help the Dementia Support Workers to offer appropriate support or give you contact details of other organisations who can help you with your particular needs. We want you to know that the NHS and our partners are here for you and will help you get the support you need.

If you need more information or are worried about being contacted, especially in light of possible telephone scams, we are happy to clarify any doubts that you may have. You can contact us on meccg.dementiacovidcarersupport@nhs.net

If you or someone you care for is worried about novel coronavirus and needs advice or support, please call the Dementia Connect support line on 01245 260911 (Mon-Fri, 8.30am to 5.30pm). 

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Guidance for Med3 (sick notes) for Absence from Work

1. Personally affected so isolating for seven days

Patients can and should self-certify for the first seven days as normal if they are unfit to work.

They do not need to contact their GP.

2. Personally affected and remaining unwell for over seven days

 If they remain unwell and unfit to work after seven days the current advice is to visit www.111.nhs.uk where there is an online self-assessment tool; the patient may be invited to call 111 and given further advice and a MED3 certificate emailed to them.

They do not need to contact their GP.

3. Household contact affected so isolating for fourteen days as per government advice

4. At risk group so following government advice

GPs are not the gatekeeper of the statutory sick pay system.

Employers are responsible for putting in place arrangements for home/remote working where this is possible.

Where it is not, the employee may self-certify and return to work following the relevant absence which their employer may authorise as per government advice. Where they do become unwell during or after this time, point 1 and 2 applies.

They do not need to contact their GP.

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Engage Newsletter - Summer 2020

Click here to read the latest edition of Engage, Mid Essex CCG's (Clinical Commissioning Group) newsletter for patients.

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Requesting your Medication

Help to Reduce the Number of Patients Needing to Attend the Surgery

Please register for online access where you are able to.  You can register without attending the Surgery via the NHS app (link below).

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/the-nhs-app/

Where you are unable to use online services you can drop a request into the box on the wall by the entrance to the surgery.  This box is emptied at least twice during the working day.  As well as details of the requested medication please ensure your name, date of birth and your nominated pharmacy are included in the information.

Please ensure you  nominate a pharmacy where you would like to collect your medication so that your prescription is sent electronically to them reducing the need for patients to attend the Surgery.

Please update your contact information - mobile number and email and indicate you give consent for text messages and emails.

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Closed to New Patients

Our Practice list is currently temporarily closed to new patients.  

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Have you changed your mobile number or email or moved home?

Please keep your contact information up to date so we can get in touch when we need to.

You can update your information via SystmOnline or complete the change of details form  

Do you have an email address?

Register your email to help us contact you easily and reduce our costs.  You can do this via SystmOnline, at the surgery or by clicking the 'Your Contact Details' box above. 

Equality and Diversity
This practice believes in fairness and equality, and above all, values diversity. All staff have ongoing equality and diversity training and our equality and diversity policies are reviewed annually.

We have updated our forms to collect information on sexual orientation, gender identity (including Non Binary and trans status). If you would like to update your details, please complete the Change of Details Form form and return it to reception or email to baddow.surgery@nhs.net