FOR CURRENT ADVICE ON COVID-19 PLEASE REFER TO THE GOV.UK SITE.
Dr Mark Dornan, Chair of Newcastle Gateshead CCG has recorded a helpful video as a North East GP, outlining how to get healthcare during the coronavirus outbreak
Practice update 2/6/20
To enable us to gradually resume routine services we are now operating our COVID hot site in collaboration with Bellingham practice, from Bellingham. This enables us, from Tuesday 2nd June to gradually re-establish some services at Humshaugh.
For the foreseeable future we shall continue to ask patients to collect prescriptions from our dispensary at Wark, if this causes difficulty please speak to a dispenser as we may be able to arrange an alternative such as shop drop off or home delivery. We need to manage our workload in a way that is both resilient in the current climate and crucially, operate safely for both patients and staff.
All contact should continue to be by telephone or online through eConsult.
Please do not attend the surgery unless asked to do so by a doctor or a nurse or to collect a pre ordered prescription from Wark.
CONTACT THE SURGERY BY TELEPHONE ON 01434 681281.
Any patient suspected of having COVID-19 and requiring a face to face consultation, will be asked to attend Bellingham where we now have a dedicated area, within Bellingham Practice grounds, but separate to the Practice. This to protect patients and staff as best we can, keeping suspect COVID patients entirely separate from non COVID patients.
GP appointments
To reduce your chances of catching COVID-19 and reduce pressure on GP services during this busy time, appointments are being carried out over the phone. If there is a clinical need for you to come into the practice you will be offered a GP appointment at our Wark site. This will help minimise risk while continuing to ensure people get the care and advice they need.
We are very grateful for everyone’s support in the fight against Coronavirus. However we do encourage you to make contact with us if you have immediate or persistent health conditions. Please do not delay seeking medical attention under the assumption we are too busy or due to your concerns regarding exposure to COVID-19. The reasoning behind setting up the COVID site at Humshaugh is so that we can maintain Wark as a ‘Cold site’, where if required, after telephone triage with a GP, you can be seen face to face.
Collecting your medication
Due to current pressures caused by Coronavirus our dispensary is working under significant pressure and we are experiencing delays to our wholesaler orders.
As such all repeat requests are taking 3-4 days to process. If you require home delivery this shall be a week after ordering. If you are in an at risk group avoid collecting your prescription yourself. Ask a relative or a neighbour to collect for you and try to avoid multiple trips. We ask that if you do come in to collect your medication, please respect our staff and observe the social distancing measures put in place.
Please note we are not accepting early repeat requests, orders for more than 28 days supply or requests for just in case medication. These actions may put a strain on the supply chain and exacerbate any potential shortages. We are adhering guidelines given to all practices by government.
If you have online access, please order your prescription through this system.
WARK IS OPEN FOR PRESCRIPTION COLLECTIONS 8AM-6PM Monday, Wednesday and Friday And 8AM-5.30PM Tuesday and Thursday.
If you are not able to get to Wark, please contact us.
Returning to School
As many children across the UK are set to go back to school, A number of resources have been put together online, which focus on supporting the wellbeing and understanding of staff, children and young people as they return to school and a ‘new normal’.
Referral for further care
click here : referral info for patients to read a message from Dr Graham Syers, Clinical Chair Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group explaining what you can expect if you require a referral to hospital in the coming weeks
or view the video below
Steroid injections
These are not currently being carried out. If you have concerns please arrange a routine telephone consultation with Dr Wright.
Antenatal and INR clinics
You will be called prior to your appointment to confirm where your appointment will take place.
Health Visitor Drop-in Clinic
This has been cancelled until further notice. Please contact your Health Visitor Team by phone if needed on 01434 220651
We appreciate your patience during this difficult time.
If you have a new and continuous cough, or fever or loss of/change in smell or taste you are advised to self isolate and stay at home for a period of 7 days or longer if you still have symptoms. Household members should self isolate and stay at home for 14 days from the 1st day your symptoms started.
Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you’re staying at home.
Call the Practice to speak to a GP or use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service if:
you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
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.
Stop all non-essential contact with others and stop all unnecessary travel
Start working from home where you possibly can
More information can be found on the NHS website here
Access to patient records – To help the NHS to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, NHSX and NHS Digital are improving access to medical records and patient information. This will help them to more safely treat and advise patients who are not attending their usual GP practice, who have called NHS 111, or who are receiving care in another setting.
IBUPROFEN
There are reports in the French press that ibuprofen may increase risks with coronavirus. PHE says there is no published evidence that ibuprofen increases the risk of catching COVID-19 or of getting worse complications. However, if you have a temperature/fever you should treat this with Paracetamol as a fist line treatment. If you take Ibuprofen for a long term condition you should continue to do so.
ACEi or ARBs
There has been some speculation that ACE inhibitors/ARBs may further increase the risk of serious illness/death from COVID-19
The Council on Hypertension strongly recommend that physicians and patients should continue treatment with their usual anti-hypertensive therapy because there is no clinical or scientific evidence to suggest that treatment with ACEi or ARBs should be discontinued because of the COVID-19 infection.
For expert information and advice on how COVID-19 impacts specific palliative or long-term conditions and how to manage your condition during the pandemic.
We serve a community of 3600 patients, many living in rural locations. We have surgeries in both Humshaugh and Wark villages and patients can attend either.
Our most recent CQC inspection was carried out on 5th March 2019. Click here to see the inspection report.
The Team
Our team is made up of four GP’s, Practice Nurses, Community Nurses, Midwife, Podiatrist, Dietitian, Health Visitor, Nursery Nurse, Admin, Reception, Dispensing staff and Practice Manager.
***PLEASE REFER TO THE CORONAVIRUS PAGE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE WEBSITE FOR UP TO DATE INFORMATION ABOUT PRACTICE OPENING AND MEDICATION PICK UP TIMES**
Services
We offer a full range of General Practice services with regular surgeries, Monday to Friday.
Our surgeries are by appointment only. We have urgent “book on the day” appointments available at both sites each day. Please call 01434 681281 to make both routine and urgent appointments.
Care Navigation There may be times when you approach the Practice for help, but more appropriate help may be better provided elsewhere. You may find that our GP’s will direct you to our Reception team for advice as they have been trained in care navigation and will be best able to suggest appropriate or alternative organisations that are better able to help you.
Clinics
We offer clinics for maternity, child health, family planning/women’s health, diabetes, dietetic, podiatry, asthma and respiratory diseases, heart disease, minor surgery and health checks for men and women. To view in more detail click here: Clinics
Dispensing Service
We have an onsite medication dispensing service (based at our Wark site with daily delivery to Humshaugh) for those who live more than a mile from a chemist and a dispensing service is available for acute medication requirements during consulting sessions at Humshaugh.
Home Delivery Service for Medication. If you are unable to collect your medication from the Surgery we have drop off points at Barrasford, Acomb and Fourstones and we can also offer home delivery. If you would like your medication delivered to one of our drop off points or your home, Please contact the Surgery to register for this service. Our delivery service takes place on a Tuesday and Friday. If you request home delivery, please ensure that there is someone available to receive your medication. For safety reasons we can not leave medication unattended and it will be returned to the Surgery for collection.
Hadrian Extra Care Hub – Corbridge
Mon-Fri 6pm-8pm Saturday 9am – 5pm
If you are find it difficult to attend an appointment during the working day, the Hub offers pre-bookable, routine appointments with GP’s, Nurses and Health Care Assistants. This service is for general practice issues, not urgent care. To book an appointment, please ring us on 681281
Patient Participation Group
Our Patient Participation Group (PPG) meets annually and maintains contact via email”. This enables us to keep in touch with patients’ views and share proposed changes and current practice issues. We aim to reach out to different groups within the community, for example, our practice nurses have attended first schools and WI meeting to provide information on chosen topics. If you would be interested in arranging such a session for a group you are involved with please do get in touch”
If you would you be interested in joining our PPG, please let our Reception team know next time you are in surgery, or contact our Practice Manager Kate Lowe kate.lowe1@nhs.net or telephone 01434 680003.
If you have any comments about our website, negative or positive, or you have any suggestions on how we can improve our Website, please contact Katherine on 01434 680005 or e-mail us at norccg.HumshaughWark@nhs.net
***PLEASE REFER TO THE CORONAVIRUS PAGE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE WEBSITE FOR UP TO DATE INFORMATION ABOUT PRACTICE OPENING AND MEDICATION PICK UP TIMES**
We are very grateful for everyone’s support in the fight against Coronavirus. However we do encourage you to make contact with us if you have immediate or persistent health conditions. Please do not delay seeking medical attention under the assumption we are too busy or due to your concerns regarding exposure to COVID-19. The reasoning behind setting up the COVID site at Humshaugh is so that we can maintain Wark as a ‘Cold site’, where if required after telephone triage a patient can be seen face to face.
Text Service
We are now able to send text messages to your mobile phone.
If you are not sure if we hold your current mobile number, when you call to book your appointment please ask for your number to be checked, updated or added to your records.
If you wish to opt out of this service, please let us know so we can code your records accordingly.
Booked surgery sessions
Morning and afternoon surgeries are by appointment at both sites. Please phone 01434 681281 for an appointment.
There is no evening surgery at Wark on a Tuesday or Thursday.
Urgent appointments
We have urgent appointments available each morning at Humshaugh and Wark where you can ring on the day and book an urgent appointment if necessary.
These appointments are for acute medical conditions that require same day attention and we would ask that for non-urgent or follow up appointments you book a routine GP appointment.
Hadrian Extra Care Hub
If you find it difficult to attend an appointment during the working day, the Hub can offer you pre-bookable, routine appointments with GPs, nurses and health care assistants between 6pm and 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am till 5pm on a Saturday.
If you wish to be seen at the Hub, contact our Reception team as appointments need to be made through the Surgery. You will be asked for consent to share your detailed GP record with the clinician providing the care.
This service is for general practice issues, not for urgent care. If urgent care is required outside our normal opening hours, call NHS 111 for advice.
If you need to cancel this appointment, call us at the Surgery and we will do this for you.
Patients can access GP appointments at Village Surgery in Cramlington on Sundays mornings and on Bank Holidays. These appointments can be booked directly by ringing 01670 337737 between 12:00 – 16:00 on Saturdays and between 09:00 – 11:30 on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
GP consulting schedule
GP consulting hours are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances and holidays
All sessions are by appointment
Humshaugh Surgery
Monday am
Dr Hayley Wright
Dr Beth
Gregory-Smith
Monday pm
Dr Beth Gregory-Smith
Tuesday am
Dr Hayley Wright
Dr Mary Neeson
Tuesday pm
Dr Hayley Wright
Dr Mary Neeson
Wednesday am (rota)
Dr Jack Blissett
Dr Beth
Gregory-Smith
Dr Hayley Wright
Wednesday pm
Dr Hayley Wright
Thursday am
Dr Hayley Wright
Dr Mary Neeson
Thursday pm
+ Late surgery
Dr Jack Blissett
Dr Mary Neeson
Friday am
Dr Jack Blissett
Dr Beth
Gregory-Smith
Friday pm
Dr Jack Blissett
Wark Surgery
Monday am
Dr Mary Neeson
Monday
Late Surgery
Dr Hayley Wright
Tuesday am
Dr Jack Blissett
Tuesday pm
Closed
Wednesday am
Dr Mary Neeson
Wednesday pm
Dr Beth Gregory-Smith
Thursday am
Dr Jack Blissett
Thursday pm
Closed
Friday am
Dr Hayley Wright
Friday pm
Dr Beth
Gregory-Smith
Telephone Consultations
If you need to speak to someone urgently you will be directed to the GP on duty for the day.
If you would like to speak to a particular GP about a routine/ongoing /non-urgent matter, you can be booked in for a telephone consultation.
Please note, if you wish to speak to a specific GP, this may not always be possible on the same day. Please ensure you are available to take your call 30 minutes either side of your booked telephone appointment time.
Extended opening until 19.30.
We hold late Surgery sessions until 7.30pm at Wark on a Monday and at Humshaugh on a Thursday. These surgeries are by appointment only.
(Please quote your NHS Number where ever possible when you contact us)
Surgery appointments can be made online. You can access this system 24 hours a day and a selection of available appointments can be viewed and booked without having to ring the Surgery. Please ask at Reception for a registration form.
Under the terms of the 2014/15 GP contract, patients registered for Patient Access are now able to view specific parts of their medical record – medication, allergies and adverse reactions.
Patients who are registered with Patient Access but do not wish to have access to this additional facility should let the Practice know ASAP.
Patients are reminded that login details and passwords should be kept safe and secure and not shared with anyone.
Each of our Surgeries is accessible to patients using a wheelchair, though not all the rooms inside.
If you are a wheelchair user, please let the Receptionist know when you make an appointment.
Interpreters
We can arrange interpretation and translation services in person or by telephone for patients who may require it. Please let us know if you need this service when booking an appointment.
Chaperones
If you would like to be accompanied during a sensitive examination, some of our Reception team are trained to offer a chaperone service. Please ask at reception when you book your appointment if you would like to be accompanied.
Doctors Appointment slots
Normally appointment slots are in 10 minute intervals. We try to focus on one important problem in each consultation to avoid mistakes, confusion and to ensure the issue is properly addressed. However, If you feel you need to discuss more than one health issue it would help us greatly if you could ask for a double appointment slot. This will give you and the Doctor more time for discussion, and may save you having to make a further appointment.
Due to current pressures caused by Coronavirus our dispensary is working under significant pressure and we are experiencing delays to our wholesaler orders.
As such all repeat requests are taking 3-4 days to process. If you require home delivery this shall be a week after ordering. If you are in an at risk group avoid collecting your prescription yourself. Ask a relative or a neighbour to collect for you and try to avoid multiple trips. We ask that if you do come in to collect your medication, please respect our staff and observe the social distancing measures put in place.
Please note we are not accepting early repeat requests, orders for more than 28 days supply or requests for just in case medication. These actions may put a strain on the supply chain and exacerbate any potential shortages. We are adhering guidelines given to all practices by government.
If you have online access, please order your prescription through this system. Thank you!
***PLEASE REFER TO THE CORONAVIRUS PAGE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE WEBSITE FOR UP TO DATE INFORMATION ABOUT PRACTICE OPENING AND MEDICATION PICK UP TIMES**
Dispensing Practice
We are a dispensing Practice. If you live more than a mile from a chemist we can dispense medication to you. You can then collect your medication from either Wark or Humshaugh Surgery.
Medication drop off points
Wedeliver medication to various drop off points in Barrasford, Barrasford Park, Acomb and Fourstones each week on a Tuesday.
Home Delivery Of Medication.
If you are unable to collect your medication from the Surgery or from our drop off points at Barrasford, Acomb and Fourstones we can now offer a home delivery service.
If you would like your medication delivered to either one of our drop off points or your home, Please contact the Surgery to register for this service.
Our delivery service takes place on a Tuesday and Friday. If you request home delivery, please ensure that there is someone available to receive your medication. For safety reasons we can not leave medication unattended and it will be returned to the Surgery for collection.
If you take long term medication you can request repeat prescriptions in the following ways
(Please quote your NHS number where ever possible when you contact us).
These requests come directly into our clinical system making it a safe and speedy process. Please ask at reception for a registration form if you do not already use Patient Access for on-line appointments. (please note this system replaces our current system of E-mailing requests).
Patients registered for Patient Access are now able to view specific parts of their medical record – medication, allergies and adverse reactions. If you wish to have access to this information, please bring 2 forms of identification along to the Surgery and ask our reception team for a patient access form. This can take up to six weeks to process.
Patients are reminded that login details and passwords should be kept safe and secure and not shared with anyone.
If you wish to order medication, discuss a medication request or have a dispensing query you can call our dedicated medication request line. The line is answered Monday to Friday 08.30am till 12.30pm. At all other times there is an answer phone available. Please speak clearly, leave your name and also, preferably your unique identification number found at the top right hand corner of your printed prescription.
Please ensure you dial correctly and hear our message before leaving your request. It is important that you state your patient identification number and remember to itemise each drug required individually. This will ensure that you receive only the drugs you require and prevent any waste.
In person Use the printed medication sheet that you get in your prescription bag and tick the items you wish to collect. Then, leave this list in the post box provided in the waiting room at either Surgery.
Repeat Medication Requests
Please can we ask that all requests for repeat medication are made at least TWO-THREE working days before you need to start taking them.
This will enable us to have all your medication ready for collection and may save you having to come back if you arrive for collection too early. Ideally, you could request repeat medication when you start your last weeks supply. Messages left after 3.00pm on our prescription request line are accessed by our Dispensers the next working day and will be ready for collection two working days after they have been accessed.
Prescriptions can be picked up until 7.30pm on a Monday at Wark or Thursday at Humshaugh. If you wish to take advantage of this later pick up time, please tell us when you order your medication which Surgery you would like to pick up from at the later time.
If you have an exemption certificate or pre-payment card, you will need to produce this each time you pick up medication from the Surgery and you will be asked to complete the back of the prescription form.
If you collect your prescription from a Chemist, you should make your request at least a week in advance to allow for postage and dispensing time.
Urgent medication requests
In the case of emergency requests you will normally be given two days supply of the medication you require but each situation will be dealt with on an individual basis and must be authorsied by a GP.
Past Medication
Requests for medication that you may have received in the recent past but which is NOT on your repeat medication print out list will need to be authorised by a doctor and will inevitably take LONGER than 48 hours to organise. Please allow us enough time to meet your request.
Practice Policy on prescriptions for patients from outside providers.
As dispensing doctors we are allowed to dispense medicines our GPs prescribe for our patients. From time to time patients will be prescribed a medicine by someone other than their GP. If you are seen at an outpatient appointment and the doctor you see wants you to commence a medication immediately they will provide you with a prescription (for a minimum of 7 days) and will advise you to take this either to the hospital pharmacy or to a community pharmacy to be dispensed for you. It is important you take this to the correct pharmacy as bringing it back into surgery is likely to delay you starting this medication. (We would require up to 48 hours to, request this from the GP, order the medication, dispense and check it). Hospital and community pharmacies often keep more wide-ranging stock and so could fill this prescription promptly for you.
Should the clinician you see recommend a new medication goes onto repeat, they will inform the surgery of this either by letter or using an ‘outpatient treatment recommendation’ form after which we will be able to organise this for you. If you have had a new medication started in outpatients you should be advised to wait at least 7 days before contacting the surgery top enquire after the new medication.
We cannot dispense private prescriptions from other providers or dental prescriptions for you; you should always take these to a community pharmacy.
Prescription Charges
From April 1st 2020
Prescription charges will rise to £9.15 per item
Prescription Pre-payment Certificates 3 month pre-payment certificate will cost £29.10
12 month pre-payment certificate will cost £104.00
(if buying a 12 month certificate you can spread the cost over 10 months by Direct Debit payments)
You can collect an application form from the Surgery or apply on line
Private Prescription Charges
For prescriptions not available on the NHS, charges will apply. Please ask at reception for current private prescription charges
Out of Hours Pharmacy
If you are issued with an out of hours prescription or need an emergency supply of medication the following pharmacies have extended opening hours.(providing limited cover out of hours)
Tesco Hexham:
Monday to Friday: 6.30am to 10.30pm.
Saturday: 7.00am to 10.00pm
Sunday: 10.00am to 4.00pm
Wellway Morpeth:
Monday to Saturday: 7.00am to 10.00pm
Sunday: 8.00am to 6.00pm
Sainsbury’s Cramlington:
Monday to Saturday: 7.00am to 11.00pm
Sunday: 9.00am to 4.00pm
*Please note that if you require an emergency supply of medication you may be charged even if you do not normally pay for your prescriptions.
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