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
FOR CURRENT ADVICE ON COVID-19 PLEASE REFER TO THE GOV.UK SITE.
Practice update 02/09/20
Routine services at both Humshaugh and Wark are taking place although restrictions are still in place and there are some services we are not able to provide.
GP consultations are all by telephone initially. Following a telephone consult, if there is a need, GP’s will arrange a face to face where necessary.
All nursing appointments are by appointment only.
our COVID hot site continues to run from the Bellingham surgery site.
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 e Consult.
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.
Update 16/07/20
Change in rules regarding face coverings
The Government have announced that from July 24th 2020 everyone is required to wear a face covering when entering a shop or business.
This is in addition to wearing one on Public Transport which has been mandatory for some time now.
If you feel you are unable to wear a mask for auditory/sensory/breathing reasons, please click here to download an exemption card to show if asked why you are not wearing one.
Please note, it is NOT the responsibility or the role of the Surgery to issue anyone with an exemption letter or certificate. Please follow the link above for more information.
Update 16/06/2020
Face covering
It is a requirement for patients to wear a face covering when entering the surgery. If you come to collect a prescription or have an appointment we would be grateful if you could come with your face covering on – covering your nose, mouth and chin. This can be in the form of a mask, scarf or handkerchief of any sort of fabric.
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
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 either Humshaugh or Wark. 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 well-being 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 symptoms of COVID-19 however mild, you must self-isolate for at least 10 days from when your symptoms started.
You should arrange to have a test to see if you have COVID-19 – go to testing to arrange. Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. 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.
Patients eligible for the seasonal influenza vaccination:
This year the seasonal influenza vaccination will be offered by the practice to:
Patients aged 65 and over
Patients under the age of 65 who have an underlying medical condition
Children aged 2 and 3 and children who are clinically at risk.
Health and social care workers employed through Direct Payment (personal budgets) and/or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants, to deliver domiciliary care to patients and service users.
Household contacts of those on the NHS Shielded Patient List. Specifically individuals who expect to share living accommodation with a shielded person on most days over the winter and therefore for whom continuing close contact is unavoidable.
Please note that people in the 50-64-year old age group will not be vaccinated until November and December, providing there is sufficient vaccine, and no appointments will be offered for this age group until then. This is to ensure that those who are most at risk are vaccinated first. If you are 50-64 and you are in one of the other groups which is eligible for the flu vaccination, for example you have a health condition which puts you at risk from the flu, you will be invited earlier. This is advice given to us by NHS England and NHS Business Development; this is not a practice based decision.
Clinic Dates:
ALL SESSIONS ARE OPEN – NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED
September
Humshaugh Village Hall
Monday 14th 8.30am-5pm OVER 65s ONLY
Tuesday 22nd 8.30am-5.30pm OVER 65s AND 18-64 YEAR OLDS IN AN AT RISK GROUP
Wark Town Hall
Monday 28th 8.30am-5.30pm OVER 65s AND 18-64 YEAR OLDS IN AN AT RISK GROUP
October sessions will be released soon – Please check back here for further dates
COVID-19
Face masks. Please attend the clinic wearing a face mask or facial covering.
Use the hand gel on arrival and departure.
As far as possible please do not touch any surfaces as you enter, while you are in or as you leave the village hall.
Maintain social distancing. 2 metre markers will be visible both in the hall and outside (to a point) please adhere to this.
If possible please attend with other members of your household and stand in the same queue.
If there is a very long queue on your arrival, please consider returning home and attending a little later in the day, particularly if you live within the village in which the clinic is being held.
DO NOT ATTEND AN OPEN CLINIC IF:
You or a household member have any symptoms of Coronavirus.
You are aged 50-64 and are not normally invited. The Government will announce plans to vaccinate this group at a later date (likely November/December)
Aged under 18 – for those eligible to have their vaccine at the surgery (those in at risk groups) we shall contact you when we have your vaccination.
Aged under 18- eligible through school vaccination programme – please access the flu vaccine through the school programme, given to children of reception and primary school age, and, for the first time this year (2020) to children in the first year of secondary school (Year 7).
Clinic information:
Clinics will run from 8.30am-1pm and 2pm to 5pm or 5.30pm. We will close between 1pm and 2pm.
Please make every effort to attend a walk through clinic. Arranging flu clinics during a pandemic requires a significant amount of preparation and these open clinics are the most efficient way for us to vaccinate our population and it helps us keep our appointments in surgery free for routine work. Try to attend the clinic located closest to you, however if you are unable to attend on the date provided, please attend a clinic elsewhere (you do not need to let us know about this).
Be prepared to wait.
If you can attend at any time throughout the day, please try to avoid 8.30am-9am and 5-5.30pm, so that those who are fitting it around work are able to avoid queuing for too long.
If you are not able to attend any of the clinics, we can make provision at the surgery but please be aware you may wait longer to have your flu vaccination if you require an appointment.
On arrival please follow signage to form an orderly queue, maintaining 2 metres distance.
The queue is likely to form out of the door of the hall, while we cannot predict what the weather may do; flu clinics do tend to move quite quickly so you are unlikely to be waiting outside for too long.
On entering the hall please avoid touching anything and follow the signage to ensure you are in the correct queue.
Please remain in the queue and remove your coat and long sleeves so that you have an arm exposed ready for you vaccination.
There will not be any seats available for waiting and you will be given your vaccination standing. (If this is causing you difficulty, let a member of staff know).
Please vacate the hall as soon as you have had our vaccination.
Depending on the uptake during the first clinics, we may put more clinics on, keep checking the website.
Please be patient and polite to our team. This will be a busy, non-stop day for them. Your patience and understanding is appreciated.
Local Pharmacy Opening – Bank Holiday Monday 31st August
Northumberland CCG
Postal Locality
Name
Phone Public
Address
Postcode
Aug 31st
CRAMLINGTON
Boots (Cramlington)
01670 736 399
29-30 Manor Walks Shopping Centre, Cramlington
NE23 6QE
09:30-16:00
HEXHAM
Boots (Fore Street, Hexham)
01434 602024
7 Fore Street, Hexham, Northumberland
NE46 1LU
11:00-16:00
HEXHAM
Tesco (Tynedale Retail Park, Hexham)
0345 6779873
Tynedale Retail Park, Alnmouth Road, Hexham, Northumberland
NE46 3PJ
09:00-18:00
MORPETH
Boots (Bridge Street, Morpeth)
01670 513 389
41 Bridge Street, Morpeth, Northumberland
NE61 1PE
10:00-16:00
You are advised to telephone the pharmacy prior to attending. If you require advice out of hours, please contact: NHS 111
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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