COVID-19 Information

See the latest Covid-19 vaccination information

General Covid-19 Information

Firstly we would like to publicly thank all of our wonderful staff who have worked so hard and diligently over the height of the pandemic in order to keep the practice open allowing us to continue to provide a primary care service to the community. NHS services have a range of measures in place to keep you safe from COVID-19 including regular cleaning of patient areas, wearing face masks and social distancing.

Appointments during COVID-19

We are working hard to maintain services. Please respect our staff to keep yourself and them safe by following the guidelines. Please expect the following:

Advise our Patient Support Advisors of your symptoms when booking an appointment.
Delays and please be patient when calling the practice, you may have to wait longer for a routine appointment. We are limiting future bookings to prevent cancellations if a clinician is unwell or has to self-isolate.
To speak with a GP/Clinician via telephone call - if you need to be seen then this will be arranged either face to face or via video consultation (patient preference as well as access to telephone and internet will be taken into account. If this is applicable to you please contact the practice).
Wear a mask when attending the practice.
Socially distance within the practice (with exception of examination or procedure).

How You Can Help!

The NHS and Public Health England (PHE) are extremely well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The current risk to the general public is moderate. You can help too by:

Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze.
Bin the tissue, and to kill germs, wash your hands with soap and water, or use a sanitiser gel.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
If you have arrived back from an affected area within the last 14 days and develop symptoms of cough or fever or shortness of breath, you should immediately:
Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with flu.
Call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the country.

This is the best way to slow the spread of almost any germs, including Coronavirus.

More information including a list of affected areas is available by visiting the gov.uk Coronavirus page

Face Coverings

The government have now updated their guidance to wear face coverings in public where social distancing isn't possible. Whilst we have spaced out our waiting rooms to enable social distancing as best we can, we are also asking all patients attending the practice to wear a face covering to help protect themselves and others.Please remember to only visit the practice if you have an appointment, and to come by yourself whenever possible.To find out more on how to wear and make a cloth face covering, please click this link : How To Wear a Face Covering. If you have a disability or condition which means you cannot wear a face covering or you need to make any other adjustments before your appointment, please let the surgery know ahead of your arrival.

**Face coverings should not be used by children under the age of 2 or those who may find it difficult to manage them correctly. For example, primary age children unassisted, or those with respiratory conditions.**

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (cough, and/or high temperature, and/or loss of, or change in, your normal sense of smell or taste - anosmia), PLEASE DO NOT VISIT THE PRACTICE - you and your household must isolate at home: wearing a face covering does not change this.

COVID-19 - GUIDANCE OF DEATH REGISTRATIONS

Long COVID

For some people, coronavirus (COVID-19) can cause symptoms that last weeks or months after the infection has gone. This is sometimes called post-COVID-19 syndrome or "long COVID".

You can find more information to support your recovery on the Your COVID Recovery website.

COVID-19 and Mental Health

The coronavirus situation is affecting everyone differently. It is important to look after your mental health at this time.Please take time to look on the links for help and advice.

Coronavirus and Isolation

Coronavirus and Mental Health

Vaccination News

Autumn Boosters

The Autumn (Phase 5) COVID booster is being offered to the following cohorts:

Adults aged 50 or over including residents in care homes for older people
Individuals aged 5 or over who are “at-risk”
Frontline health and social care workers
Carers for vulnerable individuals and household contacts of individuals who have a weakened immune system

Individuals should have their booster at least 3 months after their last dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

As per previous roll-outs, the booster will be offered to those most at risk first; please note we are prioritising our Care Homes and housebound patients at present.

Please note, it is recommended you should wait 30 days before having your booster if you have had a positive test result for COVID-19.

All patients who are eligible will be contacted by the Practice with details of how to make an appointment; we are aiming to co-administer COVID-19 boosters with the flu vaccine where possible.

13/09/22

COVID Passes for International Travel

You can get a digital NHS COVID Pass online or by using the NHS App.

You can get your NHS COVID Pass online if you're aged 12 or over using the NHS website. You can download and use the NHS App if you're aged 13 or over.

You can ask for an NHS COVID Pass for international travel to be sent by post, including for children aged 5 and over using the NHS website - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/nhs-covid-pass/get-an-nhs-covid-pass/get-your-nhs-covid-pass-letter/

You can also ask for a letter by calling 119 if you live in England. This letter will be sent to the address on the patient's NHS record. It may take up to 7 working days for the letter to arrive.

The letter is not available via GP practices.

12/05/22

Spring Boosters

Across the UK, a second booster is being offered to:

adults aged 75 and over
residents in care homes for older adults
those aged 12 and over with weakened immune systems

Please be aware we are currently prioritising our Spring Booster patients for COVID vaccines. All other patients enquiring after COVID vaccines may be advised to attend a mass vaccination centre or call 1-1-9 at this time.

Thank you for your patience.

04/04/22

COVID-19 BOOSTERS

8/12/21

Update on the Official government guidance on the rollout of the additional vaccination programme and how this will be made operational in practice:-

Booster vaccinations eligibility has been expanded to include all adults aged 18-39 years old.

Booster vaccinations will be offered in order of descending age groups with priority being given to the vaccination of older adults and those in a COVID19 at risk group.

Severely immunosuppressed individuals who have completed their primary course (3 vaccinations) will be offered a booster dose from 3months post 3rd vaccination.

Those severely immunosuppressed individuals who have not yet had a 3rd vaccination will be offered one as soon as possible and a further booster dose 3months later.

Our clinics are now fully booked until 18th December. Once more clinics become available WE WILL CONTACT YOU - Eligible patients will be contacted by the practice in order of descending age groups (oldest first) and those in a COVID-19 at risk group.

We will contact you to book an appointment either via text or telephone call.

If you haven’t already consented to be contacted via text message may we suggest that you contact the practice to organise this as it is the simplest, most effective way of the practice sending mass communications.

If you would prefer to attend a local mass vaccination clinic for your vaccination please follow this link to book an appointment.

If you have an appointment already booked with the practice for a Covid vaccination or booster but have subsequently had your vaccination elsewhere please cancel your appointment with us to allow us to provide the much needed appointment time and vaccine to another patient.

You can cancel by calling our dedicated cancellation line 01327 708566 or by emailing us at info.ahmp@nhs.net

We are proud to say that, as well as offering core medical services throughout the pandemic, we have also vaccinated the following cohorts (figures as at 23rd November):-

1st vaccine

Age Group: 80y+ 96.8 %
Age Group: 75-79y 97.8 %
Age Group: 70-74y 96.9 %
Age Group: 65-69y 95.0 %
Age Group: 16-64y with underlying health conditions 86.5 %

2nd vaccine

Age Group: 80y+ 96.4 %
Age Group: 75-79y 97.6 %
Age Group: 70-74y 96.5 %
Age Group: 65-69y 94.9 %
Age Group: 16-64y with underlying health conditions 84.3 %

Booster vaccine

Age Group: 80y+ 73.9 %
Age Group: 75-79y 75.9 %
Age Group: 70-74y 61.0 %

We are very proud of this achievement which is a testimony to the hard work and dedication of all of our staff who have strived to provide a vaccination service whilst continuing to provide the best of care for our patients in core medical services.

07/10/21

COVID-19 Boosters

NHS guidance is that all individuals who fall into the following cohorts should receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine:

Those living in residential care homes for older adults
All adults aged 50 years or over
Frontline health and social care workers
All those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions and adult carers
Adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals

The booster vaccine dose should be offered no earlier than six months after your 2nd vaccine. All boosters will be the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine irrespective of which vaccine was given previously.

When you become eligible to receive your booster you will receive an invitation to make an appointment. Most people will receive either a text message or a letter, either from their GP Surgery or the national NHS vaccination programme. Vaccinations will be held at local vaccination sites e.g. GP surgeries, vaccination centres and hospitals.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

21/09/21

Practice Update- Covid

Your practice is delighted to be undertaking the largest vaccination programme in the history of the NHS. They are balancing this programme whilst continuing to be open and managing your other clinical needs. Please do be reassured that if you need medical attention, your practice is here for you and will determine the best way to support you based on your symptoms. We are experiencing delays in answering phone calls due to the significant increase of calls.

Here are a few ideas to decrease the number of phone calls being made to the surgery:

Sign up to our online service so you can book an appointment online.
Use self-care for minor ailments/injuries.
Avoid calling first thing on Monday morning.
For minor health concerns visit a local pharmacy.
Ensure you have checked our website before contacting the practice.

Update on COVID-19 safety measures

Public Health England’s infection prevention control guidelines and hospital visiting guidance are set to remain in place for all staff and visitors after 19th July.

That means NHS visitor guidance will stay in place across all health services including hospitals, GP practices, dental practices, optometrists and pharmacies to ensure patients and staff are protected.

Staff, patients and visitors will also be expected to continue to follow social distancing rules when visiting any care setting as well as using face coverings, mask and other personal protection equipment.

View the BMA poster for face masks in the practice.

14/07/21

Covid vaccinations given outside of the UK

The practice can record your covid vaccinations in your medical records if documented proof is supplied.

However, this data will not be captured in the NHS app/travel passport and will not be visible and therefore cannot be used as proof of covid vaccination status for travel/events.

This is due to the current design of the NHS app and cannot be resolved by the practice

Patients are advised to keep all of their original vaccination documents as proof until NHS Digital are able to update the NHS app/travel passport to capture this particular type of data.

07/07/21

COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics

The first phase of NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme has started. Please read the following points regarding the vaccination clinics:

When it is the right time people will receive an invitation to make an appointment for their vaccine (please be assured that everyone who needs the vaccination will be offered it).
Most people will be sent a text message or letter, either from their GP or the national NHS.
Please do not contact the surgery / NHS to make an appointment until you get a text message or letter.
Vaccinations will be held at local vaccination sites, vaccination centres and hospital hubs.
Information on the vaccine

If you require proof of your COVID-19 vaccination status please check the guidance at gov.uk. The information will be available on the NHS App from 17 May or you can contact 119 from the same date if you require a letter. Please note that we cannot provide these letters for you.
COVID-19 Vaccination - What to Expect