Longrigg Medical Centre

The process for booking GP appointments at the practice will be changing from 21.8.23.  We understand that access to advice from your GP has been difficult for some time due to the high levels of demand on the system.  Therefore, we have decided to move to a ‘total triage’ appointment model that will allow us to more effectively prioritise appointments for those in greatest need, and to direct patients to the correct health care professional to advise on their problem.

From 21.8.23 you will no longer be able to ring up and book into a GP appointment as you do now.  Instead, you need to complete an online e-consultation form available on this website.

E-consultations will be reviewed within 24 hours by a GP and you will either receive: a phone call from reception, arranging an appointment for that day; or you will receive a booking link to arrange an appointment within a specific time frame, depending on the nature of your problem.  This may be a GP, nurse or allied healthcare professional or you may be redirected to a more appropriate service such as a pharmacy.

The intention is for all access to GP appointments to come through this system including children.  Nursing and Health Care Assistant appointments will still be bookable through reception for the moment.

We ask that patients who are genuinely housebound and feel that they may need an urgent home visit continue to contact the surgery via telephone before 10:30am so that these can be triaged in a timely fashion.

For those with no access to the internet it will be possible to ring into the practice and discuss with a receptionist who will help to fill out the form with you.

We are confident that this system will improve your access to advice, treatment and support from your GP but would ask you to bear with us while we set this up and adapt to a new way of working.

We are all going to have do things differently! You can help the NHS by taking steps to be prepared to help us work with you…. if you need us.

Helping us work with you remotely

1. Give your practice your up-to-date mobile number. Your practice may have to manage things differently e.g. by phone or video to your smart phone or computer. If you have changed your number please let the practice know.

2. If you can please register for the NHS app if you don’t already have it (or other app such as Patient access or Systmone)
Either you or the practice staff might need to manage things while you are still at home. This can only work fully if you have fully registered for our online services. Download the app. If you use the NHS app you can complete the full process online and don’t need to go into the surgery to register. Doing more online will really help save the phone lines from being too busy for those who need them.

This will give you access to:
• Your records (so you can check for test results)
• Ordering medication and nominating a pharmacy to get your medication from
• Booking of appointment (for now these will be phone and video appointments if these are being offered).

3. Familiarise yourself with Online Consultations. Online Consultations are a way to request help from the practice without leaving the house. You access them through your practice’s website, at any time of day and without needing to register. You can submit requests for admin help (such as fit notes), receive advice from one of your GPs or may be directed to guides to help you manage the problem.

4. Prescriptions
What is the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)?
The Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) is an NHS service. It gives you the chance to change how your GP sends your prescription to the place you choose to get your medicines or appliances from.

What does this mean for you?

If you collect your repeat prescriptions from your GP you will not have to visit your GP practice to pick up your paper prescription. Instead, your GP will send it electronically to the place you choose, saving you time. This also reduces the need for you, staff at your GP practices and staff at your community pharmacy to physically handle paper prescriptions.

How do I use EPS?

You need to choose a place for your GP practice to electronically send your prescription to. This is called nomination. You can choose:
– a pharmacy
– a dispensing appliance contractor (if you use one)
– your dispensing GP practice (if you are eligible)
You can inform your GP practice of which pharmacy you would like to nominate. You can also ask any pharmacy or dispensing appliance contractor that offers EPS to do this for you. You don’t need a computer to do this.

Can I change my nomination?

Yes you can. If you want to change or cancel your nomination speak to your GP practice. You can also speak with your community pharmacist or dispensing appliance contractor that. Tell them before your next prescription is due or your prescription may be sent to the wrong place

More information on EPS is available on the NHS website

5. Isolation note
If you are needing to self isolate and your employer requires a note of some sort this can be obtained online . There is no need to contact a Doctor.

6. Coronavirus Information
If you have any queries please check the website NHS 111 before ringing the practice or other parts of the NHS such as 111. Do not go to your practice if you might have Coronavirus.

If your child has become unwell (other than concerns regarding new persistent cough or fever suggestive of Covid 19) please look at the “Little orange book” for advice. This provides expert help for parents and carers on how to manage common problems in babies and small children – ask your GP for a copy, or view it online. If you would like additional urgent advice then please contact the surgery and we will arrange for a doctor to speak to you and if necessary to see your child, today – this could save you an unnecessary trip to A+E or a Walk-in Centre.
The “Little Orange Book” is available from the surgery or you can download a copy (You will require pdf reader to read this document)

We now offer this service please visit the video GP consultation page for more information.

The surgery will be closed from 12.30pm on the following dates to allow staff protected time for learning and service development on:

• Wednesday 15th March 2023
• Thursday 11th May 2023
• Thursday 15th June 2023
• Tuesday 11th July 2023
• Wednesday 13th September 2023
• Tuesday 10th September 2023
• Tuesday 21st Novemeber 2023
• Wednesday 13th March 2023

If you need to contact a doctor when the surgery is closed, you may contact the Out of Hours Service by dialling 111.

Calls to 111 are free from both mobile and land lines. If you need to contact the Out of Hours service about a patient in Gateshead but are telephoning from outside the 111 operational area you should ring 0191 4302597.

In case of medical emergency you should contact the emergency services by dialling 999.