Bank Holiday

We will not be open on Bank Holiday Monday, 25^th May.

From 6:30pm on Friday 22^nd may until 8:00am on Tuesday 26^th May please use  the out of hours service on 111 for emergencies only.

Tuesday 26^th will be very busy in the practice so please wait until after half term for non urgent matters

Routine GP work

All contact will continue to be assessed by telephone or video link where possible.

Please do not neglect symptoms for which you would normally seek appointments.

We are starting to reintroduce some routine clinics eg diabetes. Please note that if you receive an appointment the processes may look a little different from what you are used to.

Attending the Surgery

Please do not attend the surgery in person unless you have been invited to by a letter or by a doctor. We continue to assess need and safety and deal with as much as possible by telephone.

If you do have to attend surgery

PLEASE COVER YOUR MOUTH AND NOSE.

This can be with your own mask, or with a scarf or other arrangement. The clinician seeing you will also be wearing protective equipment.

Thank you for your ongoing support, help and encouragement.

Remember, the virus remains active – wherever possible:

Stay home. Stay safe

Thank you for the amazing, ongoing, messages and gestures of support. We are overwhelmed and very much appreciate every kind thought.

Please do not relax your guard.

In Porthcawl, as expected, we are seeing increasing numbers of cases. It is MORE important than ever that advice around distancing, social isolation and general hygiene is followed.

If you need to contact the surgery please telephone as early in the day as you can. Previous guidance has changed for the duration of the crisis, and the earlier in the day you contact us, the more likely we are to be able to help you.

Please continue to be patient around telephoning – we are doing the best we can, and appreciate your understanding!

Stay safe. Stay home.

Thank you for your continued support – we are very appreciative of the community in which we work, and the way in which Porthcawl people are supporting us and one another.

Please note: We are NOT able to offer testing for Covid-19 – if you think you may have this infection, please follow the advice of public health Wales, and self-isolate, contacting 111 or 999 only if you are very concerned about your condition

Good Friday and Easter Monday

The practice will be open, but will be running a very limited service for urgent cases only

This means, on the bank holidays (Friday and Monday) only:

From 8am to 6:30 pm contact the surgery – NOT out of hours –  if you have urgent medical needs

The doors will be locked – people will only be allowed access on the advice of a doctor.

We will not be able to issue sick notes

We will not be able to issue repeat prescriptions.

On Saturday and Easter Sunday if you need help, contact out of hours in the usual way.

Please continue to isolate, especially over this long weekend – it is very important.

Stay home, stay safe

Porthcawl Group Practice

Covid-19 update 1^st April 2020

We would like to thank everyone in Porthcawl for their messages of support and for their kindness in providing us with much needed equipment. There is a tremendous community spirit and we all really appreciate the way our patients are responding.

Thank you

People have expressed alarm about the tents in the car park! There is no need for concern – we will be using them to assess patients as needed. Again we are grateful to Newton Church for the loan of them

We understand that the telephones are often engaged – to help us though, please telephone as early in the day as you are able,  to allow us time to deal with your query and contact you if needed. Phoning after 4:30pm (unless a new urgent problem) may mean that you are not able to be dealt with until the next day

Please remember – this is only just beginning

STAY HOME and STAY SAFE

You should continue your treatment as normal and ensure you are taking your inhalers regularly as prescribed. If you haven’t been using your current prescribed inhalers you should restart them. You do not need to increase the use of your inhalers as a precaution or take extra blue inhaler just in case.

Instead follow the self-management advice and any action or management plans previously given by your nurse or doctor.

Unless this is already part of your management plan you do not need to be prescribed a rescue pack to take now as a precaution or keep at home just in case.

If you already have a rescue pack as part of your ongoing management you should only take this as previously advised by your nurse or doctor i.e. if you have worsening symptoms of your asthma or COPD. Due to the current Coronavirus situation though we advise you to contact your GP practice prior to starting any rescue pack for review.

Further information on managing your asthma can be found at www.asthma.org.uk

Further information on managing your COPD can be found at www.BLF.org.uk

Further information on Coronavirus can be found at phw.nhs.wales

Think before you call us

Yesterday more than 1100 telephone calls were dealt with, which is a massive increase.

Demand for prescriptions has increased – more than double the usual number are being requested, with > 800 requests on line on one day last week

Please help us to help you!

1. Only telephone if you have a genuine medical query – consider if your call is essential.
2. Prescription requests should be made online, or by placing the repeat slip, or a written request, in the box outside the surgery – please do not telephone.
3. Your request will be processed and sent to your chosen pharmacy, please allow at least 4 working days – please do not contact us before then.
4. We cannot issue Covid-19 advice or employment advice – use the government websites and speak to your employer
5. We cannot issue letters about self-isolation or ongoing conditions – you must speak with the person requesting them
6. Be available – if a clinician is going to ring you back, stay off your phone and near to it. We are unable to guarantee the time at which we will call you

Remember – the best thing you can do is STAY AT HOME.

Thank you all for your support and help.

We really understand the frustrations and are doing our best to provide the best level of care for all our patients in difficult times.  Together we can achieve the best outcomes for our town

Get an isolation note

Use this service if you have to stay at home because of coronavirus and you need a note for your employer.

Before using this service, make sure you have checked the coronavirus advice on the NHS website.

If you have to stay at home but feel well enough to work, ask your employer if you can work from home. If you can work from home, you will not need an isolation note.

You can also use this service for someone else.Start now

Before you start

If you are not sure if you need to stay at home, get the latest NHS advice on coronavirus.

By using this service you are agreeing to our terms of use and privacy policy.