The NHS and Public Health England are extremely well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and staff whilst ensuring services are available to the public as normal.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, please do not attend the surgery. Please visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested for more information on how to get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible.

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:

•new continuous cough, and/or high temperature

•high temperature

•a change or loss in sense of smell or taste

Please self-isolate for 10 days following the development of any COVID-19 symptoms. If a member of your household develops any of the above symptoms, the rest of the household is required to self-isolate for 14 days. You do not need to inform the surgery or NHS 111 if you are self-isolating.

If your symptoms worsen, persist longer than 10 days or you feel unable to manage your symptoms at home, please call NHS 111.

The surgery are minimising face to face appointments for the safety of patients and staff. Instead of face to face appointments, you will be offered a telephone consultation or be advised to complete an online consultation. If a face to face appointment is required following this, a member of the practice team will arrange an appointment for you.

If you are asked to attend a face to face appointment, please wear a face covering or mask for the safety of patients and staff. Staff will also be wearing full PPE and work stations are fully cleaned between patients.

 You can now book online consultations regarding your symptoms or queries. The link below will direct you to our online consult page where you can search for key words regarding your symptoms. You will then be asked to complete a few questions in order to provide information to our team who will then triage and book appointments as necessary. Any requests for fit notes and the contraceptive pill should be done via this link.  We will respond to your online consultation within 48 hours Monday-Friday. On weekend and bank holidays, your online consult will be viewed the next working day.

From 3rd August 2020, the surgery will not be taking prescription requests over the phone unless you are COVID-19 high risk, housebound or exceptional circumstances exist (e.g. in urgent or emergency cases). Please always allow 48 hours for your prescription request to be fulfilled. Last minute ordering should be avoided. 

There are a number of alternative methods to order your prescription: 
1. Online services - Prescription requests can be completed online via patient access. If you ae not yet set up for patient access, please contact the surgery who can provide you with your log in details.
2. Post your request at the surgery - To order a further supply of your medication, tick the items required and post the slip through the surgery letter box.  
3. Prescriptions can be ordered through your preferred pharmacy, please enquire with them directly as to their procedure for this. 
4. If you are unable to order your prescription via the methods mentioned above, you may post your request. If you require the prescription posting back to you, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope; you will need to allow more than 48 hours for this process. 

If the hospital asks you to get a non-urgent prescription, please post the letter through the surgery post-box and it will be done within 48 hours.
If you ring the surgery for a prescription from the 3rd August and do not fall under the mentioned conditions for telephone requests, you will be direct to one of the above options. 

Please note, requests for the contraceptive pill needs to be completed via the online consult facility above. 

At Simmondley Medical Practice reserved car parking spaces for the disabled are marked near the front door. Wheelchair access to the building is via the front entrance. Patient services are provided at ground floor level. A disabled patients’ WC is provided near the front entrance. If access proves difficult to any of our disabled patients, we would be happy to consider any suggestions for improvement. Please let us know if you need assistance. The practice welcomes assistance dogs, but please speak to a member of staff before you visit the surgery with your dog so that a familiarisation visit can be arranged.