COVID-19 Practice Update Posted or Updated on 19 May 2021

Covid-19 Update

• If you are suffering from any Covid-19 symptoms (a new continuous cough, temperture > 37.5 or loss or change in smell or taste) please DO NOT visit the practice.
• If you have been asked to attend the practice for an appointment you are to wear a mask or face covering.
• Whilst in the building please adhere to social distancing and remain 2m apart (the waiting room chairs are positioned for your safety).
• Please do not arrive early for your appointment, to limit the number of patients in the building at any one time you will not be able to attend early.
• Please sanitise your hands when you arrive.
• If you call and ask for an appointment, you will be offered a telephone call first (these go very quickly now demand has increased). The Clinician will ring you and try to resolve your issue over the phone. If they need to see you, you will be given a time to attend the surgery.
• Appointments lengths for Face to Face have doubled to allow time for the clinicians to put on and take off their PPE and clean down between each patient. Unfortunately that means that we have less face to face appointments available. Take advantage of our online consultation facility which can be found on the front page of our website - www.parkside-medicalcentre.co.uk
• If you have any symptoms or you are waiting for a Covid-19 result please ensure you make us aware, the practice is set up to safely see patients who are waiting for results or have symptoms where there is a clinical need. This enables our clinicians to direct you to the controlled 'Red Zone' in the practice to ensure the safety of yourself, our staff and the general public.

Childhood Vaccinations - while Coronavirus has put limitations on all our lives, it is important that you or your baby or child still have rouitne vaccinations. They protect against serious adn potentially deadly illnesses and stop outbreaks in the community. We recommend that you book in when due.

Travelling to and from your appointment - When travelling to and from your appointment, please follow guidelines which include travelling by car, bike or on foot if possible, keeping a safe distance from others and washing your hands regularly. For more details, go to www.gov.uk and search for 'staying safe outside your home'.

When attending your appointment - When attending your appointment we will be putting in place a range of measures to minimise risk of Covid-19:

• social distancing measures will be observed;
• we may have asked you to attend your appointment at a clinic that is not your usual venue;
• the appointment may take longer than usual.

Due to the on-going response to Covid-19, our service may have a reduced number of appointment slots available. If you choose not to attend your appointment, please contact us to let us know. It is always helpful to us to know why so we can help you with any concerns you might have. If you still do not wish to attend the appointment, it can be offered to someone else.

You must NOT attend an appointment if you or any member of your household are suffering from any of the symptoms associated with Covid-19 or are self-isolating. If this applies to you, please contact us so that you can reschedule your appointment for a different time.