Noticeboard

COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

The main symptoms to be aware of are:
* new continuous cough
* fever/high temperature
* loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste

If a young person or a child in your care develops any of the above symptoms, they should self-isolate and you should book a Covid test as soon as possible.

Covid tests can be requested via the online booking system ( link below)

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/get-a-test-to-check-if-you-have-coronavirus/

We have taken steps to reduce risk of Coronavirus by reverting to telephone triage as of Mon 2nd March. This is to protect the most vulnerable of our patients as well as the staff. When you ring us, our staff will ask you some questions to determine your condition. Some of these questions may include if you have a temperature or a cough. These questions will help us to determine the best action to take but also helps protect our staff and other vulnerable patients.

Please DO NOT ATTEND THE SURGERY without a prior appointment.

When you do attend for either a GP or nurse appointment, we are also asking that once you have advised of your arrival you then return to your car and you will be called in. We have closed our waiting room, again in an effort to control the virus.

We would also advise that for the present time we are no longer completing private reports, HGV medicals, life insurance forms etc., and would suggest that you may wish to attend a private clinic for these.

Reminder - we have online ordering for your repeat medicines which is our preferred way for you to order - please ask at reception for your first time unique log in so you can bypass the phone system.

When the Surgery is closed, please contact the GP Out of hours for the Southern Trust area which is 028 3839 9201. For our patients living in the South Eastern Trust Area your number is 028 9260 2204

Reminder to all patients: Please allow 48hrs (that's two full working days ) for repeat prescriptions to be issued.

We want to empower our patients to enable them to care for themselves and their loved ones for minor ailments. The Self Care forum website is designed for patients to access information on managing their symptoms themselves and advising when to seek medical help.

WEBSITE: http://www.selfcareforum.org/ or scroll down for some more information on specific ailments

Here are links to some common ailments:

1 Sore throat how to treat your sore throat

2 Cough in adults how to manage your cough

3 Sinus infections how to manage a sinus infection yourself

4 Earache how to manage earache symptoms

5 Fever in children how to assess a child with a temperature

Latest News

Welcome to the website for Ballyward Surgery

We hope you enjoy having a look around the site and familiarising yourself with some of the online features such as ordering a repeat prescription. Whatever your thoughts, be sure to let us know via our feedback function. Comments and suggestions are always a great way of helping us continue to enhance the way we look after you.

There is a simplified version of the site for smart phones which automatically loads if you use a smart phone to look at the site. It's very convenient and easy to use, to request repeat medications and make appointments

IMPORTANT MESSAGE COVID-19/Coronavirus

If you think you or a member of your family have Covid-19/coronavirus, you need to immediately self isolate and phone 119 to get tested OR follow the link to book online

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/get-a-test-to-check-if-you-have-coronavirus/

All other members of a symptomatic case need to self isolate for 14 days.

Symptoms of Covid19/ coronavirus include any of : new continuous cough , elevated temperature , loss of taste or sense of smell . Other symptoms can occur such as gastrointestinal upset.

We have been conducting telephone triage since 2nd March to reduce infection risk to staff and patients and to ensure best clinical care .

Dispensing Patients - The Dispensary is operating as normal and your medicines will take 48hrs (working days ) to process. As of Mon 3rd April we are asking dispensing patients to collect their medicines at the following times so dispensing staff have time to clean surfaces and restock.

Mon -Thur & Fri

10am-12pm and 3pm-5pm

Thur collect 9am-1pm (half day closure)

When you come to collect please use the hatch /window at the side of the surgery and please maintain 2 metre distance from the person in front of you.

A warm welcome to any new patients to the surgery. We are a small rural practice with two part-time GPs in addition to GPs in training whom our own Doctors mentor. You may be offered an appointment with a GP-in-training as well as our main GPs. GPs in training are fully qualified doctors and independant prescribers.

We ask for your patience as we are busier in the winter months whilst we try to cope with extra demand; if the phone is busy, try calling back at less busy times, which tend to be after 11am or after 3pm if it is a routine query.

Reminder : Lunch hour Surgery closure 1-2pm daily

The phones will divert to the emergency GP mobile from 12.30-2.30pm, the number is available on the surgery message via our normal number. Note: the GP carries this mobile on their home visits - so please respect our request to keep this for emergencies only.

Due to demand, only emergency issues will be dealt with in the afternoons, and the GP clinic will only be interrupted for clinical emergencies.

Please allow 3 working days (THATS 72HRS) for any outpatient prescription to be processed to ensure patient safety.

It is essential that you give our staff sufficient information to ensure your request is dealt with an appropriate level of urgency and all our team follow a strict confidentiality code for our patients.

In an effort to protect our patients, we are presently providing telephone triage appointments only. This will reduce the footfall and hopefully the spread of any germs. Again we would ask for your patience at this time.

Surgery phone lines now close at 5pm - you can still speak to your GP for emergencies only, via the emergency mobile between 5 and 6pm.

Over the Christmas period, the Surgery will be open for emergencies via the emergency mobile on the afternoon of Thu 30 Dec 21 and Thu 6 Jan 22. The window will be open for collecting prescriptions on these two afternoons.

Repeat Prescriptions: You can now order online- it's safe and secure. Ask at reception or contact us- see the link above.

Why not register and get setup to use the online repeat prescription system. It's available 24/7.

Please note all the GPs at the practice have a conscientious objection to completing firearms medicals and do not complete these.
Please note that as we are extremely busy we have had to focusing on protecting core General Medical Services. We have had to prioritise clinical work over any non-statutory (private) work.

Examples of forms that we never complete would include any forms for high risk sports such as boxing , sky diving etc nor do we complete non-statutory forms for occupational health or vetting forms for job applications. We also do not complete passport applications. You may wish to go privately to access these services.