Coronavirus Guidance (updated 28/09/21)

COVID Vaccination Certification for Travel purposes -

The Department of Health is working on a solution to enable proof of vaccination to the agreed standard.  Further details will be provided in due course via the media. It should be noted that neither GPs or other HSC organisations,  are able to issue letters to the agreed standard for travel purposes. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE PRACTICE regarding Certification.

COVID Vaccination Clinics update. We are currently planning our COVID Booster vaccination programme.  Those eligible for COVID Boosters must have had Dose 2 at least 6 months previously.   You will receive a letter of invite to one of our clinics in due course. It is important to make every effort to attend this appointment as we may not be able to accommodate an alternative due to high volume of vaccinations that we need to administer this winter.   We hope to be able to offer Flu vaccination at the same time. 

 Dose 1 & 2s no longer offered by GP Practice, bookings for SSE and  Trust Sites link:  https://covid-19.hscni.net/get-vaccinated/  or by ringing 0300 200 7813. 

How to find your health and care number.

https://twitter.com/HSCBoard/status/1382058507390754822?s=20

https://www.facebook.com/healthandsocialcareboard/posts/2873094982904864

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNnh8b7owGr/

For more information on COVID-19 Vaccines please click on link : www.nidirect.gov.uk/covid-vaccine

Due to the COVID19 Pandemic we have made the following changes to our service:

We continue to provide a GP Service in line with Government Guidelines. As our building doesn't facilitate adequate social distancing, to protect our patients and staff we have had to continue to restrict access to our building.  Please be aware that we have alternative access systems in place as detailed below:

 GP Appointments

Our Routine & 24/48 hour access GP appointments are on hold until further notice.  Alternatively Patients can ring from 8.30am (Mon to Fri) to request a Telephone Consultation with a Doctor.  Our Reception Staff will ask for a brief reason for your request to help allocate the call appropriately. You may be asked to ring back the next day if the call list is full.  (As always if you have a medical need that requires urgent attention then a call can be logged anytime throughout the day between 8.30am and 6pm).

Remember if you have a fever and/or new cough - DO NOT COME TO THE SURGERY, Pharmacy or Hospital, you must book a COVID-19 Test  visit  https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-and-contact-tracing and everyone in your household must stay at home for 10 days or until you have received a negative result, for further information and self isolation advice, visit www.pha.site/coronavirus.  All Patients attending the surgery are now asked to wear their own face covering. 

Practice Nurse Appointments -  Please ensure we have up to date phone contact details to facilitate your review consultation.

Diabetic Reviews - Diabetic Bloods continue to be monitored and actioned.  From September 2020 we hope to conduct Diabetic Reviews following Diabetic Blood results via telephone consultation.  Amanda Henning is our Diabetic Specialist Practice Nurse.

Smears - We have commenced our Smear Clinics again. If you have received a letter from Cervical Screening Service informing you that your Smear is due, or if we have written to you to advise that you are overdue for Smear it is important that you ring to make an appointment with our Practice Nurse - Amanda Henning.

Asthma & COPD Reviews -We are currently conducting Asthma & COPD Reviews by a combination of telephone and video consultations where necessary to check inhaler technique.  The Practice will contact you via phone to arrange/conduct.   Maeve Nesbitt is our Respiratory Specialist Practice Nurse

Medication Reviews - We are now conducting desk & telephone medication reviews where patient input is necessary.  Therefore if the medication you are on requires you to have a medication review then you may receive a phonecall from one of Pharmacists: Scott Gill, Janet Allen or Conor Steele.

Treatment Room - remains open to Bloods, INRs and Dressings

Please press the buzzer when you arrive outside our doors and a member of staff will let you enter the building.  Remember you should only be attending if you have no fever or a new cough. All Patients attending the surgery are now asked to wear their own face covering. 

Script Requests

Patients can continue to order scripts in the same way - in writing by:

1)drop the right hand side of your script into the script request box outside building (24/7)

2) email Killynether Reception on killynether.reception.Z00261@gp.hscni.net - stating Name, DOB and Names of Meds and Dosage

3)order online with Patient Access - you will require a PIN for this - please ring reception to request a  PIN (due to COVID19) we are providing temporary access to Patient Access system over the phone.

Phones

Please do not ring to check your script is there - due the huge volumes of scripts being processed at the moment, we are unable to check.   You should allow 72 hours from ordering before collecting from your chosen Chemist. 

Scripts Collection

All scripts must now be collected by a nominated Pharmacy.  If you have not nominated a Pharmacy - please ring the practice to give verbal consent.  You must follow this up with a signed Pharmacy Nomination Form.  Forms can be downloaded from our website newspage or from outside our Building above our Script Deposit Box.  Please return the completed forms in our Script Deposit Box.  Please allow 72 hours from requesting your Repeat Medication until it will be ready for collection at your chosen Pharmacy.

Killynether Pharmacy Nomination Form

Sick lines

If you are self isolating - you do NOT require a Dr sick line, a self cert will suffice.     GPs will NOT be providing COVID19 sickliness please contact 111 online for more advice and check the PHA website.  We will accept NON COVID19 sickline requests as by email only, please state your Name & DOB and reason for sickline, continuation or start date and length of sickline requests.   Please leave an up to date tel number which the Dr will phone you on should they need to discuss.  You will receive your sickline by SMS Text if you have consented and have a smart phone, please note that due to the huge pressure on our systems during COVID19, issuing of sicklines are NON Urgent and we will action when we are able.   

Dr Phonecalls requested by email are not permitted 

It is not appropriate to request a Dr phonecall by email as there are certain details that the admin team are required to ask. Therefore please be patient with our phone access.    As always if you have a medical need that requires urgent attention then a call can be logged for a Dr anytime throughout the day between 8.30am and 6pm.  

COVID-19 Vaccination Programme

Please see the link below for more information about the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/covid-19-coronavirus/northern-ireland-covid-19-vaccination-programme/covid-19-vaccination-programme#will-the-vaccine-be-compulsory

Testing for COVID-19 (available from 19/05/20)

Explaining our Telephone System

Killynether Practice will continue to provide GP Services during these unprecedented times. 

Please ring the Practice on 02891 823121 and press:

option 0 for Emergency

option 1 for appointments (Practice Nurse or Treatment Room Appts only or have a medically urgent need to speak to a GP outside of call time)

option 2 for Dr Call Back (8.30am to 10am)

Option 3 for Test Results between 3.30pm and 4.30pm (Mon to Fri)

Option 4 for Enquiries (up to 4.30pm - please do not ring to check if your script is ready)

I have to attend my GP, what am I likely to experience ?

Virtual Patient Journey during COVID

Carers Information

Advice for informal(unpaid) carers http://www.health-ni.gov.uk/publications/advice-informal-unpaid-carers-and-young-carers-during-covid-19-pandemic

Accessing GP Services & Health and Social Care Services for those who have a hearing Impairment (BSL or ISL)

For those who have a hearing impairment and therefore are unable to communicate via the telephone -  Health & Social Care Services now have a hearing interpreting service now available via a phone app or computer link.  This can be accessed by clicking on the link below:

https://interpreternow.co.uk/hscni

Stop Smoking Support for Killynether Practice Patients

Cancer Focus NI have created a dedicated private support group on Facebook – Stop Smoking Support Northern Ireland, which is available for those thinking of stopping smoking, those who have stopped already and anyone interested for someone else. The group can be accessed using the link below. Access is granted shortly after answering a few short questions.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/stopsmokingsupportNI/

Alcohol & Drug Additions Support for Patients

Useful Local Ards Contacts

BBC News NI - useful link below for those who are self isolating and need help with collecting scripts or food deliveries:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-52237097/how-to-get-food-and-medicine-deliveries-if-you-are-isolating-in-northern-ireland

Ards Food Deliveries

Ards Pharmacy Contact Info

Thank you for your help supporting your NHS during these difficult times.

Sexual Health Screening

Did you know you can have a sexual health check up without neeing an intimate examination?  This will involve a urine sample/self taken swab for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea as well as a blood test for HIV and Syphilis.  Sexual Health Appointments now available to book  online.   Please ring or ask at Reception for your online access code (you will need to provide Photo ID).

Patient Self Referrals

New access for patients to self refer to Podiatry/Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy - see "Patient Self Referrals" page on right hand side of website. Patients can also now self refer to  Maternity if they have a positive pregnancy test see section 3 "Maternity Services" for link.

Killynether Patient Survey Report 2019-20

 https://www.killynetherpractice.co.uk/surveyreport_form.aspx

When We Are Closed (see Latest News)

When the surgery is closed North Down & Ards doctors on Call Service is operational. A message giving their contact details will be on the normal surgery number or they may be contacted directly on 028 91822344.

Please remember this service should be reserved for emergencies only. Should you see a doctor out of hours you own doctor’s surgery will be notified.

In a genuine emergency you should call 999. Chest pains and / or shortness of breath constitute an emergency.

Planned closures 2021-22- Training Closures

Thurs 4 Nov 2021 from 1pm

Wed 12 Jan 2022 from 1pm

Thurs 24 Feb 2022 from 1pm

Wed 6 April 2022 from 1pm

Thurs 26 May 2022 from 1pm

Bank Holidays

Prior to all closure days please order your prescriptions in plenty of time