Coronavirus Updates
This section of our website is dedictated to keeping you informed with the latest updates and developements regarding Covid 19 and how this may affect our practice.
TO BOOK A CORONAVIRUS TEST PLEASE CLICK HERE
UPDATE 11/12/20
The isolation period for after testing positive to covid has been reduced to 10 days starting from monday 14th December.
UPDATE 9/12/20
Unfortunately, at this point, we have no formal information or details on how the covid 19 vaccination programme will be distributed with regards to our patients. We will share information with you through the website as soon as we have details. Thank you for your patience.
UPDATE 18/9/20
As you will likely be aware, Covid 19 case are increasing across Scotland, with the highest numbers being in Greater Glasgow. With this in mind, it may be useful to revisit the current guidelines;
If you have any of a new cough, fever of any cause or loss of taste/ smell, you should arrange for a covid test, following the link above. The description of a cough as continuous has caused some confusion. For clarification, this means coughing episodes of over one hour or three seperate episodes in 24 hours. If there is any doubt please err on the side of caution! The cough from Covid 19 cannot be distinguished from that of a 'headcold', 'sinusitis' or any other common cause of cough on the basis of your symptoms alone. There is no such thing as a 'coronavirus cough' or not- if you develop a cough, even if it preceeded by other symptoms, you need to get a test! You must isolate, avoiding contact with anyone from outside your household, until the result of your test comes back. Everyone else in your household must also isolate also until the test result is back. This means you need to stay off work, school etc until the results are back. If you feel well in yourself, then there is no need to seek a doctor review during your illness. If you do feel you need a doctor to see you, we are unfortunately unable to see suspected Covid 19 in Merrylee Medical Centre due to the risks of cross infection. Therefor, under these circumstances please dial 111, who will arrange an assessment if necessary at a Covid Assessment Centre.
If your test is positive, you must continue to isolate for 10 days after your symptoms first developed. Your household contacts must isolate for 14 days after your symptoms first developed. They only need tested if they develop symptoms during this time. If they are tested and it is positive, they then must isolate for 10 days from the date that their symptoms started. If they are tested and it is negative, they still need to complete the original 14 days isolation.
If trace and protect contact you advising you have been in contact with a positive case then you must isolate for 14 days. The contact tracer will help you identify when this period should start from. All of our patients are from either Glasgow City or East Renfrewshire and are therefor under additional restrictions at the moment. These additional restrictions mean that if you have been in contact with a positive case, all members of your household need to isolate for 14 days. In other areas of the country, where there are no additional restirctions, this is not the case.
If you have any further queries, please see nhsinform.
UPDATE 14/9/20
The following article on bbc news this morning may have caused some confusion amongst our patients https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54138915. We would like you to be aware that face to face appointments are, and always have been, available for patients who need them. The process of a telephone appointment in the first instance is to enable the doctors to keep patients as safe as possible during these extraordinary times. Please be assured that, if you need to see a doctor face to face, then you will always be able to.
UPDATE 28/8/20
There has been some confusion regarding testing of school children since the schools have gone back. This has resulted in a huge increase in children being self referred for testing when this has perhaps not been necessary or appropriate. This has caused some strain on the local testing centres. Please see the attached letter which explains the process around the testing of school children.
UPDATE 13/7/20
The Minor Injuries Unit at the Victoria Hospital has reopened from today. Patients can once again attend this service, from 0900-2100 seven days a week.
UPDATE 10/7/20
Face coverings are now mandatory in all shops in Scotland. This is now law and we do not supply any form of exemption letter for these.
Whilst face coverings are not legally required in GP surgeries, we would ask all our patients to wear face coverings at all times when in the practice. This is for the safety of other people rather than for yourself.
UPDATE 10/6/20
We have made the decision to move ahead with our routine asthma reviews for our patients. These will be done entirely over the phone. If our system tells us you are due your asthma or COPD review, our team will be in touch to arrange this.
UPDATE 18/5/20
From today, there are three symptoms requiring you to self isolate- a cough, a fever and now a loss of taste and/or smell.
Testing is now available to everyone so if you develop these symptoms you can request a test by going here.
You must follow the self isolation rules until you or your household contacts test results come back.
UPDATE 23/3/20
as of 0800 this morning, all patients who feel they need to see a doctor regarding coronavirus symptoms (cough, fevers, shortness of breath) are requested by the heath board to contact NHS 24 on 111 as the first port of call, and not their regular GP.
Further information can be found at www.nhsinform.scot
Keeping You Safe
There may be some occasions where a doctor has spoken to you and requested you attend the practice. Examples would include for blood tests which have been deemed essential, or to be examined after a telephone consultation.
If this is the case, it would be appreciated if you could wear a face covering when attending. This is not mandatory but can help prevent the spread of infection. We have placed social distancing markers in the waiting room to guide sitting and standing, and we would ask you to adhere to these at all times. Please only ask to use the patient toilets if absolutely essential. If you do require to use the toilet, please be extra vigilant with your hand hygiene at all times. We have recently had touch free hand sanitiser units installed in the waiting room and the first floor landing- please use these.
Most importantly, please do not attend the surgery if you have symptoms of coronavirus.