Riversdale Surgery

Telephone: 01773 822386

News

False Covid text asking patients to order test kits

We have been notified of a text scam that has been sent to patients purporting to be from their GP practice. The text could easily be mistaken as a legitimate notification as the recipient’s mobile will show the text grouped with legitimate texts from their own GP practice. The message advises them that they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for Omicron and that they must order a test kit using a link within the text. The link then asks for a payment of £0.99 for postage.

This is a scam and GP Practices would not text patients in this way seeking payment for test kits.

NHS COVID Pass/Recovery Certificate/Exemption

A large number of people have been calling us with queries about Covid vaccination status, vaccine exemption certificates and Covid recovery certificates.

We unfortunately can’t assist with any queries about these and ask that patients follow the guidance at the link below:

Covid recovery certificates: to the best of our knowledge these are only available for English residents

Covid vaccination record

Please also be advised that the surgery does not provide recovery letters for travel. If you have tested positive and are using the NHS App, your COVID passport will not be available for at least 14 days post the date you were confirmed as having a positive test result. Once the 14 days have passed your COVID pass should become available again for you to download.

NHS COVID Pass

Anybody needing to demonstrate your COVID 19 status, will need to get a NHS COVID Pass letter. This is not a document that the surgery can provide. Please call 119 and option 3 or click here to apply online

Covid Pass Medical Exemption

1. Phone the NHS COVID Pass service on 119 to ask for an NHS COVID Pass medical exemptions application form.

You can also call to find out more information about COVID Pass medical exemptions.

The call handler at the NHS COVID Pass service will ask you some questions. You will need to give:

your name
your date of birth
your NHS number (if you know it)
the name of your GP and/or specialist clinician

2. If you’re eligible to apply, you’ll get an application form by post.

You should not ask your GP for an application form. If you do go to your GP before you get your application form you’ll be asked to call the NHS COVID pass service on 119.

3. Return your application form to the GP or relevant clinician stated on the form. Your application will be clinically reviewed by your doctor, specialist or midwife. Your GP, specialist or midwife may ask to speak with you if needed, but you won’t need to book this when you submit your application.

4. You’ll automatically get the results of your application by post 2 to 3 weeks after applying. You don’t need to contact your GP or the clinician reviewing your exemption unless they ask you to contact them.

All calls asking for advice about the above prevent us from helping people with urgent health concerns quickly. Thank you as ever for your support with this request.

Covid-19 Updates -

Latest Covid Privacy Notice:

Click the link below to access the most recent version of Riversdales Covid Privacy Notice.

Updated COVID Privacy Notice

A message from Derby and Derbyshire Local Medical Committee

You will have no doubt seen reports in the national press about changes to general practice appointments and access. Unfortunately, these reports have misrepresented the current state of general practice and proposed changes and we, as the representative body of Derbyshire general practice, would like to clarify things.

General practice in Derbyshire has been open throughout the pandemic; providing patient care whilst delivering the largest scale vaccination programme in history. Our teams have followed NHS England protocols; moving overnight to use virtual consultations and triage. They have safely opened up more services as national guidance and the intensity of the pandemic allowed. During the entire pandemic, clinicians have continued to see patients face-to-face when clinically needed; always making sure that infection control and social distancing measures were in place to protect patients and staff alike.

The latest GP appointment figures in England showed that practices delivered almost 5 million more appointments in March than they did the month before, and nearly 3 million more than they did in the same month two years ago, long before the onset of the pandemic. Simply put general practice is working flat out. With this increasing patient demand, general practice will continue to work smartly to get the balance right; consulting with patients in the most appropriate fashion in as timely a manner as is possible. This means, as per the practice contract with NHS England, that it is for the surgery to determine the manner in which it sees its patients. Only by doing this can we ensure quality care is maintained for the many, rather than servicing the demands of the few.

We know it is hard to get an appointment right now. But the above figures explain that this reflects the large number of patients requesting care, not lack of activity within general practice. We are hearing increasing reports of frustration and abuse targeted at practice staff because of delays, and we are concerned that the recent media reporting will worsen this by fuelling inappropriate requests for face-to-face appointments that are not needed and cannot safely be accommodated. We would ask you all to treat each member of the practice team with respect and understanding; we will continue to support our practices and help them to take a zero tolerance approach to any forms of abuse.

We thank you for your patience and continuing to work with your surgery.

Riversdale Surgery remains open. In accordance with current guidelines, all work is carried out remotely where safe and appropriate to do so. Face to face appointments are available where clinical staff assess that this is clinically necessary. Details of our current services are on our homepage.

The COVID-19 pandemic and pressures on healthcare services over the winter means that Derbyshire healthcare services are extremely busy. In addition, staff that normally provide frontline healthcare are being diverted to setting up and staffing COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Please help support the NHS to carry out this vital work, and to prioritise the care of people that are unwell. For minor matters, please self-care using the NHS website or speak to a pharmacist. Please avoid contacting us for administrative matters or for information that can be found elsewhere. Please do not contact us about your COVID-19 vaccine, wait for us to contact you. If you need to contact us, please use our online consult system where possible.

COVID-19 Vaccine

The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine is safe and effective. It gives you the best protection against coronavirus. We are actively involved in delivering the vaccination and the booster programme. Please do not contact us about your appointment, please wait for us to contact you. The order in which people are eligible for the vaccine is set by national guidelines. Further information on the COVID-19 vaccination programme is available at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Riversdale Surgery is working with local practices, Belper Primary Care Network, Derbyshire Community Healthcare Services and Derbyshire CCG to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine. This will reduce the staff available for usual healthcare services. If you have a non-urgent query or problem, consider using the pharmacy, 111 or Minor Injury Units for advice where possible and appropriate.

We will also be contacting care homes and truly housebound patients to arrange vaccinations, again working with local healthcare partners.

To find out more about the vaccine please visit our Covid-19 Services page by clicking here or visit the Covid Vaccine public information page of the Joined Up Care Derbyshire Website at:

https://joinedupcarederbyshire.co.uk/public-info-covid-19/covid-19-vaccine

Or keep posted on social media:

www.twitter.com/JoinedUpCare

www.instagram.com/joinedupcarederbyshire

www.facebook.com/joinedupcarederbyshire

Access your medical records on line - please contact the surgery for details. Make appointments, request prescriptions through the same website.
What to do when the surgery is closed - if you need urgent medical attention when the surgery is closed you should dial 111. This will connect you to the NHS 111 service free of charge which is provided by a local organisation: Derbyshire Health United. You will be assessed and directed to the most appropriate point of care for your particular needs. You can also dial 111 if you require health information
Patient Participation Group - our Patient group meets approximately once every two months at the Surgery, starting at 6.25 pm. Please consider joining - your views are valuable to the Surgery and the group is the appropriate conduit through which views can be expressed. Please ask for more details at reception.
Self help is available - information can be found on the Self Help page.
Named GP - all patients have been allocated a named GP in accordance with the latest Government agenda. If you wish to know who your named GP is please ask at Reception. As always please book in with the Doctor of your choice as this does not mean that you should only see your named GP.
childhood vaccinations. Please see the link to the Survey that NHS England have asked us to make available to you all on our Services page, Childhood vaccinations.

Home

System Change

**Covid Booster and Flu update**

We will be running our Covid booster and Flu vaccine programme together through Babington Hospital this year, with clinics starting on the 5th October and running every Tuesday and Thursday.

INVITATIONS TO BOOK will be sent 6 months after the 2nd dose of Covid vaccine.

Invites and booking will be sent by text, phone call and letter.

The practice will have a limited supply of Flu Vaccine for patients who aren't suitable for Covid Booster vaccine, or urgently need a flu vaccine before the date of their Covid Booster.

Please only contact reception if it is more than 6 months since your 2nd dose of Covid vaccine and you haven't been invited, using Online Consult above where possible

NHS England has confirmed that despite the Government announcement (27 January) relating to face coverings no longer being mandatory in public places, the UK Health Security Agency's Infection Prevention Control guidance remains in place in GP Surgeries.

This means that we will still require patients to wear face coverings (facemasks or face shields), to maintain social distance and use hand sanitiser to enter the practice building. As we are a higher risk environment, continuing these measures will help to ensure that we keep all our patients and staff safe. Please help us by wearing a mask or face covering when you visit our practice.

Thank you for your support.

Current services:

Reception	Phone lines are open as usual 8.00-18.30 Monday-Friday. Our reception is open but we ask you to phone or use Online Consult before visiting the surgery wherever possible. You may find we ask you for more details than usual. This is because it helps us decide how best to contact you since we can now answer queries by text, video call, and email, as well as see you face to face if needed. We treat all information as strictly confidential, but if you’d prefer not to speak to our reception team you can use the Online Consult button above.
Urgent Appointments	For medically urgent problems we'll always try our very best to consult with you as soon as we can. If you ask for a same day appointment, our reception team will send you an SMS link to provide some extra details, and this will go directly to the doctor. You can type as much as you need, and attach pictures where appropriate. If it's more appropriate to re-assign your urgent appointment to another member of the team, we'll do this on your behalf and let you know. We know that no everyone uses mobile phones, and our reception team will help to pass the details onto the medical team if this is the case.
Mental Health Support	We are here to support you with mental health. Please click here for further information on available support.
Flu vaccines Autumn/Winter 2021	We will be running our Covid booster and Flu vaccine programme together through Babington Hospital this year, with clinics starting on the 5th October and running every Tuesday and Thursday. INVITATIONS TO BOOK will be sent 6 months after the 2nd dose of Covid vaccine. Invites and booking will be sent by text, phone call and letter. The practice will have a limited supply of Flu Vaccine for patients who aren't suitable for Covid Booster vaccine, or urgently need a flu vaccine before the date of their Covid Booster. Please only contact reception if it is more than 6 months since your 2nd dose of Covid vaccine and you haven't been invited, using Online Consult above where possible
Online Consults	We will respond to your Online Consultation the same day if you submit one before 2pm (Mon-Friday) or the next working day if you submit it after 2pm
Phone consultations	You can request a phone consultation through Online Consult above, or by calling reception. If your query is best dealt with in another way, reception will talk you through this. The reception team may direct your query to a pharmacist, physio, nurse or social prescriber if this is more appropriate than speaking to a doctor.
Video consultations	Request via Online Consultation
Face to face consultations at the surgery	These are booked after a phone, video or online consultation so we can ensure we see you safely. We’ll see you wearing PPE and ask you to wear a mask unless you have a medical exemption.
Immunisations	Immunisation programmes are currently operating normally.
Covid19 Vaccinations	Details of our Covid-19 vaccination services are here. The surgery is directly involved in organising and delivering Covid19 vaccinations, and we'll be releasing staff to prioritise this. There may be a longer wait than usual for non-essential services during this time. If you have a non urgent query or problem, consider using the pharmacy, 111 or Minor Injury units for advice where possible and appropriate. The order of priority for these vaccinations is set by government guidelines. To see the latest updates please click here.
Procedures such as B12 injections, joint injections, contraceptive devices	If you have a query about whether you need is available, the best way is to contact us via Online Consult Steroid joint injections need to be considered carefully and can be administered when safe and appropriate. Contraceptive services are available, and pill reviews and prescriptions can be arranged remotely. A consultation with a doctor prior to injections, coils and implants should be booked via reception or Online Consult.
Urgent referrals	These continue as normal, including referrals for possible cancer. *If you have any symptoms that could indicate cancer, like blood in your urine or poo, coughing up blood or unexplained weight loss, please contact the practice*
Routine referrals	The surgery can make routine referrals to the hospital, but waiting times will be longer than usual for outpatient appointments..
Blood tests	For your safety blood tests are now pre-booked to keep waiting rooms from being full and allow for social distancing. You can book here https://www.swiftqueue.co.uk/uhdb.php
Medication reviews	Wherever possible we are undertaking these by phone or text message. If your medication review is over-due we won’t prevent you from ordering your medication without contacting you to renew your medication. We’ll contact you to arrange the annual renewal of your medication.
Prescription requests	The quickest way to order repeat prescriptions is via the NHS App This can be downloaded onto a smartphone without needing login details from the surgery. Paper requests can be posted or dropped into the post box at surgery.
Audiology clinics	Specsavers – bookable either via the website at the store you choose based on postcode or identify the store and call direct. Home visits are available: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores Scrivens – Hearing Customer Services on 0800 0274487 or you can check you are eligible and book online: https://scrivens.com/hearing/nhs-hearing/ OutsideClinic – home visit testing service. The booking line is 0808 239 0591 or you can book directly through the website: https://www.outsideclinic.co.uk/hearing-test-at-home/
Coronavirus support	Derbyshire is providing support during coronavirus, including food and medication delivery. Call 01629 535091 or register at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/home.aspx. Support is also available from Amber Valley on 01773 570222 or at www.ambervalley.gov.uk. You can request support from NHS Volunteer Responders on 0808 1963646. The national website is www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support. At Riversdale, you can contact our care coordinator Helen Riley for support via our usual contact details.
Medical Reports	If a paid medical report is essential, please try to work with whoever is requesting the report to see if it can be done by someone who is not an NHS provider. For example, some reports can be done by private healthcare providers or by occupational health doctors, or by obtaining a copy of your medical records. If you contact us for a paid medical report, we may ask you to explain why this work is immediately necessary and ask if it can be postponed. We do however understand that some reports are time-critical if, for example, they allow essential workers to continue to work, and cannot be done by another provider. We will prioritise urgent medical care over providing medical reports, and so you may wait longer than usual for your report.
Weight Management Enhanced Service	If you are eligible for a new NHS programme to improve your body weight and health you will receive an SMS text from us, if you'd like to accept or decline the offer of referral please reply using the link and select REFER or DECLINE along with filling out your details.

Please do not contact us about the following:

COVID-19 Vaccination Status	Please see here for further information. Proof of your vaccination status will be available on the NHS app, which is also valuable for accessing your health records and ordering repeat prescriptions. The NHS app can be downloaded here for iPhone or here for android. You can also get your vaccination status via the NHS website, see more here. Alternatively, you can call the NHS helpline on 119 (from 17 May) and ask for a letter to be posted to you. This must be at least 5 days after you’ve completed your course of the vaccine, the letter may take up to 5 days to reach you.
COVID-19 Tests	You can apply for a coronavirus test by: (1) visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus; or (2) calling the coronavirus testing call centre on 119. A friend or family member can apply on your behalf. Further information is available at www.gov.uk/coronavirus
COVID-19 Sick Notes	You can obtain a sick note for Covid-19 symptoms, or for self-isolating by clicking here. More information is available here. You do not need a sick note from a GP for Coronavirus symptoms or for self-isolating, even if you are off work for longer than the 10 or 14 day period specified. If your employer feels that these measures to protect vital NHS services do not apply to them, please ask them to write to us to tell us why.
COVID-19 Employment Advice	The government information for employers and employees is here. The advice asks employers to use their discretion rather than requiring medical evidence so that the NHS can focus on caring for patients. If your employer feels that these measures to protect vital NHS services do not apply to them, please ask them to write to us to tell us why.
COVID-19 Shielding Letters	COVID-19 shielding letters are sent out nationally and do not come from Riversdale Surgery. Information on shielding is available here.
Hospital appointments	Do not contact us for updates on hospital appointments. We do not have this information. If an update is essential, then please contact the hospital. However please do be patient with them at this time of unprecedented demand on NHS services.

Please see under our opening times tab for more details about closures. We have a training day once a month on a Wednesday afternoon

Data Privacy Notice - see under the Information for patients tab for our Data Privacy Notice.

Please visit the website below to access Joined up Care in Belper

http://www.southernderbyshireccg.nhs.uk/have-your-say/engagements/belper-health-services/

Southern Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group have asked for your help in shaping the future of service delivery within the NHS by completing their survey and leaving your feedback. You will find the link in the Patient Group Section.

Riversdale Surgery is part of Derbyshire's Safe Place Scheme and is a registered Safe Haven for those adults with learning disabilities. See the Safe Haven page for more details.