Scotch Quarter Practice
Welcome
Hello and welcome to our website. We’ve packed it full of useful information in a very easy to use format with the added benefit of several online functions.
If you’re new to the area, have a look at our opening times, come in and see us so that we can assist you to complete the relevant Registration Forms (HSCR1) and make a new patient review appointment for you with one of our Doctors.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to new Government legislation all new patients registering with a GP must provide Photographic evidence and other supplementary evidence which can be viewed using the following link -
Covid-19 Vaccination Programme
We are still awaiting further guidance from the Department of Health and the Public Health Agency with regard to the specific details of rolling out the vaccination programme against Covid-19.
The current guidance is that we are to start vaccinating patients over the age of 80 from January but there has been no confirmation of delivery of vaccines, etc.
Please check our website regularly for further updates and information.
In the interim period you might want to read this article written by a GP in England for a national newspaper on Sunday past. It certainly answered some of the questions around whether to get the vaccine or not.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8996237/Hesitant-Covid-vaccine.html
WITHDRAWAL OF AMBULANCE PATIENT CARE SERVICE (PCS)
We have received a letter from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) informing us that they have had to prioritise their workload to Urgent (999), Cancer and Paediatric patients and will no longer be able to transport patients to the majority of Outpatient appointments. This comes into effect from Monday 23rd November 2020.
NIAS PCS Service Withdrawal
Patients will need to organise their own method of transport to and from outpatient appointments as this service is no longer available or seek assistance from the organisations SACT and DATS below.
Please do not phone the practice to request transport as the withdrawal of the service is beyond our control and we will, unfortunately, be unable to help.
The following links will take you to the South Antrim Community Transport (SACT) http://www.southantrimcommunitytransport.com/
SACT Leaflet
Or to the Disability Action Transport Scheme (DATS) https://www.communityni.org/help/dats-disability-actions-transport-scheme-normally-door-door-service-disabled-people
DATS Application Form
DATS Information Leaflet
FLU CLINICS 2020/21
There will be a Flu Clinic on Friday 4th Decmber. There is still a shortage of vaccines and we will be targeting those under 65 with clinical conditions and the 2-4 year olds.
Please telephone 02893315835 to book an appointment which will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
If you are asked to attend a routine appointment with a GP or a Nurse and are eligible for the flu vaccination then you may be offered this opportunistically.
The website will be updated with further information when we have had confirmation of additional vaccine supplies.
(Please note that we have only 3 incoming phone lines and these are extremely busy. If you cannot get through please be patient and keep trying. Staff are working at maximum capacity to deal with routine calls and flu clinic bookings.)
Please pay particular attention to the following points:
THERE WILL BE NO ADMISSION TO THE FLU CLINICS WITHOUT A FACE COVERING!
The Flu Clinics will be accessed at the rear of the health centre at the Barn Road end of the building.
The rear and side car parks can both be used to access this entrance.
On arrival you will be met at the back door by a member of staff who will take some details and give you further instructions.
Please arrive ON TIME for your appointment - do NOT arrive too early or too late as it is necessary to control the number of patients admitted to the building at any one time. If you are unable to attend at the scheduled time then please contact the surgery and we will be happy to reschedule your appointment.
Please remain in your vehicle until within 5 minutes of your allocated appointment.
Please come to the appointment on your own, if possible, unless you and another family member have been given an appointment for the same date and time.
Please DO NOT come to your flu vaccination appointment if you develop any of the four known Covid-19 symptoms. We will be happy to reschedule a new appointment for you.
A MESSAGE TO ALL OF OUR PATIENTS
The Practice has recently been experiencing a huge increase in the volume of calls being received which is putting our already busy staff under additional pressure and stress. We fully appreciate that, under the current Covid-19 restrictions, which do not allow patients to attend the practice in person unless they have a booked appointment, that the telephone is one of the only methods to contact our staff. We would ask that you ensure that your call is necessary and that you cannot contact us via the alternative methods below:
We would strongly encourage all patients not currently registered for the online services access to do so. You can order your prescriptions via this method and also send us non-urgent messages such as change of address or contact details. Unfortunately at this time you cannot use the online services to book appointments due to the need for telephone triage prior to being seen in the surgery.
You can also contact us directly by email to: Reception.Z00387@gp.hscni.net - PLEASE DO NOT SEND EMAILS FOR URGENT MEDICAL ATTENTION.
There has also been a resumption in the Community Pharmacy MINOR AILMENTS SCHEME whereby you can request medication and advice for the conditions listed in the attachment: Minor Ailments List
We very much appreciate your understanding and patience during these difficult times for all of us.
WORKING FROM HOME - If you have an issue with your employer with regard to continuing to work from home then please do NOT phone the Practice as this is not within the remit of a GP to deal with. Please click on the link below for full current guidance on 'Returning to Work' including a section on Working from Home:
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CHILD HAS COVID-19 SYMPTOMS - Please do NOT phone the GP surgery if your child has any symptoms and refer instead to the links below which have the most up-to-date guidance for parents and carers.
Thank you.
Linda Hylands
Practice Manager
NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
***UPDATE FOR PATIENTS*** (04/12/20)
*IN LINE WITH NI ASSEMBLY GUIDANCE
ALL PATIENTS ATTENDING THE HEALTH CENTRE
WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A FACE COVERING
FROM MONDAY 10TH AUGUST 2020*
EXEMPTION FROM WEARING FACE MASKS
The Practice will not be providing letters to exempt patients from wearing face masks. It is the individual's responsibility to adhere to the guidelines regarding face coverings; the practice will not be issuing any document which contradicts the Public Health Agency advice.
BACK TO SCHOOL DURING COVID-19
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) have issued some useful guidance for parents and children with regard to returning to school in current Covid-19 conditions. Please feel free to print and share with friends and family.
Back to Primary School
Teen Transition back to school
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SURGERY IS STILL OPERATING UNDER STRICT COVID-19 GUIDELINES FROM PHA/DOH. AS SUCH THERE IS STILL NO UNAUTHORISED ACCESS TO THE SURGERY WITHOUT PRIOR ARRANGEMENT.
In order to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19 when attending the health centre we have had staff carrying out the function of door personnel. Having conducted a risk assessment it was not sustainable to ask our own staff to continue to carry out this role so we have employed a gentleman to ensure that only patients with pre-booked appointments gain access to the surgeries.
We will be carrying out modifications to the main front entrance doors over the coming months to alleviate the need for anyone to physically have to stand there in person.
More information will be shared with you as the building works commence and progress.
If you or a member of your family is unwell and needs medical attention please contact the surgery as normal for further advice. Please ring 028 9331 5835.
All appointment requests will be triaged by telephone. This means that you will not be able to book a routine review appointment unless this has been agreed by a GP or Nurse.
When you phone the surgery you will be advised of the following:
- If the call is received BEFORE 11.30 am then you may expect a call back before the end of the day, however if the call is received AFTER 11.30 am then you should NOT expect to be contacted until the following day, except if requiring URGENT MEDICAL ADVICE.
- Patients being called back in the mornings should be available to take a call from a GP from 8.30 onwards and that the call will be from a PRIVATE NUMBER. If you do not answer your phone a message will be left, where possible, but the GP will not phone back and you will go to end of the triage call list.
- The GP will only call ONCE!
- Patients cannot specify a time to be called. - If you request a specific GP you will be informed that it may not necessarily be the specified GP who calls you back.
INFORMATION REGARDING NORTHERN COVID CENTRES
Patients who are triaged by their GP and who feel that their symptoms require further investigation will be asked to attend their closest Covid Centre. For patients in East Antrim area this has been designated as Ballymena DUC Centre.
Please note you should NOT attend the Covid Centre without an appointment being
pre-arranged by your GP or Dalriada Urgent Care.
The following link will provide you with some information of what to expect when you visit the Covid Centre:
The prescription line will be open between 9.00 am to 12.30 pm daily on 02893315837.
***Please DO NOT submit requests by any means for medication to be prescribed early or for medication not currently on your repeat list.***
WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THIS!
As a GP Practice we appreciate these are anxious and worrying times for all of us and we would ask that you bear with us in these unknown times as we do our best to care for both our patients and our staff.
Please continue to monitor this website for further updates as information becomes available.
CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS 
Scotch Quarter Practice has a robust Complaints Procedure, a copy of which is available to download on this website under the section 'Further Information' and then 'Practice Policies' or can be obtained from Reception. Patients are encouraged to discuss, either formally or informally, any issues which they might have with their treatment in the Practice.
The use of Social Media to make derogatory comments about either our services or individual staff members will not be tolerated and may result in the immediate removal from our Practice List.
We regularly monitor all posts on social media and would encourage any patient to screen shot and/or inform us of any such negative posts.
REGISTER NOW FOR ONLINE SERVICES:
Please send an email requesting to be set up for Online Access to Reception.Z00387@gp.hscni.net
We will forward a form to you which you will need to complete and email it back to us to enable us to forward you a Verification Code to complete the registration process. You can also request a form via this website by simply clicking on 'Contact Details' at the bottom of the home page.
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR APPOINTMENTS AND
REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS
THE FOLLOWING SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU WHEN REGISTERED:
ONLINE PRESCRIPTIONS:
Patients can now use the Online Prescriptions service to request Repeat Prescriptions and also to request that Unavailable Repeat Prescriptions listed be reactivated.
Requests for other/urgent medication not on your Repeat Prescriptions record will be considered but it will remain the responsibility of the patient to check if these requests have been issued by the Doctor.
ONLINE APPOINTMENTS: THIS SERVICE IS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED DUE TO COVID-19 AND THE REQUIREMENT TO TRIAGE ALL APPOINTMENTS BY TELEPHONE.
In normal circumstances; Patients can book, check, change or cancel a variety of appointments with their GP, Practice Nurse** and other health care professionals and clinics. Appointments are available to be booked no further than 2 weeks in advance of the required date. This facility will also show you your Appointments History of dates previously attended and the clinic/clinician seen.
** When booking appointments please give an indication of the nature of your appointment, where possible, in the box below your appointment slot labelled 'Reason for appointment'.
ONLINE MESSAGING:
Patients can now use the Online Messaging service which is available to you on the same login page. This facility can be used to send NON-URGENT messages or requests to the surgery. PLEASE NOTE THAT APPOINTMENTS CANNOT BE BOOKED USING THIS FACILITY.
The Practice will be closed on the following Monday for staff training from 13.30 to 5.30 pm:
TBC
Emergency cover will be provided by phoning 028 9331 5834
Your Health in Safe Hands
The team here at Scotch Quarter Practice want to provide all patients with a professional and caring healthcare experience in friendly and personal surroundings. With discretion and confidentiality guaranteed your welfare is safe, secure and in good hands. If you have any suggestions for improving our services you can drop us a note here in Contact Details or speak to one of the reception staff.
(Site updated 04/12/2020)