Covid19 (coronavirus) Pandemic Vital Information:

NATIONAL LOCKDOWN STAY AT HOME from Jan 5th
This means new restrictions: Here is an infographic on what this means for us.
And more detail here on the Lockdown
And information for the very vulnerable here. and shielding
Risk raised to Level 5
New variant Covid-19 information
New South African variant

COVID VACCINATION
PLEASE DO NOT CALL US ABOUT VACCINATION: You will be called up in order of national priority by letter, SMS or phone.
The Oxford/Astra-Zeneca Vaccine deliveries have allowed us to vaccinate in care homes and the housebound.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for highest risk groups is now extending to over 75yrs in this area.
Vaccinations sites for our patients are currently: Kingsbury Temple (Kingsbury Rd), Wembley Centre for Health & Care (Chaplin Road) and also at Central Middx. Hospital (Park Royal), and a new mass vaccination centre next to Wembley Stadium.
We only have limited deliveries of vaccine and uncertain delivery dates and this is an extremely difficult exercise and we have been oversubscribed with requests - please do not phone the practice as we do not have any more information
In order to protect the maximum number of people in risk groups, everyone shall receive one dose to begin with: the first dose is the most important, giving the most protection and prevents severe Covid; the second dose can be delayed up to 12 weeks and adds to the 1st dose. Once you've had the first your name will be on the system to be called up for the second.

Vaccine mis-information: There is a considerable amount of dangerous mis-information on social media. It is mostly without any foundation in truth or facts have been severely twisted. Check out Fullfact.org or the Oxford Vaccine Knowledge Project and make up your own mind on the proper data rather than believing what someone has spread on social media for their own purposes.

Full details on Covid-19 Vaccination here and on our Covid-19 page

COVID TESTING
We cannot test or arrange tests at the surgery -please use the national system below. Tests are not 100% reliable either way.

NHS Antigen tests: These swab tests show if you have Covid-19 infection now. Those with symptoms, care home staff and residents, going into hospital can have free NHS tests. For those who think they may have the infection, the test has to be done with the first 8 days (day 1-7 home test or day 1-8 test centre). Register here for a test.

NHS Antibody (blood) tests show if you are likely to have had Covid in the past. They are not yet widely available on the NHS as it is not clear which tests are sufficiently reliable. They cannot tell if you are immune to Covid-19. Some people may be eligible for this test depending on their job and where they live and you have to register to be sent a home test kit - check here.

Private tests are available for both antigen and antibody but there are many types and some are not reliable so must be interpreted carefully.

Summary of different TESTS FOR COVID and what they mean

TRACK & TRACE
The NHS Covid-29 Trace App (it is NOT the same as the NHS App!) tells if you have been close to another App user who tests positive, allows you to check-in at places using a quick QR code (no more form-filling!), shows alert levels in your area, offers advice and arrange a test more quickly.

PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS
HANDS Wash your hands regularly with hot water and soap (for 20sec) and after touching your face or any surfaces. Carry a hand sanitiser with you to keep yourself at lower risk of picking up Covid-19. Here is a short video on correct hand-washing.
Don't touch your face. People touch their face on average 16 times per hour. This is a sure way to transmit virus to yourself from contact with a contaminated surface.
SPACE Keep a safe distance - 2m (6.5 feet) is safer but not totally safe (or 1m with precautions such as masks for everyone).
FACE Wearing a MEDICAL MASK must be done PROPERLY - we see a lot of people hanging a mask off their chin, below their nose, not fitted properly: THIS WILL NOT WORK!
See this short video for how to use a mask correctly
Respirators with valves are not appropriate for reducing infection spread and most cloth face coverings may not work.

Vulnerable people need special protection

SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19
If you are worried you may have or been in contact with Covid-19 use the 111 online checker 111 online coronavirus service
Only phone 111 if you cannot get online help (expect delays). You should contact 111 if you are getting worse, cannot cope with your symptoms or you are not getting better after 7 days. Do NOT go to the GP or pharmacy or hospital or walk-in centres.

Here's all the proper, official advice:

ADVICE FOR EVERYONE
ADVICE FOR PEOPLE AT HIGH RISK
GUIDANCE ON SOCIAL DISTANCING AND VULNERABLE PEOPLE (in several languages incl.Arabic, Gujerati, Urdu, Polish, French, Portuguese) ADVICE ON SELF-ISOLATION
GUIDANCE FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH A POSSIBLE COVD-19 PERSON (in several languages incl.Arabic, Gujerati, Urdu, Polish, French, Portuguese)
CHILDREN AND CORONAVIRUS
ADVICE FOR PARENTS
ACCESSING EMERGENCY CARE FOR CHILDREN DURING THE PANDEMIC

Advice on maintaining mental wellbeing
Advice on home exercising

Full proper advice:
NHS.UK & Gov.UK

For Local Advice & Information:
Brent Advice Matters
Healthwatch Brent

Work:
If you are self-isolating but well, get an Isolation Note Download here - we cannot provide this. If you can work from home you do not need an isolation note.
If you are sick and cannot work fill in a self certificate for up to 7 days. Over 7 days absence requires a Fit Note which we can provide - fill in an eConsult or phone us. Employment rights and advice

Surgery Services:
ALL REQUESTS FOR ADVICE / CONSULTATIONS ARE TRIAGED BY A CLINICIAN.
PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE SURGERY - USE THE PHONE OR E-CONSULT

• If you phone to request an appointment or for advice, a receptionist will ask you the reason (to prioritise) and will add you to a list for the doctor or nurse to call you back. Or you can send us an eConsult.
• We may not need to see you in person but may carry out video consultations.
• Online appointments are switched off.
• The main doors are closed; if you do need to collect something please use the intercom and if you need to drop something off, please use the letterbox (both to the left of the entrance)
• If we need to see you, we'll send a questionnaire by SMS link to verify you are not at significant risk of the Covid-19 virus.
• We shall give you special instructions and ask you to wear face covering or we can provide a mask. The clinician will wear protective clothing.

From June 2020, we changed the way we offer appointments for our GPs.

• All requests for GP appointments will be assessed after completing an eConsult form online – there is a link on the home page of our website.(Online booking is switched off so you will no longer be able to simply book an appointment )
• This will ensure you get the most appropriate help from the most appropriate person: the GP will quickly review your request and may offer you a face to face appointment at the surgery, a telephone or video call, send an SMS message with advice, send a prescription to the pharmacy, maybe order tests or a referral.
• We shall respond to requests as needed: before the end of the next working day, at the latest (6.30pm) but mostly the same day.
• Those without internet or who prefer not to complete an eConsult will be assisted in other ways - you can still phone the surgery and a Patient Services Team member will help you.
• Parents can use eConsult for children from 6m (under 6m will still have to be by phone contact) until 18y.
• Young people can send their own eConsult from aged 16y (from the 'I want help for my child' selection) .

• Having information about your concerns in advance helps us deliver the best help to you quickly and may avoid an unnecessary wait for an appointment and trip to the surgery.
• Reduce phone-call waiting times and free up capacity for those who require telephone contact.
• Allow more time for face to face consultations.

The NHS in NW London CCGs: Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, and Westminster spent over £13 million in 2016 on products that can be bought without a prescription at community pharmacies.

The NHS is under pressure. Our budgets are not large enough to pay for all the treatments the public would like us to provide. We would therefore like to spend less on medicines you can buy without a prescription so as to free up funds for other valuable NHS services.

So practices across North West London - and across the country- are being asked to stop routinely prescribing medicines which are available to buy over the counter in pharmacies (and, in the case of some medicines, in supermarkets and other shops too). If a medicine you need can be bought without a prescription, your GP may ask if you are willing to buy it. If you are not willing to buy it, it will be prescribed.

The following groups are exempt: School children, if the product needs to be given at school, Care home residents, Individuals with funded care packages where a carer is required to administer a medicine or product, Anyone officially declared homeless, People with a diagnosis of dementia, People with a diagnosed learning disability.​

More details about these medicines

Here is a list of commonly prescribed medicines which are available without a prescription

BBC Health News stories