COVID-19 PRACTICE INFORMATION
Update 31st July 2020
The Apples Medical Centre have had to amend certain procedures due to the Pandemic:-
If you feel you need to see a Doctor please phone the Surgery on 01935 812633 as soon as possible in the morning after 08:00 and one of the Drs will phone you back. We aim to speak to as many patients as we can on the same day but you may find you have to wait until the following day.
Alternatively, please use the e-consult facility on our website, www.sherborneapples.co.uk which has step-by-step instructions.
When you arrive to see a Dr or Nurse or to collect your prescription (after 2pm) please phone us from your car – 01935 812633 and wear a face covering if you have one. If you are on foot there is a new contactless intercom system at the front door.
The Dr or Nurse will collect you from the car park, if you are on foot we would like you to wait in an empty part of the car park to avoid the path becoming congested. When you enter the Surgery you will have your temperature taken and be given some hand gel to apply. You may be asked if you have a cough or temperature.
If you need to pay for your prescription(s) this will need to be done prior to collection by phoning the Surgery and speaking to a Receptionist or Dispenser who can take card payment.
We are unfortunately unable to provide certain services currently including ear-syringing and NHS Health checks.
Update 15th July 2020
Sherborne Viral Kindness support sheet – useful numbers for patients (.pdf)
UPDATE 24th June 2020
The UK Government has set out a roadmap for the clinically extremely vulnerable on the future of the shielding programme.
For now, the guidance remains the same – stay at home and only go outside to exercise or to spend time outdoors with a member of your household, or with one other person from another household if you live alone – but the guidance will change on 6 July and again on 1 August , based on clinical evidence.
Shielding and other advice to the clinically extremely vulnerable has been and remains advisory.
Click here to download and read the full guidance (.docx)
UPDATE 1st June 2020
From Monday 1st June 2020, the government has set out its plan to return life to as near normal as we can, for as many people as we can, as quickly and fairly as possible in order to safeguard livelihoods, but in a way that is safe and continues to protect our NHS. see the below click to see what you can or can't do:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do
NHS test and trace: how it works
An overview of the NHS test and trace service, including what happens if you test positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) or have had close contact with someone who has tested positive. (copy the link and paste into your search engine)
We can all help control the virus if we stay alert. This means you must:
If you're at high risk (clinically extremely vulnerable) from coronavirus (COVID-19), there are extra steps you're advised to take to protect yourself. These extra steps are called shielding
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do - please click on this link for more details on what you can or can't do
Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2 Sick day rules crib sheets:
2.-Covid-19-Diabetes-Sick-Day-Rules-Type-1-MDI-06042020.pdf
3.-Covid-19-Type-2-Sick-Day-Rules-Crib-Sheet-06042020.pdf
https://covid.joinzoe.com/ - 
COVID Symptom Tracker
Take 1 minute to report your health daily, even if you're well.
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Help slow the outbreak
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Join millions of people helping to fight COVID-19
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Help scientists identify high risk areas in the UK
CARERS INFORMATION - Masks for Carers - please go to our Carers section of the Website for more information
UPDATE 7th April 2020
Friends of the Yeatman - Press Release (News Section)
Attached is a release on behalf of the Friends of the Yeatman Hospital – supporting Chris Loder’s campaign to produce scrubs for the Yeatman/ West Dorset Hospitals.
Note To Patients
As you may be aware the government have sent over a million letters to patients advising them that they are in a ‘at risk’ group and should isolate for the next 12 weeks.
These letters were produced using hospital data and not data from GP Practices. As a result the government announced that the GP practices will be writing to additional patients.
As you may have notice, there has been a delay in this process centrally by NHS England / NHS Digital. We have been informed that the additional information will be sent to us w/c 13th April 2020
We understand and share your frustrations regarding the delay in this process and politely ask you to respect our staff whilst we wait for this situation to be resolved. To clarify, it is completely out of our control and we are dependent on NHS England / NHS Digital informing us (and other GP practices across the country) once these additional patients have been identified.
NHS Digital is still to identify all patients who should be shielded for 12 weeks. If you think you fall into the categories for shielding please check the following link. You can self-register for the support that you need. We have been advised that letters will be sent out soon.
UPDATE 23rd March - Prescriptions:
When collecting your prescription please use your own pen to sign
Please leave at least 2 clear working days to collect
If you have consented to SMS messages, if possible, the Dispensary will text you to inform you that your prescription is ready to collect
UPDATE 17th March
When you attend the surgery please ring the doorbell and a member of staff will open the door and ask to take your temperature.
If you have an appointment you will be asked to wait in the car (if you drove to the surgery) or if not, then to wait on the bench in the porch and the Clinician will then come and get you.
We have decided to take this approach to try to limit our footfall and the number of patients in the surgery, our aim is to keep everyone as safe as possible from the risk of Coronavirus
Government Guidance Changes:
(Monday 16th March 2020)
Government guidance has now changed, anyone with a new persistent cough and or a high temperature (37.8 degrees centigrade or higher) should self-isolate for 7 days from the onset of symptoms. (if you live with other people, they should stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person got symptoms
You no longer need to contact NHS 111 unless your symptoms deteriorate. 111 website
(https://111.nhs.uk/service/covid-19)
There is now a Community Home Visiting Service in Dorset who will manage the care of anyone self-isolating when needed.
Changes to appointments from
Monday 16th March 2020
We would like to minimise the number of patients attending the practice for face to face appointments. This is to reduce footfall in the surgery to help us with infection prevention and control. Our aim is to keep everyone as safe as possible from the risk of Coronavirus.
Appointments: We have stopped online booking. All new appointment requests will be triaged by phone by a GP to make sure you get the most appropriate appointment, this might be face to face or it may be by telephone.
If you have a non-urgent query please consider using our e-Consult method via our website www.sherborneapples.co.uk This can be used to upload pictures of rashes etc.
We will be concentrating on the most important types of care. This means we may not be able to do all usual non-essential work such as Ear Syringing, Minor Operations and non-essential bloods tests.
Routine Asthma, Diabetes and COPD reviews will be conducted over the telephone with a Clinician where possible.
These changes are intended to reduce risk of Coronavirus infection and help us deliver the most essential health care over the coming months.
Thank You
Greg, Steve, Rob and Ange