Welcome to Balsall Common & Meriden Group Practice
SOCIAL PRESCRIBER SERVICE FROM BALSALL COMMON AND MERIDEN SURGERIES
The practice offers a social prescribing service (please speak to reception or your GP/Nurse if you wish to be referred).
The following video (shortcut below)will provide you with more information explaining what this service is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9azfXNcqD8&feature=emb_logo
COVID VACCINATION UPDATE 24.02.2021
To date we have vaccinated 9300 patient across 4 practices, Balsall Common and Meriden / Dorridge / Hampton and Arden Surgeries
We are presently Inviting the following patients to book appointments for the vaccine:
Patents 16-64 with Underlying Conditions
Patients 65-69 Age Group no Underlying Conditions
Patients 60- 64 Age Group no Underlying Conditions
Patients who are Carers
Joanne Hope / Practice Manager
FIND MY NHS NUMBER
To find you NHS number go to the following web address:
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/find-nhs-number/?fbclid=IwAR0-xS0C2pTwNtAnt5RyjWWxwDT5nn7qH8XHODrS4QPFYUwXqDVPH51_-34
COVID Vaccinations
Message from Dr Richard Horsley 01.02.2021
Balsall Common Practice is working with its Rural Primary Care Network (PCN) colleagues at Hampton, Dorridge and Arden to deliver the COVID vaccination locally to our patients. We are proud to offer this service locally to our own patients with members of our own practice team. However, we owe a debt of gratitude to some amazing volunteers in the team including members from the Lions, 41 Club, Rotary, Ladies Tangent from Balsall Common and Dorridge who come whenever called to our aid. The practice team have also called on other nurses and doctors to bolster team resilience as we aim to keep our service to others with long term conditions and new urgent problems running to the best of our ability. This project delivered locally was fought for by our management and nursing colleagues who without tireless hours of organisation, meetings, emails , calls and site readiness this would not be possible locally. I want to say thank you to them personally Joanne Hope, Sarah Chare Balsall Common and Kirsty Millard from Hampton and Dr Julia Markham from Dorridge.
The nurses and doctors are also supported by BSol CCG who have been fantastic at adding additional resources to keep people safe. The power cuts have caused losses of other travel and baby vaccines in the past so we ask for public support to understand why we need a loud noisy generator to keep us all safe. Our team has been helped by volunteers and PCN new additional roles team of care co-ordinators and clinical pharmacists.
I can say I realise what I love about being a doctor is seeing patients face to face and the pleasure of giving peace of mind, a sense of freedom and this precious vaccine to our most frail and vulnerable first has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career. I know my colleagues willingly give up their weekends and free time to vaccinate as many people as we possible can.
The speed of the campaign is limited by the supply. Calling people to offer a vaccine is also a pleasure. However, I know the distress of those who remain waiting and those lower down the JCVI Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-for-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-advice-from-the-jcvi-30-december-2020. We will call you and we know you wait patiently for your turn. Those who are listed as extremely vulnerable or those have been shielding for months are those we want to reach now as soon as possible. The mass vaccination sites and community pharmacies have a place for those young and mobile who have opportunity to use them.
Below are some statistics to show the efforts of the team thus far:-
As At 29.01.2021 the following vaccination have been given at the Balsall Common Health Centre to patients from the Balsall Common, Meriden, Arden, Dorridge and Hampton practice and also front line health workers:
80 years and Over 2849
75-79 Years Old 1494
70-74 Years Old 698
Under 70 597
Total Vaccine Given 5638
When you have been vaccinated please continue to follow the rules. When you have symptoms please follow the rules. Together if we are selfless, follow the rules and vaccinate quickly I hope 2021 will show the signs promise that we can escape the pandemic. The scientists are learning and will reassure us soon about the new variants and the success of the vaccination campaign nationally.
Dr Richard John Horsley
COVID Vaccination - Information
Balsall Common are presently giving COVID vaccinations in line with NHS Guidelines, this will be by invitation only. The first group of patients to be invited are those 80 years old and over, nursing home residents and nursing home staff and frontline Primary Care staff. Once the 80+ patient group has been invited we will invite next group 79 and 78 years of age and so on unless the NHS Guidelines changes.
You do not need to contact the practice to make an appointment we will be contacting all patient to book appointments.
Housebound patients will be vaccinated at home by our Community Nursing Team, this team will contact housebound patients to make arrangements to visit.
Please find information leaflets below:
Covid-19_Guide_for_Adults_leaflet.pdf
PHE_11843_Covid-19_why_do_I_have_to_wait_leaflet_download.pdf
FACE COVERING - INFORMATION
Information regarding face covering can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own
EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES - this has been taken from the above website document
If you have an age, health or disability reason for not wearing a face covering:
- you do not routinely need to show any written evidence of this
- you do not need show an exemption card
This means that you do not need to seek advice or request a letter from a medical professional about your reason for not wearing a face covering.
However, some people may feel more comfortable showing something that says they do not have to wear a face covering. This could be in the form of an exemption card, badge or even a home-made sign.
Carrying an exemption card or badge is a personal choice and is not required by law.
If you wish to use an exemption card or badge, you can download exemption card templates. You can then print these yourself or show them on a mobile device. Please note that the government is not able to provide physical exemption cards or badges.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of these templates in a more accessible format, please email publiccorrespondence@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please say what format you need the template in and what assistive technology you use.
For exemptions in different parts of the UK please refer to the specific guidance for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
BALSALL COMMON AND BERKSWELL COMMUNITY HELP
ARE HERE TO HELP YOU!
Volunteers are ready to
• Collect and drop off shopping
• Collect and drop off medicine
• Be available for a chat
• Perform other tasks within reason
Contact us if you or your family need help during isolation at home and we will get someone to you
07515 570 887
bccommunityhelp@gmail.com
If you can help as a volunteer please also contact us
MERIDEN PATIENTS SELF ISOLATING - DO YOU NEED HELP
Please see document below giving full details of the support available from the Meriden Parish Council
Meriden Parish Council Helpline Sept 2020.docx
ONLINE APPOINTMENTS
In view of the Corona Virus situation online appointments have been suspended at present
New Patient Registrations - Proof of ID and Address
All patient registering at the practice now have to provide Proof of ID and Proof of Address before their registration is accepted by the Practice
More information is detailed in "How Do I" - "Register With the Practice"
Early Appointments now available at Balsall Common and Meriden Surgeries
We now have early morning appointments a
Balsall Common - Tuesday 7.00am to 8.00am
Meriden - Thursday 7.00am to 8.00am
Please ask at reception
If you are unable to attend your appointment please help the surgery reduce wasted appointments by cancelling your appointment
You can cancel your appointment by using the following methods;
Ø By telephoning Balsall Common Surgery 01676935000 or Meriden Surgery 01676 522706
Ø By secure email to solccg.bccancelappointments @nhs.net
Ø Face to Face at Reception
Ø In Writing
Ø Via our website www.balsallcommongrouppractice.co.uk using the on line services or practice message
Please give other patients the opportunity to use your appointment if you cannot attend
Sick Note Requests
If you require a sick note please make a telephone consultation appointment with your usual doctor to discuss this. If you have recently attended hospital (which is the reason for the sick note) to be issued the hospital should give you a sick note for the expected duration you will be away from work following the procedure, on this occasion you should contact the hospital for your sick note.
Clinical Questions or Enquiries via email
We are unable to respond to clinical questions / enquiries via email. Please make a telephone consultation with a doctor to discuss your question / enquiry.
Secretaries Answerphone - Prescription and Sick Note Enquiries or Requests
Prescription and Sick Note enquiries or requests should not be left of the secretaries answerphone. From 6 3 2018 any requests left on the secretaries answerphone will NOT be actioned. This is also detailed on the secretaries answerphone message
Text Messaging - Mobile Numbers
**We are now operating a text message reminder service; please ensure your mobile number is correct and up to date on your medical records. Please speak to Reception or email balsallcommon.practice@nhs.net with your name, date of birth and mobile number to add it to your records.**
Cancelling Your Appointments
To quickly cancel an appointment you can send an email to:
solccg.bccancelappointments@nhs.net or telephone your surgery
Email Your Prescription Requests
Presciption requests can now be sent to the practice using the following email address:
bcm.prescriptionrequest@nhs.net
If you have any queries or comments about the Website please contact the practice at:
balsallcommon.practice@nhs.net