Message from Dr Sam Tapsell To all of our patients on Fri 20 March 2020:
This has been a tough week and we are very grateful for the huge amount of support we have felt from our community. We need your help to make sure we can keep running in the difficult months ahead. We are a small team working at bare minimum due to “self isolation” to protect our patients, staff and their families. So please:
- CHECK ONLINE. If you are unwell with fever or cough, stay at home and get NHS advice online. Isolation notes (sick notes) are also available online as well as the 111 symptom checker.
- STAY SAFE. If you are vulnerable by age or illness, you must stay at home and stay safe.
- STOP THE SPREAD. Please don’t visit the surgery unless you really need to. Dont check if your medications are ready, don’t call in to ask if we are open as usual. We need to reduce the “traffic” and risk of infection coming through the surgery and of course please wash your hands!
- DON’T PANIC. Please allow at least 72 hours for normal medication requests. We have amazing staff working nights and weekends to keep up with demand and make sure you will be well supplied.
- HELP US. We can process requests much more easily by online ordering, paper request or by email. Try to only phone as a last resort.
- GET ORGANISED: Please collect medication between 12-1 and 5-6pm. Please use the volunteer delivery service if you are self isolating, more details will be added in coming days as groups are already organising in Hartland, Welcombe and Woolsery. Many thanks to all the volunteers putting their names forwards through local facebook groups.
- KEEP NEAR YOUR PHONE. Most appointments are now by telephone. When we need to see you in person, we will need to consider the safest way this can be done.
Thanks again,
Sam and Ruth Tapsell