Keeping Sussex Safe

If you are eligible for the vaccine you can contact 03003 038060 or call 119 for your vaccination. Please do not contact the surgery. For further information on the vaccination please click on the link here. Thank You

> Read more about the latest guidance

Due to the corona virus pandemic, we have had to change the way our appointments work. In order for you to be directed to the most suitable appointment for you, our receptionists will ask you a series of questions. This is to ascertain the correct appointment for you. You will then be placed on a telephone list for either a GP to call back, or a face to face with either our nurse practitioner, nurse, health care assistant or phlebotomist depending or your medical need. The receptionists cannot currently book face to face appointments with a GP unless the have been asked to do so by the GP.

During your call with a GP they will assess the situation to see whether you will need to be seen in surgery as a face to face appointment or if it can be dealt with over the phone. If they feel a face to face appointment is necessary, they will take precautions, ask appropriate questions and wear full PPE for the appointment. 

Our telephone lines are open 8am until 6:30pm. As you can imagine our telephone lines are currently extremely busy. We advise patients that there is self help advice on our website, the NHS website and with regards to any COVID updates, the Governments website. Pharmacists can also be very knowledgeable and helpful. We also have e-consult for general advice. 

If you are asked to come into surgery you will be required to wear a mask or face covering. You will also be asked NOT to come to surgery if you are experiencing any symptoms of the corona virus such as a temperature, new cough or loss of taste. 

Doctor Appointments

Appointments with a doctor can be made up to two weeks in advance. Due to the current COVID restrictions these can only be made via the telephone. You can speak to any of our doctors at the surgery for a routine telephone consultation appointment. The doctor will ascertain from the telephone consultation whether a patient needs to be seen face to face and will book this appointment themselves. When a  face to face appointment is made with our doctors and nurses you will be asked to wear a mask to the surgery.  Appointments for nurses, health care assistant and blood tests appointments can be made several weeks in advance. 

Nurse, Health Care Assistant and Blood Test Appointments

We have practice nurses at the surgery every day. Our Health Care Assistant has clinics four days a week and our Phlebotomist (who takes blood) has clinics four mornings a week. You can book appointments for our Nurses, Health Care Assistant and Phlebotomist in advance. Please note that this is only a guide and subject to change due to staff leave or illness.

Cancellations

If you cannot attend an appointment for any reason please inform us as soon as possible in order for us to give the slot to someone else.

Extended Hours Appointments 

This is a pre-bookable NHS service for GP and Nurse Appointments.  Bookings can be arranged via the surgery for all patients registered with Saltdean & Rottingdean Medical Practice.  These appointments are all telephone triage. Appointment times will be between 18:30 – 20:30 Monday to Friday and 08:00 – 14:00 on Saturdays.

Cancellation or amendments to extended hours appointments must be made via HERE only:

HERE Cancellation line: 07540 745730

HERE email: ehsBrighton@nhs.net

HERE website: www.extendedhoursservice.co.uk

SMS Service

We can now text you your appointment details. Please let the receptionist know your mobile phone number. You can also receive an appointment reminder, where possible, the day before your appointment. If you do not wish to receive this service, please let the receptionist know.

Patients need to self certificate for the first seven days of sickness. Please go to the government website here for further advice. You will need to have a consultation with a GP if you require a sick note beyond the self certification period. If you require further sick notes you will need to send us a request for this. You will need to complete an e-Consult which you will find on the left of this page – just click on GET STARTED. We need 48 hours to complete any requests. You will need to provide us with your name, date of birth, contact number, reason for the sick note request as well as the start and end date. We cannot issue a sick note before the last one runs out.

People unable to work for more than seven days because of COVID-19 can obtain an isolation note through a new online service.

Isolation notes will provide employees with evidence for their employers that they have been advised to self-isolate due to COVID-19, either because they have symptoms or they live with someone who has symptoms, and so cannot work.

As isolation notes can be obtained without contacting a doctor, this will reduce the pressure on GP surgeries and prevent people needing to leave their homes.

For the first seven days off work, employees can self-certify so they don’t need any evidence for their employer. After that, employers may ask for evidence of sickness absence. Where this is related to having symptoms of COVID-19 or living with someone who has symptoms, the isolation note can be used to provide evidence of the advice to self-isolate.

People who need to claim Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance because of COVID-19 will not be required to produce a fit note or an isolation note. The notes can be accessed online at https://111.nhs.uk/isolation-note. After answering a few questions, an isolation note will be emailed to the user. If they don’t have an email address, they can have the note sent to a trusted family member or friend, or directly to their employer. The service can also be used to generate an isolation note on behalf of someone else.

It is absolutely vital we do everything we can to ease the burden on local healthcare professionals, allowing them to spend as much time as possible with those patients that need them most.

“Digital isolation notes will provide reassurance to those self-isolating and their employers while also reducing the pressure on our NHS, so they can continue doing all they can to protect the people of this country and save lives.”

The isolation note service can be accessed via the 111 online COVID-19 service or NHS.UK/coronavirus as well as via the NHS app

If you have any signs or symptoms of a UTI you will need to contact the surgery by telephone and bring a sample to the surgery by 11am. You will need to answer questions over the phone with regards to your symptoms which could be any of the following:

• fever
• cloudy urine
• painful/difficult urination
• getting up in the night to pee
• frequency
• urgency
• pain in side or above groin
• blood in urine 

The sample will need to arrive by 11. Depending on your age and symptoms the sample will either be dipped by a Nurse/HCA and/or sent to the laboratory for testing. You will be contacted with the results with either advice or to collect an antibiotic from the pharmacy. For further information please click on this Patient information leaflet if you are under 65. If you are over 65 please click on this Patient Information Leaflet  

If you are bringing a sample to surgery before 11 please print the form below and bring it with the sample. The sample will need to be in a sterile container. 

Urine Form Feb 2021

A number of posts are circulating on social media as well as within the media about the national data opt-out containing incorrect information. Please click on the link below which  looks at these claims and gives you the facts you need to make your choice.

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/national-data-opt-out/mythbusting-social-media-posts

If you still wish to opt out, please print out and complete the form below and send it to us either by emailing it to us to bhccg.g81076@nhs.net or by posting it in our post box outside of the surgery or by post. 

Type-1-opt-out-preferences

Home Visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible.

In this respect, if you do need a home visit you will need to contact the surgery BEFORE 11am on the day that you wish for the visit to take place.

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed. Please bear this in mind and be prepared to provide suitable details to enable the doctor to schedule house calls. The doctor will phone first before visiting. 

You can also be visited at home by a community nurse if you are referred by your GP. You should also be visited at home by a health visitor if you have recently had a baby or if you are newly registered with a GP and have a child under five years.

Guided Self-Care

Adults experiencing mild to moderate depression and anxiety can self-refer for guided self-help from a psychological wellbeing practitioner.

Click: Silver Cloud

Mental Health Rapid Response Service

If you feel you are not able to keep yourself safe, and do not need immediate medical assistance, you should contact the Mental Health Rapid Response Service which is able to offer immediate support:

 Call: 03003 040078 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

Samaritans

Call: 116 123 (free number) or 01273 772277
Click: Brighton and Hove Samaritans
Visit: Samaritans, Dubarry House, Newtown Road, Hove,BN3 6AE

Sussex Mental Health Helpline

The Sussex Mental Healthline is a telephone service offering support and information to anyone experiencing mental health problems including stress, anxiety and depression. The service is also available to carers and healthcare professionals

Call: 03005 000101 (17:00 – 9:00 Monday to Friday and 24 hours at weekends and Bank Holidays)

The Carers Centre have supported Carers in Brighton and Hove since 1988. They provide family carers with emotional support, advice and a well-deserved break from their caring role.

https://www.thecarerscentre.org/

Also for carers in East Sussex. The Carers Centre for East Sussex provides a one-stop shop for support, advice and guidance available to local carers.  They offer a wide range of services to meet different carers’ needs, and can help to navigate the maze of health and social care systems: 

https://www.cftc.org.uk/

Complaints

We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.

However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception.