21^st November 2022

Dear Patient

Proposed merger of: Scartho Medical Centre, Chantry Health Group and the Lynton Practice

As a patient at one of the above GP practices, we want to share with you our proposal to merge all three of these practices into one practice with three sites from 1^st April 2023.

All practices involved in this merger have already been closely working together following the creation of the Genesis Primary Care Network in April 2022 and deliver several health care services together including the extended access service each evening and at weekends.

As you may be aware General Practice is currently being faced with unprecedented challenges, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. The limited finances available in the NHS and difficulty recruiting new doctors and nurses as existing staff move on or reach retirement age are likely to affect our ability to deliver health care services in the future.   This is why we are considering a merger of our three practices.

If the practice proposal to merge is successful, we will continue to operate from all the existing premises, which means patients will not notice any major changes to the service they currently receive but will have a wider choice of health care premises for appointments.

The aim of the merger is therefore to:

• Provide sustainable high quality consistent care for our registered patients.
• Improve access to more clinical staff for patients, at more sites
• Futureproof the Practices for the future and a greater chance to recruit clinical staff.

Next steps, please tell us your views.

The formal consultation to obtain your views on the proposed merger will start from 10^th November 2022

ending on 23^rd December 2022.

Your feedback will be used to help us make a decision and to ensure we provide a service that meets our patients’ needs.

You can have your say on the merger using the following methods:

• Collect a comment card from your practice. In each site there is a designated box for completed comment cards.

• Complete the feedback from received via text message (for patients that use this service)

• Email your practice directly on: Scartho Medical Centre - nel.b81030@nhs.net

Write to us at Scartho Medical Centre, Springfield Road, Grimsby, DN33 3JF

• If you wish to speak to a member of staff to talk you through this, please contact the Practice and ask for the Manager or Deputy Manager to give you a call back.

Frequently Asked Question sheets are available at each Practice and are also available on your practice website (see below)

The closing date for comments and feedback will be 23^rd December 2022.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Allamsetty

Dr Salisbury

Dr Seepana

Dr Samad

Practice Merger Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We have included some frequently asked questions below which may answer any queries you have about the merger. Updated information about the merger will be available on the practice websites

Homepage - Scartho Medical Centre

https://www.taylorsavenuemedicalcentre.co.uk/

https://www.chantryhealthgroup.nhs.uk/

What is a practice merger?

A practice merger is when two or more practices join together to form a single practice. In this case we will still be based at 3 separate buildings.

Why are you doing it?

General Practice is currently being faced with unprecedented challenges, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. The limited finances available in the NHS and difficulty recruiting new doctors and nurses as existing staff move on or reach retirement age are likely to affect our ability to deliver health care services in the future. This is why we are considering a merger of our three practices.

How will this affect me?

You will still be able to contact and attend your usual GP surgery, as well as having the option to visit the other two sites

When are you planning to merge?

1^st April 2023

Will I have to re-register or anything?

No, there is no need to re-register as a new patient

What will the telephone numbers be?

Our main telephone numbers are staying the same. Please continue to use the number you have always used.

When will the surgery be open?

Opening Hours of all 3 sites will stay the same

Our sites are open Monday to Friday 8.00am to 6.30pm.

Extended access appointments are also available

What happens if I need a GP outside normal hours?

There is no change. Please telephone reception on the usual number and a recorded message will tell you what you need to do next.

How do I make an appointment?

The way appointments are booked at each site will not change.

Will I still be able to see my usual GP and nurse?

Yes. All of the GPs, nurses and healthcare assistants at both practices will still be available after the merger.

I sometimes have appointments with specialist workers (e.g. counsellors, retinal screening, midwives and health visitors). Will I still be able to see them?

Yes. There is no change to booking appointments with these specialist workers.

How do I get in touch with the District Nurses?

There is no change to how you can contact the District Nurses.

What do I do if I need a home visit?

Home visits are made for those who are too ill to attend the surgery. If a home visit is deemed to be necessary, this will be arranged by your site.

What will happen to my medical records?

There will no change to your paper records; these will still be stored on-site.  Your computerised records will be accessible to clinicians at your three sites, where you could be seen.

How do I order my repeat prescriptions?

Patients can continue to order repeat prescriptions as they have always done   

Please allow 48 working hours for your prescription to be prepared.

How do I collect my prescriptions?

There is no change to how you can collect your prescriptions.

How do I get my results?

There is no change to how you can get your results. Please contact the surgery or view on the app, but please avoid telephoning for results in the morning as this may block important requests for appointments or visits.

What will happen about my annual reviews?

We will ensure that you receive the annual reviews that you need, and we will send you reminders.

What will happen about baby and childhood immunisations?

We will write to remind you when you need to bring your baby or child in for their immunisation injections.

What will happen about my annual flu vaccination?

We will let you know when the flu clinics will be well in advance so that you have plenty of time to arrange an appointment.

Will the Patient Participation Groups (PPG) continue?

Yes the groups will continue, however there will only be one PPG in the future.

How will we keep in touch with patients?

Please continue to visit our websites, if we decide to form a new website in the future patients will be informed,

If you have any questions about the merger then please contact our reception team and we will be happy to help.

If you are eligible for a Covid booster vaccination, you can book online now www.nhs.uk/book-a-coronavirus-vaccination. 

If you are unable to book online, please call 119 for the national booking service.  You can call 119 to:

• book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment, including booster vaccination appointments
• cancel and rebook COVID-19 vaccination appointments

To check if you're eligible and for more information about the autumn booster, visit A guide to the COVID-19 autumn booster - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

We will contact eligible patients about flu vaccinations as soon as possible.

For more information, please visit the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/nhs-covid-pass/children-under-18-and-the-nhs-covid-pass/

The team at Scartho Scartho Medical Centre explain why it is so important to keep going with the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

From 17 May 2021, people in England who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can demonstrate their vaccination status for international travel. A full course is currently two doses of any approved vaccine. Vaccine status will be available from: 

• the NHS App which you can download from app stores 

It may take more than a week for your identity to be checked and verified so you can use this service.

If you cannot access this online service, and you have had 2 vaccines, you can request a paper letter from the NHS by calling 119. Only call 119 if you are due to travel abroad in the near future and have had your second dose more than 5 working days ago. It may take 7 working days for the letter to arrive.

This practice is not able to provide you with a letter that shows your COVID-19 vaccination status.

When you're planning your travel, check the latest information on demonstrating your COVID-19 status when travelling abroad on the gov.uk website. Make sure there is time to get  proof of your vaccination status before you leave.

Local domestic abuse services are still offering supporting during the pandemic.

At a time of immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you can't speak, press 55 on your telephone keypad when the operator is on the line to still get help. 

Thank you to everyone who has fed-back their positive experiences after attending Scartho Medical Centre for their COVID-19 vaccination.

Please remember, the COVID-19 vaccine is free of charge and only available thorugh the NHS!

This NHS leaflet is for patients with suspected coronavirus who have not been admitted to hospital, and will be isolating at home:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/12/C0719_COVID-Isolating-at-Home-Safety-Netting-Leaflet-Revised-FINAL-171220.pdf

Over the last few months you are likely to have noticed a difference in the way things are being done in general practice as we manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

We want to start off by saying thank you. Thank you for adapting so quickly to these new ways of working – it has been a drastic, yet fundamental, change needed to ensure the safety of you and our staff.

Currently, the pandemic is having a profound effect on our workforce as staff are having to self-isolate. This means that we are having to prioritise patients in terms of their clinical need. It means that we may take longer to answer the telephone, and that we are not able to see you as quickly for routine check-ups.

We would like to reassure you that if you are overdue any routine checks, we will be in touch to arrange these when we are able.

We hope for your continued understanding and support during these unprecedented times.

The Electronic Prescription Service enables prescriptions to be sent electronically direct to a pharmacy of your choice. Patients can set up a nomination of choice with any pharmacy or you can ask reception to set this up at the practice.

Patients who do not currently have a pharmacy nomination set up are encouraged to do so. This helps the practice to limit the footfall at the surgery in light of the Covid-19 outbreak, it also limits unnecessary trips to the practice by the patient. Electronic prescriptions also help save the NHS money.

EPS Phase 4 will enable a prescription with no pharmacy nomination set to be sent electronically. Patients will be able to go to any pharmacy and ask for their electronic prescription to be dispensed. To do this the patient can give the pharmacy a token prescription which can still be collected from the surgery or by giving their NHS number or prescription UUID. Patients can find their NHS number by accessing their online health record. To limit administration burden on the practice we would again encourage all patients to set up a pharmacy nomination.

Read more about EPS on the NHS website by clicking here

Due to the COVID pandemic, how you contact us will be different at the moment. This includes making use of phone, video and online consultations where possible to reduce any unnecessary face to face contact. This approach has been taken locally and nationally, and is aimed at minimising the risk of infection to you, other patients and your GP staff where possible.

We remain, and have been open throughout the pandemic, and if you need to see your GP, please ring us on 01472 279500. 

Appointments are being delivered over the telephone, via video call and face-to-face. If you are asked to come into the surgery for a face-to-face appointment by a member of our team, please remember to wear a face covering. Measures are in place to keep you safe from infection during your visit to the surgery. Please do not come to the surgery unless you have an appointment - this is to help us monitor the footfall in the surgery, and also to identify who is present on the premises should we be contacted by NHS Track & Trace.

If you are waiting for a check-up, please be assured we will be in touch.

If you have any health concerns, please don’t ignore them. You can seek medical advice in different ways including the use of NHS 111 (online and phone), your GP practice or your pharmacist.

Pharmacies are very busy at present. We would ask that you support your local pharmacy in these unprecedented times. 

We are seeing increases in requests from patients for letters of exemption to wearing face masks in various public settings.

The Government guidance suggests there is no requirement for evidence for exemption. It should be sufficient for someone to declare that they are eligible for an exemption direct with the person questioning them (eg bus driver).

Therefore, we are unable provide letters of support for those who fall under the list of exemptions, or to those who do not fall under the list of exemptions.

Please see this useful infographic, on how to ensure you are wearing your face covering correctly. 

For the third consecutive year, we have been norminated for one of Hull York Medical School’s annual Teaching Excellence Awards. Nominations for the awards are submitted by Medicine and Physician Associate students in recognition of the exceptional education and support they have received over the last twelve months. Well done team SMC!

Face coverings MUST be worn when entering Scartho Medical Centre premises.

Please note that a face covering does not need to be a medical mask, homemade masks and even scarves/tea-towels are permitted as a face covering.We are asking our patients to support this to ensure the safety of our patients and staff, and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In addition to the requirement to wear a face covering, we kindly ask patients who are attending the practice for an appointment to follow the below guidelines:

• Please do not attend earlier than your appointment time 
• Please attend alone for your appointment unless you need assistance
• Please do not touch any surfaces unnecessarily
• Please use the hand sanitiser available as you walk in
• Please go straight to the designated waiting area that you will be advised on upon arrival

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.