We have started the roll out of the COVID vaccination programme and working with 14 other GP practices we are holding clinics in the Barnstaple Leisure Centre.
Alongside these clinics from week commencing 25th January we will also be running Practice based clinics. We are reliant on the national delivery of vaccines and we then arrange our clinics around those dates.
We have started with priority group 1 which is care home residents and staff and the over 80 year olds.
Phases of the Covid Vaccination Programme
This is the official NHS information on the phased approach to the COVID vaccination programme.
Phase 1 – direct prevention of mortality and supporting the NHS and social care system.
JCVI advises that the first priorities for the COVID-19 vaccination programme should be the prevention of mortality and the maintenance of the health and social care systems. As the risk of mortality from COVID-19 increases with age, prioritisation is primarily based on age. The order of priority for each group in the population corresponds with data on the number of individuals who would need to be vaccinated to prevent one death, estimated from UK data obtained from March to June 2020:
1. Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
2. All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers
3. All those 75 years of age and over
4. All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
5. All those 65 years of age and over
6. All individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
7.All those 60 years of age and over
8. All those 55 years of age and over
9. All those 50 years of age and over
It is estimated that taken together, these groups represent around 99% of preventable mortality from COVID-19.
This is what we are following at Bideford Medical Centre along with all practices in North Devon. Each category has thousands of patients in and we are on categories 1 & 2 at the moment.
We will contact patients directly to invite you.
You will have heard about larger mass vaccination sites being set up across the country and it may be that at some stage you will receive a letter from the national booking team inviting you to have your vaccine - when you get this letter you can choose to either go to a mass vaccination site (and the letter will tell you where this is) or to have it done more locally. We are concerned that it may cause some confusion as these letters will not come from the practice but from a central team and we have no influence over this.
We are delighted that there is a vaccination and we will be playing our part in the NHS wide roll out over the coming months as it will take some time to vaccinate everyone – we thank you for your patience and understanding.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) for patients
Why you are being asked to wait for the vaccine
COVID Vaccinations Update - 22nd January
Want advice from your doctor, self-help information or have an administrative request (such as a sick note or test results)?
Fill out a simple online form to get advice and treatment today if you submit your request between 8:00AM and 4:00PM. Otherwise your practice will respond by the end of the next working day.
How does the e consult service work?
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Complete a simple form about your problem or request
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Your GPs decide on the best treatment for you
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The practice calls you or emails you with advice, a prescription or an appointment
We have changed the way in which we manage long term conditions.
Please click the LTC button above for further information.
Long Term Conditions (LTC)
Children & Young People - Fever / High Temperature
Healthier Together - a community initiative. In addition to the above topic, this website provides a range of advice for parents, young people and pregnant women, and clinical resources to support healthcare professionals.
https://www.what0-18.nhs.uk/parentscarers/worried-your-child-unwell/fever-high-temperature
HANDi Paediatric App
The HANDi Paediatric app gives up-to-date advice about common childhood illnesses and how to treat them.
It’s now available to download for free onto any Apple or Android smartphone or tablet.
The app has been designed as a way to reduce the number of children and young people who visit A&E, but need no treatment. It has been developed by paediatric consultants and will give you access to home care plans, as well as GP and hospital clinical guidelines, for the most common childhood health care concerns.
