Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Present Covid-19 threat level is 3

Levels explained

  • Level 1 - COVID-19 is not known to be present in the UK
  • Level 2 - COVID-19 is present in the UK, but the number of cases and transmission is low
  • Level 3 - A COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation
  • Level 4 - A COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high or rising exponentially
  • Level 5 - As level 4 and there is a material risk of healthcare services being overwhelmed

Important information about the coronavirus (COVID-19)

The NHS in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire and Public Health England (PHE) are well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.

If you or anyone in your household develop a high temperature and/or a new, continuous cough and/or loss of/ change in smell or taste do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

Information and guidance about Coronavirus can be found at https://111.nhs.uk/service/COVID-19/

The situation with Coronavirus continues to change rapidly and we are keeping a close eye on developments and following all guidance from Public Health England.

To help us to manage the increased pressure on healthcare services and to protect our patients and staff from potential infection we have moving to a system of telephone triage for all GP appointment requests. This means that you will speak to a GP on the telephone first and if the GP feels that they need to see you face to face then they will arrange a time for you to come into the surgery. Pre-bookable face to face appointments with GPs or Advanced Nurse Practitioners will not be available while this situation continues. It is currently still possible to book appointments in advance for nurse-led clinics but availability for some clinics with a lower clinical priority is likely to be reduced.

Repeat Prescription Requests

Due to an increase in demand, we would now ask you to allow 3 working days before collecting your prescription.

To avoid a journey to the surgery to request repeat prescriptions, please download the NHS App (available from the App Store or Google Play). It is possible to register within the app (no information is needed from the surgery) and this will allow you to request medication, view test results and access useful information.

For guidance on setting up the NHS App CLICK HERE

Further Information

Like the common cold, coronavirus infection usually occurs through close contact with a person with novel coronavirus via cough and sneezes or hand contact. A person can also catch the virus by touching contaminated surfaces if they do not wash their hands.

Testing of suspected coronavirus cases is carried out in line with strict guidelines. This means that suspected cases are kept in isolation, away from public areas of GP surgeries, pharmacies and hospitals and returned home also in isolation. Any equipment that come into contact with suspected cases are thoroughly cleaned as appropriate. Specific guidance has also been shared with NHS staff to help safeguard them and others. Patients can be reassured that their safety is a top priority, and are encouraged to attend all appointments as usual.

Everyone is being reminded to follow Public Health England advice to:

  • Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.

> Information about Coronavirus (PDF)

Advice in your region

England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | Ireland

Stay at home if you have either:

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • loss of/ change in smell or taste

To protect others, do not go to places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Stay at home.

Use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do.

Only call the surgery if you cannot get help online.

For information on:

Advice to patients about face coverings

Heywood Family Practice, as part of its ‘Covid Secure’ assessment requires all patients to wear face coverings when attending the surgery, as it may be difficult to maintain effective social distancing separation within the surgery and pharmacy premises. In order to protect other patients and staff at the surgery, we are asking that all patients and visitors to the surgery wear a face covering. If you attend the surgery for a non-urgent problem, you may not be able to be seen at the time of your appointment unless you are wearing an appropriate face covering. If your problem is considered urgent and you do not have your own face covering, you may be required to wear a cloth face covering supplied by the surgery before being seen.

We ask for the patient and only one essential carer or family member to attend the surgery wherever possible. If the carer or the single family member accompanies the patient into the surgery or the pharmacy premises, then we ask that both of you wear face coverings.

The exception to this would be if wearing a face covering might cause significant distress to the patient, or if they are a child under the age of 11 years.

Covid Restriction Update: 14th July 2021

Throughout the pandemic we have strived to make our surgery as safe as possible for all our patients and staff. We will continue to do so going forward.

From the 19th July nothing will change at our surgery - patients will need to still wear a mask, socially distance and use hand sanitiser in the surgery and all of our staff will continue to wear PPE.  We do understand that it can be frustrating but we know that when people come to us they are sick and vulnerable (and some of our patients cannot receive covid vaccinations due to medical reasons) so we feel it would be wrong to not take these small precautions that can protect people. We also need to ensure that we continue to protect our staff. If any of our staff have to self-isolate for a period of 10 days, our capacity for seeing and treating patients will significantly reduce.

We have come so far in trying to minimise the impact of covid within our community and we are sure you understand that we need to keep the surgery as safe for all our patients as best we can.