Welcome to the Old Mill and Millgates Medical Practice Website

 We are confident that our website will provide clear and concise help and give our patients the information they require in an easy and convenient format. It has been designed with the patient’s needs at the forefront of everything, from checking surgery times to letting us know what you think of us.

CORONAVIRUS PRACTICE UPDATE 17 MARCH 2020

We currently have two doctors and one other clinician off work because their family members have displayed either a new, continuous cough or have a high temperature.  We have therefore had to take the post difficult of decisions to move all clinical care to one surgery.

With effect from Thursday 19th March 2020 we will not run any clinics at Millgates Surgery in Hempnall.  Any patient that has a medical need should contact Old Mill Surgery, Poringland on 01508 492929.  Our team will be working flat out in difficult and trying circumstances to try and resolve each enquiry that they have to deal with.  We will utilise all available staff resources to man the telephones but we ask that you show patience.

Millgates will remain open for patients to collect their medication and to process any paper repeat prescription requests.  The hours when medication can be collected from Hempnall Surgery are as follows:-

Monday - 15:00 - 18:00

Tuesday - 09:00 - 12:00

Wednesday - 09:00 - 12:00

Thursday - Closed

Friday - 15:00 - 18:00

The latest advice:- COVID-19: Guidance for Households with Possible Coronavirus Infection

• Stay at home if you have Coronavirus symptoms - these are:-
• A high temperature - you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
• A new, continuous cough - this means you've started coughing repeatedly
• Do not go to a GP Surgery, Pharmacy or Hospital
• You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you are staying at home
• Testing for Coronavirus is not needed if you are staying at home 

If you live alone and have symptoms of Coronavirus illness, however mild, stay at home for 7 days from when your symptoms started.

If living with others, then all household members who remain well may end household isolation after 14 days.  The 14 day period starts from the day illness began in the first person to become ill.  14 days is the incubation period for Coronavirus; people who remain well after 14 days are unlikely to be infectious.

After 7 days, if the first person to become ill feels better and no longer has a high temperature, they can return to their normal routine.  If any other family members become unwell during the 14 day household isolation period, they should follow the same advice - that is, after 7 days of their symptoms starting, if they feel better and no longer have a high temperature they can also return to their normal routine.

Should a household member develop Coronavirus symptoms late in the 14 day household isolation period (for example, on day 13 or 14) the isolation period does not need to be extended, but the person with the new symptoms has to stay at home for 7 days.

It is likely that people living within a household will infect each other or be infected already.  Staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community. 

Plan ahead, and ask others for help to ensure that you can successfully stay at home and consider what can be done for vulnerable people in the household. 

Ask your employer, friends and family to help you get things you need to stay at home.

Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, each time using soap and water, or use hand sanitiser. 

If you live with someone who is 70 or older, has a long term condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try and find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days or the duration of the home isolation period.  If you have to stay at home together try to keep away from each other as much as possible. Those who are increased risk of severe illness with Coronavirus can be found here: Severe Illnesses & Coronavirus

If you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home, or your condition gets worse, or your symptoms do not get better after 7 days, then use the NHS 111 on-line Coronavirus Service.  If you do not have internet access, call NHS 111.  For a medical emergency dial 999. 

For further information please go to: Coronavirus Overview

CORONAVIRUS PRACTICE ACTIONS 16 MARCH 2020

Dear Patients of Old Mill & Millgates

In response to the current Coronavirus pandemic the Practice has taken steps to try and reduce the risk to our patients and staff.  As of this morning we are cancelling all pre-booked GP (Doctor) appointments and patients are being asked if they require contact with a clinician to ring the Practice.  All requests for GP appointments will be assessed by our team of clinicians and they will then be contacted by telephone.

Those who have pre-booked Nurse or blood test appointments will be contacted by our Reception team to ensure they pose no clinical risk to other patients or staff.  Furthermore non-essential appointments such as Health Checks will be postponed for the time being.

Long term condition reviews such as Asthma, Diabetes and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease will be conducted by telephone and those who have booked an appointment will receive a call to see if this is suitable.  

Prescriptions can still be collected and we have a team at the front door at Old Mill who will bring them to you.  At Millgates patients can collect prescriptions in the normal manner.  Should you wish to re-order please use on-line access or alternatively drop the repeat slip into the prescription boxes located inside the front doors of both surgeries.

The decisions we have taken have been made after much discussion amongst the clinical team and having reviewed the current guidance given by NHSE and Public Health.

We will endeavour to keep our patients updated by populating our website with the latest information made available to us.

We trust that you will understand the decisions we have made considering the current situation facing all of us.  We would appreciate your cooperation and patience during these difficult times.

Our dedicated team are here to treat those minor ailments that occur as well as providing specialist management of long-term conditions and clinics covering a wide range of healthcare issues. The technology also means you can now do a lot of things from the comfort of your home such as order a repeat prescription or cancel an appointment.

Once registered, patients and healthcare professionals work together to ensure the most appropriate care is provided. Our practice mission is to provide a high standard of patient centered medicine both clinically and administratively, to our local community, delivered in an effective and equitable manner. This partnership philosophy extends even further and our active patient group exists to make sure that patient needs and the practice offering are always heading in the same direction.

The Norfolk Deaf Association (NDA)

It is the leading local charity, solely dedicated to improving the lives of people with all degrees of hearing loss by promoting better awareness and understanding of the issues affecting the hard of hearing.

Their many services include:

• NEW Aural Care Service
• Hearing Support Service (home visits, mobile and community based clinics)
• Assistive Listening Technology Clinics
• Befriending service (one to one & group support)
• Tinnitus Support Group
• NNUH Audiology Clinics

They also offer Hearing Loss Awareness Training and British Sign Language Courses.

They are there to help the Norfolk community, their key objective is to provide high quality information, support, awareness and communication services. 

Here is a link to their home page: https://www.norfolkdeaf.org.uk/

APPOINTMENT BOOKING 

In response to patient suggestions we have made more appointments available to pre-book.

This will mean that it is unnecessary to ring first thing in the morning to arrange a routine appointment.

For all urgent same day appointments please continue to contact the Practice on the day.

We will be offering a range of appointments with various clinicians to include:

• Nurse Practitioner
• Emergency Care Practitioner
• Practice Nurse

These clinicians have access to a doctor should here be a need to refer a patient for further care.

Our Reception team have been trained to signpost patients to the most appropriate clinician.  In order to do this effectively they have been asked by our doctors to ask patients what their presenting condition is.

IMPROVING PATIENT ACCESS TO CLINICIANS

Our Practice is engaging in a pilot scheme providing improved access for patients to a range of healthcare professionals.  Working within a group of eight local Practices, we will be offering a range of appointments each weekday evening between 18:30 and 20:00 and during selected times at weekends, to registered patients, in at least one of the participating Practices.  Please contact our reception team at Old Mill or Millgates for more details. 

Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspection 14th June 2017

The Practice CQC inspection took place on 14th June 2017, the results can be seen on the link below.  Many thanks to all of those patients who took the time to complete the questionnaires and speak to the inspectors and special thanks to the PPG for all of their help.