Non-urgent advice: Practice Doors Open
Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic we had to change our standard operating procedure to remain Covid compliant. As a result, a intercom system was installed on the front entrance to the practice.
As restrictions have now eased, our doors are now fully open at all times during our operating times. The intercom system can still be used if you require assistance or disabled access.
The practice remains covid safe and patients are still required to wear a face covering when entering the building.
Thank you for your co-operation.
Booking an Appointment
There are various ways you can book an appointment:
Telephone
By Telephone by ringing 0151 424 3101/244 3339 from 8am to 6.30pm. Important please note that you will be allocated a timed telephone appointment slot with a doctor. The doctor will ring you back as near to your timed telephone slot as possible. If an appointment is needed you will be allocated one by the doctor.
In Person
In person at the receptionist desk 8am – 6.30pm. However you will be placed on an appointment timed telephone slot as explained in (1) above.
Online
Online (see details below).
From January 2013 you can now book an appointment and order your repeat prescriptions on line. Please click on the link https://patient.emisaccess.co.uk and then click the green Register Now button to register to use this service. (This service is temporarily suspended due to Covid restrictions).
Widnes Extended Access Service (formerly known as GP Extra)
You can also book an appointment by contacting a receptionist here at The Beeches Medical Centre on 0151 424 3101 to be seen by a GP at Highfield Hospital, Highfield Road, WA8 7DJ
This is especially helpful for patients who work, as this service is open from 6.30pm – 9pm Monday – Friday and Saturday and Sunday 9.30am – 3.30pm.
Other services available at Highfield Hospital are Phlebotomy and Cervical Screening, amongst other services. To book an appointment, please contact The Beeches Medical Centre on 0151 424 3101.
Online Consultation – PATCHS
You can submit an online consultation during practice operating hours (Monday to Friday: 8:00am – 11:00am).
A GP will review your consultation within 48 hours and advise on the appropriate action. If clinically necessary, a face-to-face appointment will be offered. Please click on the banner below, to launch an online consultation.
If you require medical attention outside practice opening hours, please ring 111 for medical attention or if life threatening please call 999.
Non-urgent advice: Emergency or Life Threatening
If your problem is life threatening, please phone 999.
You can also ring 111 for medical advice.
Non-urgent advice: Patient Responsibilities
It is very important that patients are expected to keep their appointments and attend in good time for their appointment.
If you can not attend for your appointment, then please contact us on 0151 424 3101 as soon as possible so we can re-arrange your appointment. This also ensures that we can allocate an appointment to another patient.
Please note that patients who repeatedly do not attend their appointments may be removed from the practice.
Non-urgent advice: Requesting a GP of your choice
Patients can request to see a Doctor of their choice, if that doctor is available on that day.
Please inform a receptionist and they will arrange this for you. You can also select your preferred doctor when submitting an E-Consult.
Face-to-Face GP Appointments
Face-to-Face GP appointments are available and have been available throughout the Coronavirus Pandemic at The Beeches Medical Centre.
To remain covid compliant and to keep patients safe we have had to change the way we operate.
Therefore, if you need an appointment please contact us on 0151 424 3101/244 3339 from 8:00am or alternatively, submit a online consultation and a GP will respond within 48 hours.
You will be added to a triage list. Please do not be offended if a receptionist asks you detailed questions about your condition. They require this information, so they can give the GP has much information has possible. You also have the right to decline to give this information.
A GP will then review the information and advise on the appropriate action. If clinically appropriate, you will then offered a face-to-face appointment.
We have measures in place to make your visit to the surgery safe and secure.
GP Appointments during the Coronavirus Pandemic – Practice Policy
This policy has been created based on multiple updated sources from within the Medical Profession and the Scottish Government and UK Governments. It outlines modifications to our normal procedures that we intend to employ now the COVID-19 pandemic peak is subsiding.
We would like to thank all of our patients for their patience during this period and for their understanding and cooperation whilst we implement new measures at the practice.
Our measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission
As the pandemic reduces we are working on restarting appropriate services but not at the same time. Maximising remote consultations, practicing social distancing and the wearing of PPE by all clinical staff.
It should be remembered that a medical practice is already a very clean environment compared to public areas and there is no evidence of COVID-19 transmission occurring in increased rates in GPs or their staff.
Please be assured that all our clinical staff will also be complying with our updated procedures to reduce the risk of cross infection in both directions.
Before attending the practice
A telephone or video consultation will be offered to assess your medical problem prior to your possible visit so that a provisional treatment plan can be proposed. We may also request that you send photographs (if appropriate to your complaint).
If you have coronavirus symptoms, (as outlined by NHS and UK Government), you should still self-isolate for 10 days and 14 days for household members. Please refer to https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ for up to date advice and support.
If you are required to attend the practice we recommend that you limit close contact with other members of the public as far as possible when travelling to the practice.
Please endeavour to arrive no more than 5 minutes before your scheduled appointment and no more than 5 minutes after your appointment is scheduled, this is to reduce the amount of people in the practice at any one time.
We will meet all patients on arrival at the back door and bring them straight into the surgery where possible.
One adult is able to attend with a child or an adult carer with another adult, please do not bring additional family members with you unless they are happy to wait in the car or outside the building.
Arriving at the Practice
We ask that you sanitise your hands using the hand sanitiser available to you and wear a face covering, one will be provided with a face covering if you do not have one. If you are unable to wear a face covering please advise the member of staff.
We intend to eliminate waiting inside the practice and at reception wherever possible. If you need to use the WC, please let a member of staff know and they will direct you to the facilities. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly before leaving. The restroom will be regularly disinfected between patients.
Once your appointment is finished please exit the building via the rear exit door in a timely manner.
Practice Procedures
We have spent time critically looking at every aspect of the practice with a view to removing all non- essential items that can potentially be a cause of infection, so you may find that the practice will appear to be quite bare if you attend.
All clinical and common areas, including door handles and surfaces, will be regularly disinfected in line with Government advice/guidance.
We will be providing a buffer period between patients to allow time for additional decontamination procedures, allow for any treatment overruns, and allow preparation time for the next patient so that they do not need to wait in the reception area.
Medical Procedures
All clinical and patient facing staff will be using personal protective equipment (PPE) in line with current recommendations and evidence.
We apologise in advance for the necessary reduction in social interaction that this will necessitate. Whilst our PPE may make us appear impersonal and distant, please be assured we are still the same friendly team underneath it all!
Summary
The vast majority of our patients are otherwise healthy without coronavirus infection and we are confident that we are able to provide normal medical care for these patients in as normal an environment as possible while bearing in mind our responsibility to mitigate risks of infection spread as far as is practically possible.
Our policies and procedures will be constantly reviewed and updated as necessitated by circumstances and the best available evidence over time.
Demand on our service at busy times
We try our best to answer as many calls as quickly as possible but during peaks hours the demand is very high, we appreciate this can be frustrating to our patients.
If you are struggling to get through on our phone lines, have you considered submitting an online consultation. To start a online consultation, please click below and GP will respond to you within 48 hours.
Is a GP appointment appropriate?
