Useful Links and numbers for local support re: COVID-19 go to : https://www.norwoodmedicalcentre.co.uk/info.aspx?p=19

COVID-19 update

02/04/2020 - A Difficult conversation

26/03/20 - We have been made aware of some inaccurate information circulating (especially on social media) regarding special ‘rescue packs’ of antibiotics and oral steroids for patients with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or even for those who don’t have these conditions).

We would like to reassure you that patients who suffer with severe respiratory conditions already have these in place (along with the instructions on how to use them). Oral steroids are powerful medicines and any decision to use them would need careful evaluation by a prescriber, usually a doctor or respiratory specialist nurse.

Please do not contact your GP practice for a rescue pack unless this is something that has been previously agreed and prescribed by your medical team. You should continue to manage your condition in the usual way and if you feel you have symptoms of COVID-19, go to https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 or call 111 (online services should be used as a first choice) before doing anything else.

Following new advice – our entire appointment system has moved to telephone triage. This includes doctors, nurses and HCA’s. all requests for an appointment will be triaged by a clinician first, if after this, the clinician thinks you need an appointment – it will be booked for you by them.

Everyone with an appointment booked in the coming days/weeks, you will be contacted, you do not need to phone. We have the option of video consultations, so this is now an alternative option to prevent patients having to attend the surgery. Video consultation is available to those with smartphones. Please download the mygp app for this to work as best as possible.

The doors of the surgery are locked and will remain locked for the foreseeable future; however if you are asked to come down to the surgery for an appointment please ring the doorbell. Please telephone where you can for general queries to reduce queues at the door. Sick notes we can post and prescriptions we can send directly to the chemist. we will do all we can to make this process as easy as we can for patients.

The current advice for self-isolation is anyone with a new persistent cough and a temperature above 37.8 needs to self-isolate for 7 days and members of the same household need to isolate for 14 days.

Our aim of these precautionary measures is to keep our staff and patients safe and well. Please bear with us during this busy period and be assured we are doing our best to keep the surgery functioning and to provide our patients with a service during extreme circumstances.

Non-medical support for people self-isolating in the community is being offered by St Mary's amd AgeUK in Barrow. For more info go to our latest news page or follow this link:

https://www.norwoodmedicalcentre.co.uk/news.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and requests for fit notes (Med3)

Requests for certification of absence from work may fall into five categories:

1. Personally affected – isolating for seven days
2. Personally affected - remaining unwell for over seven days
3. Household member affected – isolating for fourteen days as per government advice
4. At risk group – following government advice
5. Those in full time education
6. Personally affected – isolating for seven days

Patients should self-certify for the first seven days as normal if they are unfit to work.

They do not need to contact their GP

2. Personally affected - remaining unwell for over seven days

If patients remain unwell and unfit to work over seven days, advice is to visit www.111.nhs.uk and complete an online self-assessment. The patient may be asked to call 111 for further advice on the next steps regarding their illness/ fitness to work.

They do not need to contact their GP.

3. Household member affected – isolating for fourteen days as per government advice
4. At risk group – following government advice

GPs cannot and are not the gatekeeper of the statutory sick pay system. Employers are responsible for putting in place arrangements for home/remote working where this is possible. Where it is not, the employee may self-certify and return to work following the relevant absence which their employer may authorise as per government advice. Where they do become unwell during or after this time, point 1 and 2 applies.

They do not need to contact their GP.

5. Those in full time education

There is no requirement to issue certification to schools or colleges to confirm absence. These organisations must work with parents and students to ensure that any absence is appropriately recorded, obviating the need for a ‘doctor’s note’.

They do not need to contact their GP

As per the current www.gov.uk S13 Guidance for Employers it should be noted that:

By law, medical evidence is not required for the first 7 days of sickness. After 7 days, it is for the employer to determine what evidence they require, if any, from the employee. This does not need to be a fit note (MED3) issued by a GP or any other doctor.

Your employee will be advised to isolate themselves and not to work in contact with other people by NHS 111 or Public Health England if they are a carrier of, or have been in contact with, an infectious or contagious disease, such as Covid-19.

We strongly suggest that employers use their discretion around the need for medical evidence for a period of absence where an employee is advice is to stay at home due to suspected Covid-19, in accordance with the public health advice being issued by the government.

Welcome to Norwood Medical Centre Online

The doctors and staff at Norwood Medical Centre in Barrow-In-Furness are proud to offer the highest standard of patient-centred healthcare.  

We are proud to say that we were awarded 'Outstanding' by the CQC at their last visit- you can see the full report by clicking on the 'Care Quality Commission' tab on the right.

We run many clinics for the management of chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes and offer a wide variety of other medical services including antenatal and postnatal care, minor surgery, childhood vaccinations and well-person check-ups.

In addition to everything you need to know about the practice you will also find a wealth of health-related information in the menu on the right hand side. Please have a look around and do send us some feedback if you like.

Video Consulting

We are now trialling video consultations! These can be booked online through the myGP app or by calling reception.