Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and your information
Click here for the privacy notice for the Covid-19 pandemic
COVID Vaccination for 16 and year olds
We are aware that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has recommended the extension of the Covid-19 vaccination programme to 16 and 17 year olds. We are awaiting further guidance from NHS England on when the programme will commence and how the vaccinations will be administered to this age group. Please do not contact your GP – eligible young people will be contacted when the programme commences to advise on the next steps.
COVID Vaccination Certifications
We are unable to issue these certificates at the practice.
Please see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/demonstrating-your-covid-19-vaccination-status-when-travelling-abroad for further information.
Proof of your vaccination status will be available on the NHSapp, (which is also valuable for accessing your health records and ordering repeat prescriptions)
The NHSapp can be downloaded from https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/nhs-app/id1388411277 for iPhone or https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nhs.online.nhsonline for android.
Alternatively you can call the NHS helpline on 119 (from 17 May) and ask for a letter to be posted to you. This must be at least 5 days after you’ve completed your course of the vaccine, the letter may to take up to 5 days to reach you.
Kind regards
Kingswood Surgery
If you have COVID-19 like symptoms please follow NHS guidance which you can find here: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/. If you need COVID-19 medical advice please contact NHS111 not the practice. NHS 111 is available on line 111.nhs.net. If you do not have internet access you can contact NHS111 by ringing 111.
GP practices in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon and Masham, and throughout Harrogate District, have begun working differently together as we response to the current situation to ensure we are able to provide the best possible GP practice care across our community.
We are sharing staffing and resources to help protect the NHS and have put a new process in place to help us do this. If you need non-COVID-19 general practice health care call the usual practice number. You will be asked some questions to make sure we can connect you with the best person for you needs. You will receive a call back from a GP or nurse to discuss your healthcare. We will continue to do most consultations over the phone or by video conference. If you do need to see a medical professional face to face it may not be your usual GP or nurse and you may not be seen at your usual practice. This is to minimise exposure to COVID-19 of both our staff and our patients.
Thank you very much for working with us as we work together to ensure that you get the health care you need
Guidance note for patients requesting exemption letters for facemasks
We are aware that some patients might be understandably anxious about the Government’s recent announcements around the use of face masks in various public settings.
GPs are unfortunately not in a position to provide individual risk assessments or letters for patients who feel that they should be exempt from wearing a face mask.
YOR Local Medical Committee has therefore prepared this guidance note as the statutory body that advises and supports all GPs and practice teams across North Yorkshire.
The government guidance on exemptions suggests there is no requirement for evidence for exemption therefore it is sufficient for an individual to self-declare this.
The responsibility for issuing exemptions does not lie with your GP. Practices are under no obligation to provide letters of support for anyone who does not fall under the list of exemptions but considers them to have another reason to be exempted.
Government advice on the use of face coverings can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own
Some people don’t have to wear a face covering including for health, age or equality reasons.
We hope that this guidance provides some reassurance for you on this issue.
Update from the practice - 9th April
We wanted to give you an update on how we are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that all of our registered patients continue to receive necessary patient care.
As you will appreciate your GP practice is working hard to ensure that safe processes are maintained for patient treatment and staff welfare in these exceptional times. Consequently Practices across the Harrogate and Rural District are working together to share sites and clinical appointments.
To help us respond effectively to the current situation, and continue to provide the services you need, we are working with other GP practices across the local area to put new temporary arrangements in place, which are outlined below
- If you need non-COVID-19 primary care health services call the usual practice number.
- We will ask you some questions to make sure we can connect you with the best person for your needs.
- You will receive a call back from a GP or nurse to discuss your healthcare. We will continue to do most consultations over the phone or by video conference.
- If you do need to see a medical professional face to face it may not be your usual GP or nurse and you may not be seen at your usual practice. We are pooling our resources with other practices in order to protect the NHS, ensuring patient and staff safety by building support across local GP practices should staff become ill or need to self-isolate.
- If you do attend for a face to face consultation staff may be wearing personal protective equipment including face masks, aprons and glove. This is for everyone’s protection and to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
- We will ask that you observe the two metre rule from anyone in the practice as advised by government. COVID-19: If your symptoms are COVID-19 like please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ for advice, or use 111.nhs.net or NHS111 if you need medical support. Do not come to the GP practice.
Please be assured that we are all working hard to keep you safe and secure and minimise the travelling to Practices to help reduce the spread of the Coronavirus.
Thank you for working with us and for your support and understanding.