Welcome to Highbridge Medical Centre
Flu Vaccinations – 2020
Please see section to the right “Flu Campaign”
****IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR PATIENTS****
3rd September 2020
Please note that due to the technical failures of the askmyGP system, resulting from a surge of activity directed nationally towards primary care, the practice has decided to turn off askmyGP. We apologise on behalf of the system that you will not be able to submit requests online. Once we can access the system ourselves, we will continue to work through requests already submitted and therefore we ask that you do not call the surgery unless you have a new request or your symptoms/circumstances have changed.
Please call the surgery to arrange a call back. For emergencies, call 999. If you are wanting advice regarding a less urgent complaint, please consider using the 111 website which provides a useful symptom-checker and advice regarding many health conditions. Another valuable resource is Patient UK, which provides NHS verified advice and symptom-checker.
If you wish to order a repeat prescription please submit these via Patient Access.
Please remember that you may not need to make an appointment at the surgery. Your local pharmacy has trained medical professionals who can provide free advice on the best treatment for a wide range of illnesses and minor ailments. Visiting your local pharmacy can save you time and with no appointment needed, you can just walk in. What’s more, many pharmacies are open in the evenings and on the weekends. For more information about the wide range of services that your local pharmacy can offer please see https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/pharmacies/what-to-expect-from-your-pharmacy-team/
Using askmyGP is quick and easy and can be accessed via the following link:
You will be aware of the current Covid 19 pandemic and to protect patients and staff we have some new protocols in place.
To support us to deal with your healthcare needs we are now using a new service called askmyGP. This service will make it faster and easier for you to contact and access the surgery by submitting requests.
The clinical team review and prioritise all requests and it is their aim that you will be contacted within three working days of these requests being submitted.
Please do not use askmyGP for medical emergencies.
Once registered, we are confident that you will find Ask My GP a much more efficient and supportive way for you to access the surgery and obtain the care that you need.
Patient Reminder: Continue to seek medical help from your practice
Although we have brought in changes to the way that we are managing patient requests, mainly that we are using a total telephone triage approach in the first instance, we wished to remind our patients that we are still open and running services.
Many conditions are able to be safely dealt with during a telephone appointment and following this, if you do need to be seen by a member of our team, this will be arranged with you.
With this in mind, we would like to remind all patients that they should not put off seeking help from the practice during this time if they have a medical need or concern.
We thank you for your continued support at this difficult and unprecedented time.
Stay safe.
Thank you
During the Coronavirus Pandemic, Highbridge Medical Centre has been overwhelmed by the kindness, generosity, thoughtfulness and support it has received for all of our staff and our patients.
This support has come in many ways, shapes and forms over the last few weeks.
Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge – You have outdone yourselves co-ordinating an absolutely invaluable volunteer service that is providing essential assistance for our community’s most vulnerable. Thank you.
We have received additional protective equipment from a number of generous and innovative sources. Thank you.
Our staff have been treated to edible delights and beautiful floral arrangements that have ensured their smiles keep shining. Thank you.
A special thank you to one of the Highbridge Medical Centre family Alison Husband and to local business Material Needs for creating scrubs for our clinical team to wear whilst carrying out their work. Material Needs supplied the fabric and Alison, with the help of her husband have worked day, night and weekend completing several sets of scrubs for our team. Thank you.
This support during the most difficult and unprecedented time has lifted the hearts of all of us.
Stay safe.
Public Health England - Coronavirus patient advice
Public Health England - Coronavirus patient advice (Chinese)
STOP : DO YOU HAVE? A fever, sore throat, cough or cold symptoms. Consider self-management.
Due to the heightened awareness PLEASE CALL THE SURGERY instead of attending in person.
Clinicians will call you back to provide you with advice and help with your symptoms.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://111.nhs.uk/service/covid-19
Pneumococcal Vaccination - Patient Update: 08/01/2020
Please note that the Pneumococcal vaccination is now unavailable for our suppliers until approximately April 2020. We apologise for this and will keep trying to order but will most likely not have any stock provided to us until that time.
If you are applicable for this vaccination please note that it can be given at any time of year, so when we have them in stock you will be offered/you can ask to have once the stock becomes available.
Thank you for your understanding in this matter.
Many Thanks, Highbridge Medical Centre
Fancy beating the phone queue? How about booking your
routine doctors appointment online?
You can also order your repeat prescriptions, view your regular medicines and any recorded allergies. Click on the Patient Access image to log in.
Patient Access is what you want. For more information see the Patient Access tab to the right.
We have been rated "Good" overall in our latest CQC report. For more information please see the tab to the right named "Care Quality Commission"
You may also like to view the Press Release from Symphony Health Care Services regarding the recent CQC report. See below.
SHS Press Release
Medication Reviews
Medication reviews are required for all patients who are prescribed any regular medications on prescription.
For more information please select the Prescriptions tab at the top right of the website.
Fax Machine
From the end of October 2019 we will no longer operate a fax machine.
This is in line with the NHS withdrawing all use of fax machines by March 2020 in a bid to improve patient safety and cyber security, we will be ceasing use from now, we won't switch off until end of October to ensure that all parties have had time to learn of alternative methods of secure information transfer.
You may contact the surgery via the telephone or is non-urgent please email the relevant team per the below addresses;
Contacting us by telephone?
For Appointments or a general enquiry please dial - 01278 783220
For a Home Visit or Medical Secretary (between 8am-5pm) dial - 01278 764230
For Results (between 2pm-4pm) dial - 01278 764244
On average we deal with 500 calls a day, with peak periods being between 8.30 and 10.00 am. If you call during these times, expect delays - we are not a call centre with limitless resources. Alternatively call at later times. We are here til 6.30 pm everyday.
For Non-Urgent medical advice out of surgery opening hours (Surgery is open: 8.30am - 6.30pm Monday-Friday excluding Bank Holidays), please contact 111.
For Urgent/life threatening medical advice/assistance, please contact 999.
Access to clinical records
Patients will be pleased to know that, in line with Government guidelines, we are now able to offer patients access to their clinical records. At present this is limited to lists of medications, allergy information and any other information as discussed and agreed with your GP. For more information please contact reception.