Covid-19 Changes In the Long Term

Posted on July 20th, 2020

Like other GP Practices, we have remained open throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic. Urgent medical problems are still dealt with by GPs, ANPs, nurses and other staff. As we move into a phased recovery, most medical services will start to come back on stream, but this does not, and cannot mean a return to normal. Just as the supermarket, the coffee shop and the office is a very different place, so too is the GP surgery. Much of what you may need to contact the surgery about can be dealt with without attending in person, so people across the country are being asked to phone first, with telephone or video calls arranged, and only those who need face to face contact are asked to attend to keep you and others safe with as few people as possible in the buildings.

Because it’s likely that those attending will have health problems, it’s even more important to ensure safety than it is in the supermarket or office so staff will continue to wear PPE, and you will be asked to wear a face covering/ mask. Contact time will be kept to a minimum for everyone’s safety but despite this each appointment needs to be longer, and waiting rooms will seem very different. The way appointments are delivered will stay changed for a very long time to come. We all need to feel safe when we use the NHS and need our NHS staff to be safe.