Coronavirus: Latest actions for GP practices

Date: 09 March 2020

Last updated 13/3/2020

The guidance and advice for the public has now been updated. 

For all the latest guidance for primary care, visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/

Please continue to review all the latest CAS alerts that will be coming into your practice.

For all the latest guidance for members of the public, please visit nhs.uk/coronavirus

All new posters are available to download and print from the PHE campaign resources website.

Updated 9/3/20

Primary Care COVID-19 Preparedness Letter

Please find attached the first in a series of regular update letters from Dr Nikki Kanani MBE, NHS England and Improvement’s Medical Director for Primary Care. These letters, which are part of wider on-going communications for Primary Care including social media posts and national media, will help colleagues with the planning and delivery of healthcare during the current outbreak of COVID-19.

The letter from 5th March has information including protective kits (PPE) and changes to online bookings.

In a rapidly changing situation, these letters aim to bring together, in once place, the most up to date key information needed about keeping both PC healthcare professionals and patients as safe and well as possible.

Updated 6/3/20

This page will be updated on a regular basis and will remain the top news item. It will signpost to the relevant websites for colleagues working in primary care. We recognise that there is a significant amount of information and guidance being sent to you and so this page is aimed at being a quick reference point for you.

The information is changing on a regular basis and you will be receiving alerts through the CAS system. This page on the BEST news page a belts and braces approach and doesn’t replace anything you look at daily from the CAS or other alerting system.

-- Update 06/03/20 --

Please see the information below which is aimed at primary care and healthcare settings. This is standard wording which everyone should use if the occasion arises.

There is also a refresh and reminder of the posters and text you should be using on your websites and answer phone messages.

Posters

A series of posters have been created for healthcare settings including hospitals and primary care settings. These have been updated with the new list of countries and areas affected.

A poster for GP practices that need to close for cleaning is being produced and will be available shortly.

These are available here.

Web text for healthcare settings

Important information about the coronavirus (COVID-19)

The NHS in Barnsley and Public Health England (PHE) are well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.

The latest information on symptoms of Coronavirus infection and areas where recent travel may have resulted in a high risk of exposure can be found on nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.

Use this service if:

  • you think you might have coronavirus;
  • in the last 14 days you've been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus;
  • you've been in close contact with someone with coronavirus.

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Call 111 if you need to speak to someone.

Like the common cold, coronavirus infection usually occurs through close contact with a person with novel coronavirus via cough and sneezes or hand contact. A person can also catch the virus by touching contaminated surfaces if they do not wash their hands.

Testing of suspected coronavirus cases is carried out in line with strict guidelines. This means that suspected cases are kept in isolation, away from public areas of GP surgeries, pharmacies and hospitals and returned home also in isolation. Any equipment that come into contact with suspected cases are thoroughly cleaned as appropriate. Specific guidance has also been shared with NHS staff to help safeguard them and others. Patients can be reassured that their safety is a top priority and are encouraged to attend all appointments as usual.

Everyone is being reminded to follow Public Health England advice to:

  • Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.

Add in any of the following that apply (more than one of the following may apply):

Wording for GP practice closed for cleaning

An individual who has been identified as a possible Covid-19 case has recently attended xxx[inset practice name].

To protect other patients and members of the public, the individual was kept in isolation, away from public areas of GP surgeries, pharmacies and hospitals and returned home also in isolation. In line with Public Health England (PHE) guidance, xxx[practice name] is closed for cleaning to remove any potential risk for patients.

Once the cleaning is complete, the practice will reopen on xxx. Patients and staff can be reassured that their safety is the top priority, and patients are encouraged to attend all appointments as usual. 

Should you need an appointment please contact XXX

Wording for healthcare settings where staff have to self-isolate

In line with Public Health England guidance, a member of staff at XXX has been asked to self-isolate in order to protect fellow staff members, patients and members of the public. Steps have been taken to minimise the risk to patients and staff and we are working with individual patients to appropriately manage their care. We would like to offer assurance that it remains safe for patients to attend XXX as normal and ask patients to attend scheduled appointments as normal.

Wording for healthcare settings where staff have tested positive

The Chief Medical Officer today announced that xx new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in England. One of these is a member of hospital/trust staff from XXX. We are very well prepared for incidents like this and the NHS and Public Health England are taking all necessary steps to manage the situation. All individuals who were in contact with the clinician have been identified and the appropriate measures taken. Steps have been taken to minimise the risk to patients and staff and we are working with individual patients to appropriately manage their care. We would like to offer assurance that it remains safe for patients to attend XXX as normal and ask patients to attend scheduled appointments as normal.

Primary care updated info

Telephone message

Please do not book an appointment, or go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital if:

  • you think you might have coronavirus
  • in the last 14 days you've been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus – see our coronavirus advice for travellers
  • you've been in close contact with someone with coronavirus

NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do. This can be accessed from www.nhs.uk.

Call 111 if you need to speak to someone.

Online booking

Please do not book a GP appointment or attend your GP Practice if: 

  • you think you might have coronavirus
  • in the last 14 days you've been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus – see our coronavirus advice for travellers
  • you've been in close contact with someone with coronavirus

NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.

Call 111 if you need to speak to someone.

For the latest Covid-19 advice please visit www.nhs.uk.

SMS

For the latest Covid-19 advice please visit www.nhs.uk.

If you think you may have Covid-19, have travelled to an affected area please do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Use the NHS111 online service to find out what to do next.

 

-- Update 04/03/20 --

Please see below the information shared by Barnsley Director of Public Health. This is on the council website:

Update on COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) from Julia Burrows, Director of Public Health, Barnsley Council

 

04 March 2020

We’re awaiting confirmation about a presumed positive case of COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) in Barnsley.

First, we send our best wishes to the individual and their family as they await the final laboratory results.

I want to reassure people that anyone who has been in close contact with that individual will be contacted by Public Health England.

I would also like to reassure people that we are working closely with our health partners and arrangements are in place to manage the situation.

For the rest of our residents, it’s really important to emphasise that the risk is low, and they should continue to go about their daily lives as normal.

To avoid catching or spreading the virus, I urge people to follow the NHS guidance below:

  • wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
  • always wash your hands when you get home or into work
  • use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
  • cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
  • put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards
  • try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell

If anyone is concerned about symptoms, they should use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service or call NHS 111, rather than contacting or visiting a GP.

You can find more information about COVID-19 on

ENDS

General information and links for primary care

All the links

  1. For all the latest updates for general practice and clinicians including things like the Standard Operating Procedures for general practice visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/eprr/coronavirus/ 
  2. For all the latest general advice for the public, signpost people to the NHS website  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ 
  3. NEW: For people concerned that they may have coronavirus or may have come into contact with someone who has, direct people to the new NHS 111 online This has been created to tell patients what they should do based on their particular circumstances.  These can be accessed at: https://111.nhs.uk/service/covid-19 The aim is to direct people to the website

Messages to the public and calls from the media

Thank you for continuing to only use the approved messaging, posters, social media adverts, websites. There are new posters reflecting the change in case definition as well as a new call to action to access online 111 services are available on the campaign resource centre.   

  • Social media – if you want to post any messages on Facebook follow @nhswebsite or @nhsbarnsleyccg and share the health advice messages  
  • If you any calls from the media or escalating rumours on social media call the CCG comms team 01226 433721 (Kirsty or Phil) and they will be able to help.  

The text below can be used for your website which now encourages people to use the 111 online service. We suggest removing any older coronavirus related news stories and replace with the message below:

NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.

Use this service if:

  • you think you might have coronavirus
  • you've recently been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus – see our coronavirus advice for travellers
  • you've been in close contact with someone with coronavirus 

Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Call 111 if you need to speak to someone.

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