Biggar Health Centre

Welcome to Biggar Health Centre

Click this link to order Repeat/Acute Prescriptions online

 

 

Opening Hours

The practice is open between the hours of 8.00am and 6.00pm, Monday through to Friday, with extended G.P. surgeries every Wednesday evening from 6.00 - 7.45pm.

 

 

G.P. Appointment System

We offer a variety of appointments:-

• Appointments bookable in advance
• Appointments bookable 'on the day'
• Urgent same day appointments
• Telephone appointments
• Review clinics
• Chronic disease clinics
• Acupuncture clinics
• Extended G.P. surgeries every Wednesday evening from 6.00 - 7.45pm
• Extended Nurse surgeries every weekday morning from 7.30 - 7.50am

 

We also operate an appointments system for nurse clinics. Please telephone if you wish to book an appointment. Routine appointment scheduling varies on a day to day basis. 

If you require to be seen the same day you will either be offered an appointment by a receptionist to be seen that day or, if appropriate, you will be put through to the duty doctor and he/she will arrange to see you later the same day.

Routine appointments are listed below. It should be noted that if a doctor is on Duty, or Housecall duty, then their routine times will not be available that day.

Doctor/Nurse	Commuter/ Special Late Morning Surgery	Telephone Surgery	Afternoon  Surgery	Extended Opening Hours
Dr AMD Goldie Dr P McGregor Dr PB Strigner Dr D Carvel Dr J K Hutchison	8.00am - 12.00 noon	2.00 - 2.30pm	3.00 - 6.00pm	Wednesdays 6.00 - 7.45pm
P/N Kirsten Steele P/N Barbara Muir	8.00am - 12.00 noon		1.00 - 6.00pm	Wednesdays 6.00 - 7.45pm Mon - Friday 7.30 - 8.00am
TR/N Mary Brownlie	8.00am - 12.00 noon		1.00 - 6.00pm	Mon - Friday 7.30 - 8.00am
HCSW Irene Smith HCSW Ros Wallace	8.00am - 12.00 noon	1.00 - 2.00pm

  

 

 

OPEN DAYS FOR SEASONAL FLU, PNEUMOCOCCAL AND SWINE FLU VACCINATION

SATURDAY, 6^TH FEBRUARY 2010, FROM 9.00am – 1.00pm

SATURDAY, 13^TH FEBRUARY 2010, FROM 9.00am – 1.00pm

THE FOLLOWING ‘AT RISK’ GROUPS ARE ELIGIBLE:-

                       SEASONAL FLU AND                                          SWINE FLU VACCINATION

       PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINATION

-OVER 65s -COPD -CARERS -ASTHMA (BROWN INHALER USER) -CHRONIC RESPIRATORY -DISEASE -CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE -CHRONIC RENAL DISEASE -CHRONIC HEART DISEASE -IMMUNOSUPRESSED (INC. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS) -DIABETES

-OVER 65 AND IN AN ‘AT RISK’ GROUP -6 MONTHS – 5 YEARS OLD -PREGNANT -COPD -CARERS -ASTHMA (BROWN INHALER USER) -CHRONIC RESPIRATORY DISEASE -CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE -CHRONIC RENAL DISEASE -CHRONIC HEART DISEASE -IMMUNOSUPRESSED (INC. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS) -DIABETES

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, WE HAVE LEAFLETS AVAILABLE AT THE HEALTH CENTRE

IF YOU WISH, YOU CAN ARRANGE A TELEPHONE APPOINTMENT WITH A GP/PRACTICE NURSE PRIOR TO THE OPEN DAYS

OR YOU CAN CONTACT THE NHS VACCINATION INFORMATION LINE ON 08000 282 816

ADVISING US OF CHANGES TO YOUR CONTACT DETAILS

Due to the recent bad weather, we found it necessary to cancel some clinics. In the course of trying to contact patients on the telephone numbers held on record for them we discovered that some contact details were not up to date. For reasons such as this, and also in the event of a house visit being requested from a doctor, it is absolutely imperative that you let us know if you change any of your contact details, including address, telephone numbers, email address, etc.  

We have 'Change of Details' forms available to collect from the Health Centre. You can also click the link below for a downloadable version of the form. If you wish a hard copy by post, please send us your written request along with a stamped addressed envelope.

CHANGE OF DETAILS FORM

 

Training Closure - Wednesday 24th February 2010

On the above date the Health Centre will close at 1.00pm for GP and staff training. The phone lines will be transferred to the Out Of Hours Service at 1.00pm and we will re-open on Thursday 25th February at 8.00am as usual. There will be an extended evening surgery as usual from 6.00pm - 7.45pm.  

 

 

COURTESY COLLECTION SERVICE OF PRESCRIPTIONS TO GRAEME PHARMACY

We recently had a couple of complaints from patients because their repeat prescription had not been delivered to Graeme Pharmacy for them. On investigation, it transpired that these patients had not marked on their repeat slip that they wished their prescription to be delivered to the chemist.

FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, IF YOU WANT YOUR REPEAT PRESCRIPTION TO BE SENT TO GRAEME PHARMACY FOR YOU, YOU MUST WRITE SO EACH TIME ON YOUR REPEAT LIST WHEN YOU HAND IT IN, OR EMAIL IT.

If it does not state on your repeat slip, letter, or email, that you want your prescription to be delivered to Graeme Pharmacy, it will be kept at the Health Centre for collection. 

 

 

 

Building Works

As part of the ongoing construction works, the footpath which runs alongside the front wall of the Health Centre has been dug up  During this time, all visitors to the Health Centre should use the car park to enter and exit the building. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

NHS LANARKSHIRE - SWINE FLU/INFLUENZA A(H1N1)

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Any patients with flu-like symptoms should identify themselves to reception on arrival for any appointments within the Health Centre. 

Information on Swine Flu can be found at:-

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health

 

 

SEASONAL FLU VACCINE (NOT SWINE FLU)

Please phone 01899 220383 to arrange an appointment with Practice Nurse.

Patients who meet the following criteria will be eligible to receive the vaccination:-

Over 65s

COPD 

Asthma (brown inhaler user)

Chronic respiratory disease

Chronic liver disease

Chronic renal disease

Chronic heart disease

Immunosupressed

Diabetes  

 

Building Works

As we reported in October’s newsletter, a community dental surgery specifically for children and patients with special needs is to be built in the grounds of the Health Centre. The Heras fencing has now been erected and the works themselves will commence shortly, with a proposed completion date of the end of May 2010.

The building will be constructed partly on the grassed area at the top end of the car park, and partly on the car park itself.

This means that we will lose some valuable parking spaces within the car park itself and a very limited number of spaces will be available during the works.  Most importantly we will lose one disabled parking space and priority MUST be given to patients who require these. If you are able to walk to the Health Centre for your appointment during the period of the building works, we would be grateful if you would do so. Please do not park in the Doctor’s parking area at the side of the Health Centre.

Temporary disabled spaces will be made available in the near future and we urge you not to use these spaces as drop-off zones, or for convenience when handing in samples, prescription requests, letters, etc.

As these works will be largely carried out during the winter months, it is inevitable that there will be mess and disruption to the car park. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

 

District Nurses Telephone Number

As part of a recent upgrade of our telephone system, we now no longer put phone calls through to the District Nurse's office. Instead you can contact them on direct telephone number 01899 229536.

 

 

Health Visitor (Lanarkshire Area)

The Health Visitor can be contacted on 01555 811476.

   

 

Extended Opening Hours

On Wednesday evenings there is an extended evening surgery with Doctor and Practice Nurse appointments available from 6.00pm to 7.45pm.

There are also Practice Nurse appointments available Monday through to Friday from 7.30am to 8.00am.

 

 

Kello Hospital, Biggar

Treatment Room

For patients who require stitches removed or dressings changed, there is an open access treatment room at the Kello Hospital open from 2.30 - 5.00pm each day. If you are unable to attend during these times please contact the Kello Hospital direct on 01899 220077 to make an alternative arrangement.

Patients who arrive with suspected fractures will be advised to go to Wishaw General Hospital, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, or St John's Hospital, Livingstone.

 

 

Young Parent Survival Guide

Promoting Positive Policies and Services for One Parent Families

We have a copy of the Young Parent Survival Guide in the waiting area of the health centre for young parents to have a read through if they wish. This is generally aimed at under 25s, with information about money, legal advice, childcare, housing and other useful tips.

If you are a lone parent and you need free confidential information, please phone 0808 801 0323 (Mon - Fri 09:30-16:30)

There is a supply of cards in the waiting area with this number on it.

 

 

NHS LANARKSHIRE, GP AND STAFF TRAINING 2009/2010

WEDNESDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 2010

WEDNESDAY 24TH MARCH 2010 On the above dates the Health Centre will close at 1.00pm. The phone lines will be transferred to the Out Of Hours Service at 1.00pm and we will re-open the following day at 8.00am. There will normally be an extended evening surgery as usual on these days from 6.00pm - 7.45pm. Please check with reception.

Automated Arrivals System

Biggar Health Centre now has an automated arrivals system installed in the waiting area. This means that you will be able to ‘check in’ when you arrive for your appointment, using the touch-screen.

The automated arrivals system works with our own computer clinical system. This means that all appointments you have made with a GP or nurse will not only be on our computer system, but they will also be on the automated arrivals system.

 

How to Use the Automated Arrivals System:-

• The system will identify you either by you entering your date of birth on the touch-screen. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL DATES OF THE MONTH FROM 1 THROUGH TO 31 ARE ON THE SCREEN SO THERE IS NO NEED TO TRY TO ENTER A TWO DIGIT NUMBER FOR THE DATE OF THE MONTH OF YOUR BIRTH. WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED REGISTERING YOUR ARRIVAL PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRESS 'ARRIVE ME' OR THE SYSTEM WILL NOT RECOGNISE YOUR ARRIVAL. 
• The system can also identify you by fingerprint recognition. This requires you to go through a registration process but once complete makes your arrival process a simple two touch action on the screen.

• Within seconds you will be informed who you are seeing and the approximate waiting time.

Benefits of the automated arrivals system:-

• It will cut down the length of time you will spend queuing at the reception window just to ‘check in’

• It will allow our receptionists to spend more time in person with patients who have special needs or complex queries

• It will also allow our receptionists to spend more time answering phone calls and deal with administrative matters

Case Study:-

Greyfriars Surgery, Hereford, was one of the first practices in the UK to install this particular type of automated arrivals system.

One of their receptionists stated, ‘I think self check-in is a great service for our patients.’ ‘If a patient is happy to use the kiosk, they can check themselves in quickly and easily. Alternatively, those patients that would prefer to speak to a receptionist benefit from reduced queues and shorter waiting times when telephoning the surgery.’

The service has proved popular with patients too. ‘Everyone has found the system really user friendly.’ ‘[It is] widely used by all our patients. We expected to see a defined group that used it more than others, but have discovered that everyone is more than happy to use it, from small children to pensioners. The timesaving benefit is clear to all.’

   

 

EMERGENCY CARE SUMMARY (ECS)

WHAT IS THE ECS?

The Emergency Care Summary is an extract of data from Practice Computer Systems. The extract consists of the following:-

• Patient demographics (CHI number, forename, surname, previous surname, address and post code, telephone number(s), date of birth, sex, current GP practice, seen by GP)
• Allergies and adverse reactions
• Medication (drug name, dose, quantity, date prescribed)
• acute prescriptions from last 30 days
• current repeat prescriptions (drug name, dose, qty, date prescribed) in the last 12 months
• Consent status
• Registration status
• Deducted field indicating that the patient is no longer registered at the practice (if applicable)

WHAT IS THE ECS FOR?

The ECS is for patients who need care out of hours when their own surgery is closed, especially if they are unable to remember details about their own current prescriptions. If you require medical care after 6.00pm or at weekends, NHS24 and Out of Hours centres will be able to access your ECS records. This will tell the clinicians which drugs you are taking, all medications prescribed within the last year and whether you have had any adverse reactions. If you would like to see your ECS, please ask for a print-out at reception. There are leaflets available in the waiting area. This service will soon be available in A & E and in all areas of Scotland. If you do not wish to have an ECS record and wish to opt out, please inform the Practice Manager.

 

 

Travel Clinics

If you are planning an overseas trip and are unsure of what, if any, vaccinations or malaria pills you might need, Travel Forms are available from reception. One form per person should be completed and returned to us. Please ensure that the telephone number you enter on the form is an easily contactable number and that you have signed the form. Once these forms are returned to us, a Practice Nurse will check if you need any vaccination treatment and/or malaria pills and contact you within two to three days to arrange appointments, or a vaccination schedule if necessary.

If you are leaving the country for an extended period you may need vaccinations eight weeks prior to departure. Please obtain Travel Forms as per the above procedure.

There is no charge for the Travel Clinic. If you pay for your prescriptions you may be charged the current prescription fee for some vaccinations, and some more complicated vaccine schedules may require a private prescription. This can, however, be discussed with a Practice Nurse.

 

 

Emailing Requests for Acute/Repeat Prescriptions

Please refer to the Home Page and the 'Our Services' page of this website for two ways of emailing the health centre with your request. There are details of a dedicated email address, and also directions for filling out an on-screen form. Please note that your patient ID number is on the top of your paper repeat prescription list, although it is not necessary to have this number in order to fill out the form on-screen.

Please ensure that you have entered your own email details correctly when filling out the form so that a copy of your request can be sent to you. You can add the address sending the email to your address book (post@net-blast.com) and check any other spam/junk filter software that you use to make sure that your acknowledgement is not stopped by your own filters.

N.B.    Please DO NOT email prescription requests to Mrs Frances Wallace, Practice Manager.

 

 

COLLECTION OF PRESCRIPTIONS

Please refer to the guidance table below, which demonstrates the day on which your prescription will be ready to collect depending on which day you made your request. 

N.B. Please note that if you handed your request in to Graemes, the chemist, or emailed after 6.00pm, we will not receive it until the following day - in which case you should ADD ONE DAY ON BEFORE COLLECTION.

Please note that there are very few exceptions to the above. Exceptions would include urgently required medication such as inhalers, etc.

 

 

NO SMOKING POLICY - NHS LANARKSHIRE

The revised No Smoking Policy came into force on 1st August 2008.

It means that people are no longer allowed to light up ANYWHERE INSIDE NHS LANARKSHIRE PREMISES OR WITHIN ITS GROUNDS, including hospitals, clinics health centre entrances, AND IN VEHICLES PARKED ON NHS PREMISES.

 

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 2010/2011

FRIDAY 2ND APRIL	GOOD FRIDAY
MONDAY 5TH APRIL	EASTER MONDAY
MONDAY 3RD MAY	MAY DAY
MONDAY 31ST MAY	BANK HOLIDAY
MONDAY 19TH JULY	FAIR MONDAY
MONDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER	BANK HOLIDAY
MONDAY 27TH DECEMBER	CHRISTMAS CLOSURE
TUESDAY 28TH DECEMBER	CHRISTMAS CLOSURE
MONDAY 3RD JANUARY 2011	NEW YEAR CLOSURE
TUESDAY 4TH JANUARY 2011	NEW YEAR CLOSURE

Please ensure that your medication is up to date and that any requests for prescriptions are with the Health Centre or Graeme's Pharmacy at least one week before closure at the very latest. During closure, in an emergency phone NHS24 directly on 08454 24 24 24, or the Health Centre number 01899 220383, or 999.

 

 

Music in the Waiting Room of the Health Centre

At the health centre we realise that patients who are feeling poorly may not always welcome the radio or music being placed in the waiting area.

In order that we can maintain privacy and confidentiality from within the District Nurses and Health Visitor's rooms, which are just off the waiting area, and also to maintain privacy within the main corridor of the Health Centre in the event of a medical emergency, we require a certain level of background music.

In an effort to acommodate as large a percentage of musical tastes as we can, we have the radio tuned to Radio 2, and hope that we can - as always - count on your understanding and support.

 

 

Smoking Cessation

All pharmacies within Lanarkshire are now providing one-to-one advice for those wishing to stop smoking.

If you want some advice about smoking cessation, please ask at Graeme Pharmacy on the High Street in Biggar. Tim May, the Pharmacist, will be pleased to offer you a consultation in a private room and can also provide you with a course of nicotine replacement if appropriate.

Graeme Pharmacys’ telephone number is 01899 220019