Hi everybody
I wanted to update you fully on practice hours and services over Christmas and New Year.
Sleaford Medical Group will be open in some form or other for most of the festive period – here is a summary of what you can expect.
Weekend of 21st and 22nd December – Urgent Care Unit open 8am to 6pm
Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th December – normal practice hours, however we will be operating a reduced AskMyGP service (see below)
Christmas Day and Boxing Day – closed
Friday 27th December - normal practice hours, however we will be operating a reduced AskMyGP service (see below)
Weekend of 28th and 29th December – Urgent Care Unit open 8am to 6pm
Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st December – normal practice hours, however we will be operating a reduced AskMyGP service (see below)
New Years Day - Urgent Care Unit open 8am to 6pm
Thursday 2nd January – full normal service resumes, no AMGP restrictions
What Can I Use the Urgent Care Unit For?
The urgent care unit is mainly for minor injuries or illness. Typically you would attend (no appointment required) if –
· You have a cough, cold, possible chest infection, pneumonia, tonsilitis
· You have a poorly child
· You have a sudden, new pain
· You have injured yourself in the last 48 hours
What About The Days You are Completely Closed
· Alternative help is available at Grantham Urgent Treatment Centre.
· Don’t forget pharmacies can help with minor ailments and can also prescribe antibiotics in some cases – just walk in and ask for a Pharmacy 1st consultation
· Call 111 – they will give help and advice, and direct you to somewhere if you need to be seen face to face
· Call 999 for severe and life threatening conditions
What Is the AMGP Reduced Service
· On the 23rd, 24th, 27th, 30th and 31st December we will be operating a full triage service, and to facilitate this, we will be closing our Routine queue on AMGP.
· The Acute queue will remain open for patients who need same day care – there will be no change to the hours the service is open
· This will allow us to offer a safe clinical service, and ensure the right people get seen.
· Please do not use the Acute queue for anything that isn’t urgent – if you do, we will reply and close your request. It is not safe for us to build up a routine queue over the festive period, knowing that it will be up to 10 days before we can help those patients
· The routine queue will reopen on 2nd January
If you are still in the routine AMGP queue on Friday 20th December, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to see you before January, although we will try, so please either send an acute request if your symptoms have worsened, or make use of the other services listed above if you cannot wait that long.
However you celebrate at this time of year, we would like to wish the best of days to you and your loved ones.
Debbie