Welcome to the Bridge Surgery Website
With this website we aim to help you find all the information you need. You can order repeat prescriptions, cancel existing appointments, change the contact details we hold for you and much more.
Watch this video and find out more about how you can access your GP record, book and cancel appointments, order repeat prescriptions and much more by downloading this user friendly app from the NHS.
Face mask exemption letters
Practices are NOT required to provide letters of exemption for patients who feel that they should be exempt from wearing a face mask in various public settings.
The Government guidance suggests there is no requirement for evidence for exemption. It should be sufficient for someone to declare that they are eligible for an exemption direct with the person questioning them (e.g. bus driver).
Some transport providers are providing evidence of exemptions themselves, see for example this information from First Bus and Arriva.
Alternatively, please visit www.keepsafe.org.uk/mask and download an exemption card for you to show if asked why you are not wearing one.
Asthma UK also provide a face covering exemption card/downloadable graphic that you can show on your phone or other device that explains why you're not wearing a face covering.
CORONAVIRUS - LATEST ADVICE
The NHS in Staffordshire and Public Health England (PHE) are well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to protect patients, our community and NHS staff while ensuring as many services as possible are available to the public. We have changed how we work making the majority of contact via telephone and only seeing patients at the surgery when absolutely necessary.
If you have symptoms associated with coronavirus including a new continuous cough or a high temperature, you are advised to stay at home for 7 days. Please do not book a GP appointment or attend your GP practice.
If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home. After 14 days, anyone you live with who does not have symptoms can return to their normal routine.
But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms start. Even if it means they’re at home for longer than 14 days. The most up-to-date public guidance is always online at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.
If your symptoms are serious, or get worse, NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need further medical help and advise you what to do.
Only call 111 direct if you are advised to do so by the online service or you cannot go online.
Parents/Guardians - if you are worried or concerned regarding sending your child back to school please see the attached guidance from South Staffordshire Local Medical Committee. LMC Guidance on returning school children.
ONLINE SERVICES
To help us alleviate the amount of incoming calls to the surgery during this busy time we have created a number of online bookable telephone calls. These will become available each afternoon and will be bookable up to 2 days in advance. Please ensure that if you use this service you continue to provide a reason for the call. Please keep your phone with you at all times as we cannot guarantee what time the doctor will ring you.
This service is available to those that are signed up to online services and can be accessed using the following link https://systmonline.tpp-uk.com/2/Login. If you are not already signed up for online access please see the link to the NHS App at the top of the page.
EVERYONE HEALTH
If you are feeling isolated, anxious or lonely during this challenging time, Everyone Health are inviting Staffordshire residents aged 18 and over to join their FREE Stay In Touch telephone, video, and postal services.
Please click here for more information.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
From 1st July repeat prescriptions can be ordered online up to 10 days before they are due via logging in to SystmOnline. Please note that you need to be registered to use this service - see the 'Online Services' section below. For further information, please see our May newsletter for changes about repeat prescription orders online from July 2019.
Patient Privacy Notice
Our Patient Privacy Notice lets you know what happens to any personal data that you give to us, or any that we may collect from or about you. Further information can also be found on the NHS Digital website.
Extended Access
Following a National Government initiative from 1st September 2018 extra appointments will be offered across the whole of East Staffordshire, including evening and weekend appointments. Additionally a new online digital service will be available on Sunday mornings where appointments will be offered with a GP via the Q Doctor App. Posters will be available in the surgery shortly; please click on this link for further details https://www.qdoctor.io/
All practices across East Staffordshire are participating in this extended access. For further information please contact the surgery reception or click here.
Travel Clinic
If you think that you may require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you need to complete a travel questionnaire in the first instance - ideally at least 8 weeks before you travel. This can be completed on-line and submitted electronically by clicking on the link below or by collecting a form from the reception desk.
Our travel nurse will then look at your form to determine what vaccinations you require (if any). You will then be contacted by a receptionist in order to make your appointment. Generally travel vaccination appointments are on a Thursday afternoon.
Please note that from 1st August 2019, we will no longer be offering private vaccinations for travel purposes. These vaccinations, if required, can be provided by local pharmacies. We will continue to offer vaccines available on the NHS for travel purposes.
Further information about countries and vaccinations required can be found on the following website: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE REFERRED BY YOUR GP TO SEE A SPECIALIST?
This leaflet describes what you can expect to happen when your GP refers you to see a specialist or consultant, at a hospital or a community health clinic.
PHARMACY2U
It has come to our attention that many local residents have received a promotional letter from a company called Pharmacy2U. Please be aware that this is a marketing tactic from an online mail order pharmacy based in Leeds and, if you sign up ('nominate') them to be your pharmacy by returning the form with the letter, they will send your repeat medication via the Royal Mail. If you have received a letter from Pharmacy2U and are happy with your current nominated pharmacy and how you obtain your medication please ignore it.
BRIDGE SURGERY'S PATIENT GROUP & VIRTUAL PATIENT REFERENCE GROUP
We have an active patient group that meets regularly - click here for more information and for the minutes to previous meetings. We are also recruiting patients to join our Virtual Patient Reference Group - click here for more information and/or to sign up to this group.
The Patient Group would be delighted to hear your comments about anything relating to the practice which can be made by clicking here. Previous survey results and Local Patient Participation Reports can be found by clicking here.
ONLINE SERVICES (including access to records)
Please see our Online Services Information Leaflet about applying for access to book appointments with a GP, order a repeat prescription and to look at a summary or a 'detailed coded' version of your medical records online. To apply for online services please download and complete an Application for Online Access form. Both the leaflet and form are also available from reception. You will then need to visit the practice in person with the correct documents to verify your identity. Please note if you already have online access and wish to be able to view your 'detailed coded record' (DCR) you will be required to complete an application form and verify your identity again.
SYSTMONLINE
Please click here if you are registered and wish to access online services (make a GP appointment, order your repeat prescription or view a summary of your medical record) . Both pre-bookable and on-the-day GP appointments are available to book on-line with the on-the-day appointments released at 8.00am in the morning. Please note as of yesterday the online bookings have been reinstated for requests for telephone calls only due to Coronavirus concerns. If there are no appointments showing for the GP you would like to book an appointment with this means that all their appointments are booked. Please contact the surgery to book any other type of appointment e.g. nurse, healthcare assistant etc.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY TEST
All GP practices are required to ask patients the 'Friends & Family Test' questions that will be monitored by NHS England on a monthly basis. The two questions are as follows:
How likely are you to recommend our GP Surgery to friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment?
Can you tell us why you gave that response?
Please let us know how we are doing and answer these questions by clicking on the 'Friends & Family Test' tab at the right of the page.
NAMED ACCOUNTABLE GP
As part of our GP contact all of our patients have been allocated a named accountable GP responsible for their overall care. This is recorded as your ‘usual GP’ on our computer system.
This does not stop you from seeing any other GP at the surgery and will not affect the care that you are given.
If you would like to know who your named GP is, please ask at your next contact with the surgery.
MINOR INJURY SERVICE
We are able to treat some minor injuries here at the surgery. These include:
Please telephone the surgery and explain the nature of your injury to the receptionist who will give you an appointment time with a GP and/or nurse as appropriate.
Please DO NOT ‘walk in’ without telephoning first as we may not have medical staff available to treat you.
HAVE WE GOT YOUR MOBILE TELEPHONE NUMBER?
It would be really helpful if you could provide us with your mobile telephone number - if you have one. We may need to contact you urgently about an appointment or medical matter. We send text reminders out one working day before booked appointments to those patients with a mobile number recorded. If you prefer NOT to receive text messages from us please let us know and you won't be sent any - even if we have your mobile number recorded in order to contact you in an emergency. We are hoping that this may help to reduce the high number of wasted appointments we have - an average of 99 appointments a month are wasted equating to around 18.5 hours of clinical time.
(Site updated 26/04/2021)