Dear Patients of Balmoral Medical Practice,
Following a media & internet onslaught of negativity & fear, panic buying, financial recession, and loss of livelihoods for many, I felt a strong ethical obligation to share with you grounded & sensible information, and to let you know that our medical, nursing, & admin team is committed to continue safely delivering health care to you at the practice every day, throughout this health crisis.
To safeguard your ongoing well-being, we:
- Have strict infection control pathways so that your visit to see our doctors, can continue to be a safe and reassuring experience
- Encourage EVERYONE to book for a FLU VACCINATION (including all babies over 6 months and children) as soon as possible, whilst you are well. Our full-time nurse Leah will run a dedicated Flu Vaccination Clinic to immunise as many people as possible as fast as we can. We have already started flu immunisations. Please be patient with bookings – we have over 5000 patients to immunise
- Encourage you where possible to use our existing Telephone & Video Consultation Services from home, which can be booked through reception, our website, or the HotDoc booking service
- Encourage you to wash your hands frequently & practice social distancing of 1.5m.
- Are establishing a physically separate AFTERNOON 3 pm – 6 pm Respiratory Assessment & Testing Clinic at our rear pathology centre, to assess and treat all cases of respiratory illness including COVID-19, Influenza, and the Common Cold. This clinic has a separate entry, separate ventilation systems, & separate waiting area – so that those who need to see their GP for other reasons, can do so safely in our usual Consulting Rooms without worrying about cross-infective risk. Patients attending the Respiratory Clinic must wear a mask, call reception from their parked car on arrival, and will be called in for review one at a time.
- Have installed a new online booking system ‘HOTDOC’ to streamline bookings, patient information, reminders, recalls, messaging, and communication
- Request you do not take masks, swabs, protective gowns, nor toilet paper from the medical practice – we must protect our doctors, nurse, and admin staff first so they can continue to deliver care to all the community we serve.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the respect and trust given to our team over the last 5 years. It is a privilege to look after you, and we look forward to continuing our work.
