We would like to update you on some urgent but hopefully short-term changes. These changes will affect the 9 GP practices in East Cornwall.
As you may be aware, COVID-19 infection rates for Cornwall are high. As well as supporting our patients, our colleagues are also being affected. All this is happening, while we are delivering the largest vaccination programme the NHS has ever delivered.
Our doctors and clinicians are at the forefront of the vaccination programme. We want to deliver vaccines to you and your families, as quickly and safely as possible.
To help us do this national guidance has advised us to reduce all non-urgent work.
All GP practices will remain open.
You should continue to contact us if you have an urgent concern or have symptoms you are worried about. Please use the e-consultation portal on our websites to do this. If you do need to speak to us on the phone, please expect us to ask you some extra questions to allow us to triage our call.
We will continue to offer urgent and emergency appointments.
Please be patient with us during this time.
If you have a routine problem that can wait, it will really help us if you wait until our normal services resume. We expect services to be back to normal in 4 to 6 weeks.
This will allow us to ensure we can redeploy staff to run the vaccination clinics.
You can also use your local pharmacy for advice. You can also contact NHS.uk or call 111 for support. NHS 111 is available 24/7 and as well as providing advice can also direct you to a local service and will let them know you are on the way.
Please be reassured we are all working as hard as we can to look after you and ensure a vaccination programme happens quickly and safely to protect us all.
Thank you for your help and understanding.
With very best wishes
East Cornwall Primary Care Network