Patient Information

The advice for everyone is to follow this guidance.

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of a new continuous cough or a high temperature or a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia).

If you develop these symptoms, however mild, or you have received a positive coronavirus (COVID-19) test result, then you should immediately self-isolate stay at home for at least 7 days from when your symptoms started. If you live with others, all other household members who remain well must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. See the stay at home guidance and this explanatory diagram for further information.

You do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation. If you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home, or your condition gets worse, or your symptoms do not get better after 7 days, then use the NHS 111 online service. If you have do not have internet access, you should call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999

If you have any symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), you should arrange a test by visiting NHS.UK, or contact 119 via telephone if you do not have internet access.

Wash your hands more often than usual, for 20 seconds using soap and water or hand sanitiser, particularly after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose, before you eat or handle food, or when you get to work or arrive home

Cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when you cough or sneeze. If you do not have a tissue, sneeze into the crook of your elbow, not into your hand. Dispose of tissues into a disposable rubbish bag and immediately wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser.

If you can, wear a face covering in enclosed public spaces where social distancing isn’t possible and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet. Social distancing, hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes, remain the most important measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Face coverings do not replace these. See the staying safe outside your home guidance, and you can find guidance on how to wear and make a cloth face covering.

Clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces using your regular cleaning products to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people.

At the current time and based on our understanding of what is known so far, COVID-19 can make anyone seriously ill, but for some people the risk is higher. You can find more information on higher risk groups on NHS.UK. As more information emerges, recommendations may change.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates and information in British Sign Language can be accessed on SignHealth’s website.

Introducing the NHS App

The NHS App is the first app from the NHS for people across England. The App has been designed with patients and healthcare professions to be your digital front door to the NHS. It is quick and easy to use and we will be adding new features in the coming months.

Apps are not for everyone so the NHS App will not replace existing services, you can still contact your GP surgery in the usual way.

Download on the App Store or Google Play.

Visit the website for more details:

www.nhs.uk/nhsapp

You can use the App to:

Book/Cancel appointments
View your record
Order repeat prescriptions
Check your symptoms
Register to be an organ donor
Choose how the NHS uses your data

Walsall Talking Therapies Service

Self-referral Guide

This service is for people registered with a Walsall GP surgery

Freephone: 0800 953 0995 or Website: www.dwmh.nhs.uk/ttwalsall

What is Talking Therapy?

Talking therapy is a type of treatment that involves talking to a therapist about your thoughts and feelings to help manage depression and anxiety symptoms. The purpose of talking treatments is to help you understand your feelings and behaviour better, and to change your behaviour or the way you think about things.

You will be contacted by telephone initially to offer a brief screening assessment of 20-30 minutes. Your needs/difficulities will be discussed and what type of therapy might be best for you. Alternative services may also be suggested if they are better suited to your needs.

For therapy to work you need to be committed and motivated to attend all sessions offered.

For more information visit Website: www.dwmh.nhs.uk/ttwalsall or Freephone: 0800 953 0995

Help in a crisis

If you are worried about the immediate safety of yourself or someone that you know, you should contact the Emergency Services on 999.

For alternative support with low level mental health concerns, you can call Samaritans on 116 123, SANEline on 0300 304 7000, NHS Direct on 111 or the GP surgery.

Child Immunisations - Press Release 30.04.20

Don’t forget you still need to get your child’s routine childhood immunisations done at your GP surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health Chiefs across the Black Country and West Birmingham are urging parents to take their children for their routine childhood immunisations at their GP surgery when they are invited to. Pregnant women should also take up the offer to have the pertussis (Whooping Cough) vaccine.

Dr Anand Rischie, Walsall GP and Clinical Chair for NHS Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group said, “As long as patients attending for vaccination (including parents and carers) are well, are not displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or other infections and are not self-isolating because they are contacts of suspected COVID-19 cases, immunisation should proceed and is encouraged.

“Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that routine childhood immunisations are started and completed on time. This will help protect your child from a range of serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Whilst infections such as measles and meningitis are not as common as they used to be, this is only because of high levels of vaccination. It is very important that we continue to prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases by making sure children get vaccinated.”

To prevent resurgence, infants still need protecting through vaccination.
All routine childhood immunisations are offered to babies, infants and pre-school children including first and second MMR dose
All doses of targeted hepatitis B vaccines for at-risk infants will be offered
Its important that pregnant women and take up the pertussis vaccine, and that their babies start receiving protection against this, and other infections, from 8 weeks of age.

GP practices are safe to attend for these appointments and continue to implement the most up to date guidance on maintaining social distance in the waiting room, (for example separating individuals by 2 metres) and decontamination of premises and equipment is being strictly followed. Practices may be adjusting appointment times to avoid waiting times with others and in some areas, practices may also be working with neighbouring practices to deliver COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 activity on separate sites.

Walsall Carers Centre

DO YOU CARE FOR SOMEONE WHO COULD NOT MANAGE WITHOUT YOUR HELP?

Walsall Carers Centre is here to help you on:

T: 01922 636663
E: contact@walsallcarers.org
W: www.walsallcarers.org

Walsall carers centre offers a wide range of services for carers living in Walsall:

Caring at home
Respite care
Caring for yourself
Having a break
Money matters & benefits
Legal matters
Adaptions and aids in the home
Housing & residential care
Holidays
Coping with bereavement
Or if you just need someone to talk to then they can help

ARE YOU A CARER?

A carer is someone who provides or supervises a substanitial amount of care on a regular basis of a child, relative, partner or neighbour who is unable to manage their own illness, disability, frailty, mental distress or impairment.

Please let the practice know if you are a carer. We can offer you a health check and advice. We will also support you with information and signpost you to other services.

Walsall Residents Funeral Service

This service is available to anyone who has to arrange the funeral for a deceased resident of the Borough, who is to be buried at one of the Borough's cemeteries or cremated at Streetly Crematorium.

The service aims to provide a simple, dignified funeral at a specially agreed fixed price.

In order to provide a dignified funeral service for the residents of the Borough, the council has appointed the long established firm of:

Halliwells Funeral Service
63 Norton Road
Pelsall
Walsall
WS3 4NR
T: 01922 685999
E: pelsall@halliwellfuneralservices.com
W: http://halliwellfuneralservices.com

If you are struggling to pay for the cost of a funeral, you may be eligable for help from the government, you need to be getting or making a claim for one of the following benefits:

Income Support
Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Pension Credit
Housing Benefit
The disability or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit
One of the extra elements of Child Tax Credit
Universal Credit

To obtain advice contact your local Benefits Office who can arrange an interview or can send the claim form SF200 assistance with funeral payments.

GoodSam Referral

NHS Volunteer Responders has been set up to support the NHS and the care sector during the COVID-19 outbreak.

This programme enables volunteers to provide care or to help a vulnerable person, which is permitted under the new rules announced by the Government on 23rd March 2020. Volunteers may be asked to show the active task they are responding to if asked.

If you are vulnerable and need support please call your GP surgery who can refer you to GoodSam .

GoodSam volunteers:

Community Response volunteer: This role involves collecting shopping, medication or other essential supplies for someone who is self-isolating, and delivering these supplies to their home.
Patient Transport volunteer: This role supports the NHS by providing transport to patients who are medically fit for discharge, and ensuring that they are settled safely back in to their home.
Check-in and Chat volunteer: This role provides short-term telephone support to individuals who are at risk of loneliness as a consequence of self-isolation.

What to do

These are the things to do before pregnancy, make your pregnancy and baby healthier.

These are the things to do before pregnancy make your pregnancy and baby healthier.

If you smoke, quit smoking or cut down

If you drink alcohol, stop or cut down
If you take drugs, stop
Start taking folic acid now, it needs time to build up in your body
Have a healthy balanced diet – it improves fertility as well as affecting your baby’s future health
Cut down on caffeine if you drink a lot
Try to get closer to a healthy weight if you are overweight.
Become more active if you are not already – this has been shown to improve fertility and will make your pregnancy and baby healthier
Have a cervical screening test if you haven’t had one in the last three years
Check that you have had the MMR vaccine against rubella
Don’t take any new medication or stop taking existing medications without talking to your GP or healthcare professional
Get tested for STIs if you think there’s a possibility you may have one

For further information visit Tommy's website https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/planning-pregnancy/12-things-do-when-trying-baby

Alternatively book an appointment with the practice nurse at Stroud Practice on 01922 423580

Heart Care - The road to recovery

Heart Care is a local charity which provides cardiac rehabilliation and after care to people who have suffered a heart attack, undergone heart surgery or surgical intervention or suffer from other coronary heart conditions.

Through a unique programme of monitored physical excercise and expert advice, patients can return to a normal active life.

Heart care prefers to start patients on any of programmes as soon as possible and for cardiac patients within 6 weeks of their myocardial infarction or coronary artery surgery.

Patients can be referred to Heart Care by their GP, Practice nurse, Hospital consultant, Local hospital or Tertiary centre. Client ages range from 18-93.

Contact details:

T: 01922 725050
E: heartcare@walsall.nhs.uk
W: www.heartcare.org.uk

Access to NHS Dentistry

Dentistry is currently limited during the pandemic as all dentists have been asked to stop all routine “face-to-face” dental care.

However, if you need urgent dental care, help is at hand:

Call your dental practice:

They will give you advice over the telephone and make arrangements for you if you need to be seen.

If you don’t have a dentist, find your nearest dentist and call them. You can search for your nearest dentist at:

https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist

If you’re deaf, you can:

Use the NHS 111 British Sign Language service: interpreternow.co.uk/nhs111
Call 18001 111 on a textphone

Dementia Connect

A new personalised dementia support service from Alzheimer's Society.

A free personalised service that connects anyone affected by dementia to the support you need, when you need it. Not just people with dementia but carers, family and friends too.

How Dementia Connect can help you

Dementia affects everyone differently, so support is tailored to your individual needs. The Dementia Advisers provide direct support as well as signposting to other local services. It is never easy for a patient to tell their story, so they only ever ask you to tell it once.

Support provided can include:

Advice on how to cope and live with dementia
Tips for making a home dementia friendly
Help navigating social services
Advice on legal documents and Lasting Power of Attorney
Connection to dementia groups within local communities

Phone support

The Dementia Advisers are available on the phone to give the support you need. They will offer you the option of regular calls to keep in touch and help meet changin needs.

Support Line Opening Hours

Monday -Wednesday 9.00am -8.00pm

Thursday - Friday 9.00am-5.00pm

Saturday-Sunday 10.00am-4.00pm

Online Support

Online support is available round the clock through the website. The online community Talking Point offers anyone dealing with dementia the chance to chat with others in a similar situation. You can read, download and order support materials and search for local dementia services in your area through the dementia directory.

Face to Face Support

The local Dementia Advisers go out and meet people the community to offer further support, practical advice and information, from someone who understands what they're going through.

Get support today

T: 0333 150 3456

W: alzheimers.org.uk/dementiasupport

E: dementia.connect@alzheimers.org.uk

Physiotherapy - Self Referral Guide

A team of specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist striving to provide high quality physiotherapy care across the Walsall community who aims to restore movement and function to an optimal level when someone is affected by an injury or musculoskeletal illness.

Clinics are held at Aldridge, Bloxwich, Bentley, Willenahll, Rushall, New Invention, Walsall and Walsall Wood.

Patients do not need to see their GP or require a referral from the GP before they attend.

Advance booking by phone: (Lines are open 09:00am - 16:30pm Mon-Fri) - 0121 568 4311
Advance booking by email: physio@walsall.nhs.uk

Please mention your full name, address, date of birth, contact number and NHS number only if know.