Festive Opening Hours 20/21
Like every year, the practice will be OPEN over the Christmas Period except for the Scottish national bank holidays.
eConsult will be available for self care advice over the Christmas period from Friday 24th December at noon until midnight on the Monday 4th January. During that time, If you have an urgent medical problem that cannot wait until Monday 4th January then you can phone the practice.
Wishing every one the best possible Christmas, Newbattle Medical Practice
Patients please note:
Please do not attend your GP surgery if you have any reason to suspect you may have been in contact with corona virus, or you have any cold or flu-like symptoms.
Important Links:
For the most recent and up to date information please see:
>> NHS Inform Website
>> Stay At Home Guidance
>> Protecting The Vulnerable
IMPORTANT UPDATE AS AT 21/04/2021
Please do not contact your GP Practice to ask for a Covid vaccination passport or status certificate – they will not be able to provide any standard document. International certification standards have not yet been agreed.
The Scottish Government is working to support the re-opening of international travel once it is safe to do so. We are working with the other UK Nations and with the World Health Organisation to agree on potential future COVID certification requirements for international travel.
As part of this, a technical solution is being developed that could allow people to access their Covid vaccination status directly
LATEST UPDATE AS AT 17/03/2020
To all our patients, We need your help. Please share this info if you can.
Similar to what the supermarkets are saying, we have capacity to help everyone who needs us most, but only if everybody uses our service wisely. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is placing unprecedented strain on the practice.
We are receiving several hundred more queries per day than normal in addition to managing with own staff absence. The answer to most of the queries we are getting can be found online and do not need medical advice. Please do not ask for sick notes. The government is urging employers and employees to have a flexible and common-sense approach to medical certification at this time. This will also help to reduce the pressure on GP services. Please, if you have a general enquiry about coronavirus, or need advice about whether you need to isolate your self or your family, please check the Government website or nhsinform for advice rather than contact us.
Only contact us if you are significantly worried about the symptoms you are suffering, mainly only if you are having difficulty breathing.
The main websites to use are:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection
We are working flat out to attend to all of those that do need our help.
Many thanks for your help and support throughout this difficult time.
Some 2 months after we set up our new eConsult Service, we take a look at how it has been working for our patients and the practice as a whole.
Following feedback from patients regarding access issues to the telephone triage system we launched our new eConsult service. This allows people to request an administrative task or a GP review by the end of the next working day. Demand for the service has been high but we have managed to meet the target of answering all queries within the allotted time.
We are currently dealing with 60-100 requests per day with over 90% of patients satisfied with the service. It is likely that as the service gains more popularity we will need to dedicate more GP and administrative time towards supporting it. We find it has been particularly helpful for our working population who can find it difficult to wait on the phone in the morning.
If you were unaware of the service or would simply like more information on it please visit our eConsult page here>>
| Very satisfied | Saved time waiting in the queue to request a call back and with my ongoing health issues I always feel bad taking up an appointment that could be used by someone who has an urgent need for the doctor this service allowed me to put in a request for the doctor to call when he had a free minute |
| Fairly satisfied | Because j dicng actually managed to speak to GP |
| Very satisfied | As I was able to get an appointment at a time where I could make it |
| Very satisfied | I think it's great that it's a very fast service you're not sitting for 30 minutes on iPhone waiting for a phone call to be answered and then the email you back and everything is technology nowadays and and if you do need to see you then the phone and you book an appointment there and then I just think it's amazing |
| Very satisfied | I got to speak with the go I requested |
| Fairly satisfied | I used this for myself and it was fine, however I have also used for my daughter and it wasn't great. I never got the email return confirming a prescription was provided or any aftercare. It took for me to call to be told and the person I spoke to was a tad rude about it. It wasn't my fault the email wasn't there and I understand your busy, but maybe a phone call back would have avoided this. I also need to point out on a separate note that there was a call made on an emergency appointment for my daughter and it took over 3 hours to call me back. I had been to A&E with her and was home by the time it took you to call back. |
| Very satisfied | I put my request in the morning and got my sick note that afternoon |
| Fairly satisfied | I wasn't dissatisfied but I ended up having to call nhs24 in the evening because I felt worse and was going to have to do sit two more days for a call back |
| Very satisfied | because it is quicker |
| Very satisfied | Efficient service. |
| Fairly satisfied | It is fine depending on the nature of the problem |
| Very satisfied | Everything was easy to understand.quick and easy to fill out request form.and In the comfort of your own home. |
| Very satisfied | The system works fine if it helps to keep the waiting times down |
| Very satisfied | Called backed and got further prescription |
| Fairly satisfied | I was able to write my query in the the first paragraph but was forced to answer a lot of irrelevant questions in order to submit the e form . I had to tick a box when sometimes the question wasn't applicable. If I left it blank I couldn't move on. Also there was something else I wanted to say in the first paragraph but had to delete is as I had used up my 500 characters. |
| Very satisfied | It's easier than calling and waiting in a phone queue |
| Very satisfied | Please see the previous answer extremely satisfied. |
| Very satisfied | Convenient when working |
| Very satisfied | Such a quick & easy way to contact the GP at a time of your choosing. Really quick response from the surgery. Staff who call back are so helpful at the surgery. For me, it took the anxiety out of contacting the surgery initially by telephone. Brilliant service! |
| Very satisfied | Trying to phone early morning to make an appointment to see a doctor is like a lottery, very little chance of getting an appointment. The eConsult service was quick and easy and call back was fairly quick. Very satisfied with this service. |
| Fairly satisfied | The service I needed was difficult to find on line. The line doesn't have administrative help clearly visible . |
| Fairly dissatisfied | dissatisfied as I never received a call back regarding my 5 year old son which led me to have to call the doctors surgery directly the following day |
| Very satisfied | It was frustrating to start with as I picked the wrong option a number of times so more clarity on the start options would be good. Once started it worked great the DR called me back about a prescription that had a manufacturer production delay. |
| Very satisfied | Very easy |
| Very satisfied | A great alternative to waiting for a phone call to be answered, especially at busy times. |
| Very satisfied | Quick and easy to use. Perfect to fit around work |
