Welcome to Northgate Medical Centre

We are located on the 1st Floor, Fountains Building, Delamere Street, Chester, CH1 4DS

 BLUE RECEPTION AREA

Telephone: 01244 385553 

We would like to offer a warm welcome to the Northgate Medical Centre surgery website.

 The doctors and nurses at the practice in Chester take pride in offering the highest standard of patient-centred healthcare.

There are 4 separately run GP practices in the Fountains Building so if you register with us you will be seen at Northgate Medical Centre only.

The GP partners at this practice include: Dr Cain, Dr Allan, Dr Leitch, Dr Henry and a salaried GP Dr Kelly.

We run many clinics for Chronic Disease Care and offer a wide variety of other medical services such as antenatal/pstnatal care, travel vacs, minor surgery and childhood vacs.

Please take time to look around our website for helpful information about our practice.

You can now register for PATIENT ACCESS which means you can book your appointments, cancel your appointments, order your repeat medication and view your medical record on-line. This is a great time saving service which is quick and simple to use. Please ask at reception for details or you can register on-line following the 'PATIENT ACCESS' button below.

We have two new male GP Registrars that have started with the practice on 5th April 2018 for 4mths and 6mths.

Dr S Thomas and Dr O Sergeant.

Last updated 6.4.18

Latest News

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Patient Access

Posted: 24th March 2017

Book online and save time Its simple quick and easy. What you need to do next: You can register one or two ways. PIN LETTER REGISTRATION Just ask the receptionist for a PIN and Access ID and follow the instructions … Read More

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Older News

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Extended Hours

Do you have trouble making a GP appointment during the day due to work commitments?

Did you know that the local CCG runs a GP Extended Hours service for people that have trouble making a GP appointment because they are unable to take time off work?

GP Extended HoursClick Here for More Information

Early Morning Extended Hour Appointments

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We are now pleased to offer a new service for our patients that are not able to visit the surgery during normal working hours.  From Thursday 1st December we will have appointments available between 07:00 and 08:00 every Tuesday and Thursday.  These appointments are strictly by appointment only, other surgery services will not be available until 08:00.

If you would like to make an appointment or would like further information, please speak to one of our receptionists on 01244 385553.

Please note that this service is additional to the Extended Hours service run by the CCG.

MARCH is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month #OvarIt


#takeover #startmakinganoise 
Only three per cent of women in the UK feel very confident about naming an ovarian cancer symptom. Target Ovarian Cancer want to change this.
Take a look at how to recognise the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
What are the symptoms?
  • Persistent pelvic or abdominal pain (that’s your tummy and below)
  • Increased abdominal size/persistent bloating – not bloating that comes and goes
  • Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
  • Needing to wee more urgently or more often than usual
Occasionally there can be other symptoms such as changes in bowel habits, extreme fatigue (feeling very tired), unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite. Any post-menopausal bleeding should always be investigated by a GP.
Symptoms will be:
  • Frequent – they usually happen more than 12 times a month
  • Persistent – they don’t go away
  • New – they are not normal for you and may have started in the last year
If you regularly experience any of these symptoms – and they are not normal for you – visit your GP.
It is unlikely that your symptoms are caused by a serious problem, but it is important to get checked out.
Find information about Ovarian Cancer visit:
http://www.targetovariancancer.org.uk

Dental Infections

Please note that we do not prescribe antibiotics for dental infections. This is following advice from the British Medical Association.
If you suspect you have a dental infection you should attend your dentist for treatment.
If you are not registered with a dentist you should phone NHS 111 for advice on emergency dental clinics or attend A&E if you feel it is an emergency.

Sexual Health

Although sexual health is in then same building as Northgate Medical Centre, we care completely separate organisations.  We are unable to connect any calls to this service from our telephone system.

If you need help with any sexual health problems, please call 0300 323 1300 or visit https://www.gosexualhealth.co.uk/

CQC Rating

Publication of Earnings

All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

The average pay for GPs working in Northgate Medical Centre in the last financial year was £67,288 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 2 full time GPs and 4 part time GPs who worked in the practice for more than six months.

Are you looking after someone? Please read this...

Do we know you are a Carer? Or do you have a Carer?

Are you providing help and support to a relative, partner or friend who cannot manage because of disability, illness or frailty?

Let us know by completing a  Carer Registration form (available from your GP Surgery reception)

Hand the completed form to your GP Surgery who will make a note on your medical records of the person you care for, that you are a Carer and on your records that you are a Carer.

If you would like us to refer you to Cheshire West Carers Support, please also sign the consent on the form. They will send you information such as regular newsletter, how to register for Carer's Emergency Card. They will inform you of any events happening in your area, advice and support available, including access to respite, emotional and financial support.

Current Newsletter (click this link or copy in to your web browser):

https://cheshireandwarringtoncarers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/draft-pub-jan2018_v1.pdf

For further details on their website click on this link:

http://cheshireandwarringtoncarers.org/

or contact the Helpline on 0300 102 0008

(Mon-Fri, 9am till 5pm)

Twitter page: @cheshirecarers1

The Carer's Link for Northgate Medical Centre is Julia McEwen and Lynne Symms.

When we are closed...

When we are closed (at weekends at Bank Holidays) please ring NHS 111 a free service from both landlines and mobiles and is available 24hrs a day 7 days a week.

Please remember that OOH service is by appt only and you will need to ring 111 first. You will be triaged by a call operator who will their either give you self-management advice, refer to OOH with an appt or refer to another service.

If you have an emergency visit your local A&E dept.

When we are closed please ring NHS 111 a free service from both landlines and mobiles and is available 24hrs a day 7 days a week.

Please remember that OOH service is by appt only and you will need to ring 111 first. You will be triaged by a call operator who will their either give you self-management advice, refer to OOH with an appt or refer to another service.

FOR ANY PATIENTS LIVING IN WALES

If you live in Wales and need medical help that isn’t a 999 emergency you can call NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47. NHS Direct Wales is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If you have an emergency visit your local A&E dept.

Closed for Staff Training Dates 2018

The surgery will be closed for staff training on the following dates between 12:00-17:00.

 

Thursday 22nd March

Tuesday 24th April

Tuesday 22nd May

Thursday 28th June

Tuesday 24th July

Wednesday 22nd August

Thursday 27th September

Tuesday 23rd October

Wednesday 29th November

Wednesday 12th December

If you require urgent medical advice during this time, you can ring the surgery number on 01244 385553 and you will be diverted to GP Out of Hours or ring NHS 111.

During a staff training day, all telephone calls will be forwarded to the NHS111 service for triage before being passed to the NHS Western Cheshire GP Out of Hours Service.

Extended Hours: 0300 123 7740 – Option 3

Flu Vaccinations

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Flu Vaccinations

WE STILL HAVE FLU VACCINATIONS AVAILBLE

Please phone to book an appointment after 11.30am Mon-Fri

Free flu vaccinations are only available to people that have specific needs, diseases or are in a specific age group.  The NHS vaccination programme provides FREE vaccinations to the following people:-

  • Those aged 65 years or older.
  • People suffering from:-
    • Asthma.
    • COPD.
    • Chronic Heart Disease.
    • Chronic Liver Disease.
    • Chronic Kidney Disease.
    • Chronic Neurological Disease.
    • Diabetes.
    • Problems with the Spleen.
    • Those suffering with a weakened immune system.
    • Pregnant patients

We will send text messages to those with a mobile phone registered, emails and letters to all of those people that are registered at the practice and are eligible for a free flu vaccination. Please ensure we have an up to date mobile phone number for you or you may not receive the reminder.

If you are not eligible for a free NHS flu vaccination, you are able to visit your local pharmacy and they will be able to provide and administer your vaccination for a small fee.  Please contact your local pharmacy for more information about this service.

For more information with regards to the flu vaccine, please vist the NHS Choices website at http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/pages/who-should-have-flu-vaccine.aspx

Can't Make Your Appointment?

If for any reason, you are unable to keep your appointment, please let us know by calling 01244 385553.

By cancelling your appointment we may be able to offer it to somebody else.

Repeat Prescriptions

Repeat prescriptions cannot be taken over the telephone. You can order your repeat medication via:-

  • Calling into the surgery and either dropping off the printed repeat medication slip attached to your prescription or by completing a repeat medication form at reception.
  • Using the on-line Patient Access System.
  • Telephoning your normal pharmacy to order on your behalf.

Please remember that it takes us 48 business hours to process your prescription. Prescriptions handed in on a Friday will not be ready for collection until the following Tuesday.

Patient Access


Patient Access will allow you to make appointments with your doctor, order repeat medication and view a summary of your medical records.

If you have not registered for patient access, you can either register online using the button above or pop into the surgery with Photo ID so that we can issue you with your registration paperwork.

Please note, if you register online you will only have limited access to the system, you will still need to bring in Photo ID so that we can lift the restrictions and give you full access.

Go To Patient AccessClick Here

 

eConsult

We now offer the ability to obtain advice from your doctor via the internet using our eConsult service.

By answering a few questions, we can best direct your query to either an out of hours doctor, a pharmacy or one of our doctors at the surgery.

Click the button below to start your eConsultation.

eConsultClick Here to Start Your eConsult

Parking Changes from 11th April 2018

CAR PARK INFORMATION

From 11th April

 

Cheshire West and Chester Council have now stopped the ‘free after 3’ parking scheme.

 

When using the car park after 3pm, please make sure to take a GREEN ticket

and have it validated at Reception for the concessionary £1 for 2 hours parking

Missed Appointments

During FEBRUARY 2018, approx 129 appointments were missed by patients.

Please let reception know if you are unable to attend your appointment so that we can offer it to another patient.

If you are registered for Patient Access you can cancel your appointment on here.

Zero Tolerance Policy

The Practice takes it very seriously if a member of staff or one of the doctors or nursing team is treated in an abusive or violent way.

The Practice supports the government's 'Zero Tolerance' campaign for Health Service Staff. This states that GPs and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. To successfully provide these services a mutual respect between all the staff and patients has to be in place. All our staff aim to be polite, helpful, and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and circumstances. They would respectfully remind patients that very often staff could be confronted with a multitude of varying and sometimes difficult tasks and situations, all at the same time.  The staff understand that ill patients do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint.

However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent or abusive, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the Practice list and, in extreme cases, the Police being contacted.

In order for the practice to maintain good relations with their patients the practice would like to ask all its patients to read and take note of the occasional types of behaviour that would be found unacceptable:

  • Using bad language or swearing at practice staff
  • Any physical violence towards any member of the Primary Health Care Team or other patients, such as pushing or shoving
  • Verbal abuse towards the staff in any form including verbally insulting the staff
  • Racial abuse and sexual harassment will not be tolerated within this practice
  • Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff will not be accepted. Requests will be met wherever possible and explanations given when they cannot
  • Causing damage/stealing from the Practice's premises, staff or patients
  • Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently
We ask you to treat your GPs and their staff courteously at all times.

Removal from the practice list

A good patient-doctor relationship, based on mutual respect and trust, is the cornerstone of good patient care. The removal of patients from our list is an exceptional and rare event and is a last resort in an impaired patient-practice relationship. When trust has irretrievably broken down, it is in the patient’s interest, just as much as that of the practice, that they should find a new practice. An exception to this is on immediate removal on the grounds of violence e.g. when the Police are involved.

Removing other members of the household

In rare cases, however, because of the possible need to visit patients at home it may be necessary to terminate responsibility for other members of the family or the entire household. The prospect of visiting patients where a relative who is no longer a patient of the practice by virtue of their unacceptable behaviour resides, or being regularly confronted by the removed patient, may make it too difficult for the practice to continue to look after the whole family. This is particularly likely where the patient has been removed because of violence or threatening behaviour and keeping the other family members could put doctors or their staff at risk.