Chronic Disease Annual Reviews

Byhowbeck

Chronic Disease Annual Reviews

We have had to make some changes this year to the way we provide annual health checks for those patients with a long term conditions. Due to the new requirements placed upon us by NHS England and the difficulties seeing patients, some annual reviews may be delayed or postponed. Reviews will focus on those patients most at risk of complications from Covid. If you usually have a review, you may still be required to attend for routine blood tests or a blood pressure reading. If this is necessary, the surgery will contact you.

We are conscious that many patients are worried about coming to the surgery and we are making it as safe as we can by changing the way we work.  We have reduced the need to attend the practice by triaging and dealing with as many issues as we can remotely, either over the telephone or by a video consultation. Please be reassured that if it is clinically necessary for you to be seen face to face by a doctor or nurse, you will be.

Some chronic disease reviews may also be divided into a short essential face to face contact followed by a more detailed telephone review. This is to protect our most vulnerable patients and limit the time that you would need to spend in the practice with a doctor or nurse. We can undertake the physical checks you need such as a blood pressure reading or diabetic foot check.  We would like to encourage more patients to take their own blood pressure reading at home. Blood pressure monitors can be purchased from most pharmacies and Argos for approximately £20.

The government guidance aims to limit the time any of us spend with an individual to reduce the risk of picking up a virus so we hope this new way of working will help protect our patients as well as our doctors and nurses.

Please note that if you are asked to attend for a blood test at Hill street or Burton Hospital that there is currently a waiting list of around 3 to 4 weeks so please try and book any blood tests you need as early as you can.