NHS England have now advised that clinics should begin in September in order to maximise and extend protection during the winter and through the period of greatest risk (Dec/Jan), and that both vaccines should be administered at the same time.

Appointments are now available to book for patients to receive both vaccines. Invites are now being sent out to all those who are eligible with the ability to book an appointment via a link in the text message (or call us on 01200 408920).

Again, following this years NHS England guidelines, vaccine eligibility has returned to over 65’s and ‘at-risk’ under 65’s only.

For any patients only wishing to have the flu vaccine, we have available flu vaccine only slots in September also, please contact the practice on 01200 408920 to book these.

For more information and eligibility, go to NHS England » NHS flu and Covid Vaccine Programme

Whilst coronavirus is infectious to children it is rarely serious. If your child is unwell it is likely to be a non-coronavirus illness, rather than coronavirus itself.

Whilst it is extremely important to follow Government advice to stay at home during this period, it can be confusing to know what to do when your child is unwell or injured.

Remember that NHS 111, GPs and hospitals are still providing the same safe care that they have always done. Here is some advice to help:

(This Privacy Notice is to run alongside our standard Practice Privacy Notice)

Due to the unprecedented challenges that the NHS and we, THE CASTLE MEDICAL GROUP face due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, there is a greater need for public bodies to require additional collection and sharing of personal data to protect against serious threats to public health.

In order to look after your healthcare needs in the most efficient way we, THE CASTLE MEDICAL GROUP may therefore need to share your personal information, including medical records, with staff from other GP Practices including Practices within our Primary Care Network, as well as other health organisations (ie Clinical Commissioning Groups, Commissioning Support Units, Local authorities etc.) and bodies engaged in disease surveillance for the purposes of research, protecting public health, providing healthcare services to the public and monitoring and managing the Covid-19 outbreak and incidents of exposure.

The Secretary of State has served notice under Regulation 3(4) of the Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002 (COPI) to require organisations to process confidential patient information in the manner set out below for purposes set out in Regulation 3(1) of COPI.

Purpose of this Notice

The purpose of this Notice is to require organisations such as THE CASTLE MEDICAL GROUP to process confidential patient information for the purposes set out in Regulation 3(1) of COPI to support the Secretary of State’s response to Covid-19 (Covid-19 Purpose). “Processing” for these purposes is defined in Regulation 3(2) and includes dissemination of confidential patient information to persons and organisations permitted to process confidential patient information under Regulation 3(3) of COPI. This Notice is necessary to require organisations such as THE CASTLE MEDICAL GROUP to lawfully and efficiently process confidential patient information as set out in Regulation 3(2) of COPI for purposes defined in regulation 3(1).

Requirement to Process Confidential Patient Information

The Secretary of State has served notice to recipients under Regulation 3(4) that requires THE CASTLE MEDICAL GROUP to process confidential patient information, including disseminating to a person or organisation permitted to process confidential patient information under Regulation 3(3) of COPI.

THE CASTLE MEDICAL GROUP is only required to process such confidential patient information:

• where the confidential patient information to be processed is required for a Covid-19 Purpose and will be processed solely for that Covid-19 Purpose in accordance with Regulation 7 of COPI

• from 20th March 2020 until 30th September 2020.

Covid-19 Purpose

A Covid-19 Purpose includes but is not limited to the following:

• understanding Covid-19 and risks to public health, trends in Covid-19 and such risks, and controlling and preventing the spread of Covid-19 and such risks

• identifying and understanding information about patients or potential patients with or at risk of Covid-19, information about incidents of patient exposure to Covid-19 and the management of patients with or at risk of Covid-19 including: locating, contacting, screening, flagging and monitoring such patients and collecting information about and providing services in relation to testing, diagnosis, self-isolation, fitness to work, treatment, medical and social interventions and recovery from Covid-19

• understanding information about patient access to health services and adult social care services and the need for wider care of patients and vulnerable groups as a direct or indirect result of Covid-19 and the availability and capacity of those services or that care

• monitoring and managing the response to Covid-19 by health and social care bodies and the Government including providing information to the public about Covid-19 and its effectiveness and information about capacity, medicines, equipment, supplies, services and the workforce within the health services and adult social care services

• delivering services to patients, clinicians, the health services and adult social care services workforce and the public about and in connection with Covid-19, including the provision of information, fit notes and the provision of health care and adult social care services

• research and planning in relation to Covid-19.

Recording of processing

A record will be kept by THE CASTLE MEDICAL GROUP of all data processed under this Notice.

Sending Public Health Messages

Data protection and electronic communication laws will not stop THE CASTLE MEDICAL GROUP from sending public health messages to you, either by phone, text or email as these messages are not direct marketing.

Digital Consultations

It may also be necessary, where the latest technology allows THE CASTLE MEDICAL GROUP to do so, to use your information and health data to facilitate digital consultations and diagnoses and we will always do this with your security in mind.

Visitors to The Practice

We have an obligation to protect our staff and employees’ health, so it is reasonable for staff at THE CASTLE MEDICAL GROUP to ask any visitors to our practice to tell us if they have visited a particular country, or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. This must only be in pre-approved circumstances and we would also ask all patients to consider government advice on the NHS 111 website and not attend the practice.

Where it is necessary for us to collect information and specific health data about visitors to our practice, we will not collect more information than we need, and we will ensure that any information collected is treated with the appropriate safeguards.

Review and Expiry of this Notice

This Notice will be reviewed on or before 30 September 2020 and may be extended by The Secretary of State. If no further notice is sent to THE CASTLE MEDICAL GROUP by The Secretary of State this Notice will expire on 30 September 2020.

A Statement by Dr Russell Robb

NHS Digital is developing a new system to support the national data opt-out which will give patients more control over how confidential patient information is used. The system will offer patients and the public the opportunity to make an informed choice about whether they wish their confidential patient information to be used just for their individual care and treatment or also used for research and planning purposes.

Patients and the public who decide they do not want their confidential patient information used for planning and research purposes will be able to set their national data opt-out choice online.

For further opt-out information, please visit the NHS Digital site:

• digital.nhs.uk/opt-out-programme

And if you would like to opt-out, you can follow the process using the link below;

• www.nhs.uk/manage-your-choice

Our practice policy on this subject is available to review below:

When you suffer a bereavement, your world can feel like it has stood still. Everyday tasks can seem impossible and supporting other members of your family a challenge. The Sanctuary in Langho are there to help and support you through your journey, run and set up by others in the same situation to offer a listening ear and friendship. Please see the leaflet below for more information.

GP Net Earnings 2015-16 

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

The average pay for GPs working in The Castle Medical Group in the last financial year before tax and National Insurance was £62,338. This is for 3 full time GPs, 10 part time GPs, and 0 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.

It should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the practice, and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with any other practice.

The Castle Medical Group

Viewing Your Medical Records Online

Patient Access has been used in the surgery now for some time and many patients are using it to book appointments and order repeat prescriptions through the internet.

We are now extending the facilities in 2014/15 to enable patients to view their own medical records online using Patient Access. This is called the Medical Record Viewer.

You will need to have a unique PIN and password which you can obtain through our website at www.castlemedical.co.uk or by asking at reception.

Patients are already able to do the following online:

• Book an appointment to see their doctor
• Order repeat medication

and from October 2014 all patients will be able to do the following:

• Notify us of a change of address
• View and Print any allergies
• View and Print a list of medications
• View and Print a list of immunisations

It is also our intention in 2015 to make it possible for patients to view other parts of their own medical records on line, including access to the following:

• Summary of the Medical Record
• Summary of Medical Problems
• Test Results
• Hospital Letters
• Consultations

Further Plans

1. Promoting Patient Access – by 30 September 2014 the practice will promote Patient Access both in the waiting room and on the practice website
2. Medical Records Viewer (limited access) – by 30 September all patients will be able to register for restricted access to their medical records (allergies, medications and immunisations)
3. Access to test results (trial) – by 31 December 2014 we will identify a small group of patients who will be given access to their blood test results
4. Access to the full medical (trial) – by 31 December 2014 we will identify a small group of patients who will be given access to their complete medical record
5. Access to the full medical record – by 31 March 2015 we will invite all patients to request access to their complete medical record

Patients will be asked to sign a consent form before being able to use the Medical Record Viewer.

Patients will be unable to alter their medical records, but will be able to view and print them out from any internet connection. This will be secure and access is only available to you.

If you are interested in being able to access your medical records please register for Patient Access on our website at www.castlemedical.co.uk or speak to a member of the reception team.

Please note that in order to request your repeat prescriptions via our website, you will first need to register for EMIS Access.  To do this, either follow the instructions on our home page to do so, or please come in and see one of our reception staff who will print off an ID and password for you.  Our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.  Otherwise, please contact the Dispensary directly on 01200 413585.