Welcome to The Spires Health Centre Online

We are a professional, friendly Surgery that is committed to deliver excellent service to the community.  This Practice website is designed to give you an overview of the practice and the services we provide for the community. The staff at the practice try their best to provide this for you. If you feel that you would like information that is currently not available on here please do not hesitiate to contact us and tell us.

Coronavirus Update for NHS Organisations

The NHS in Sandwell and West Birmingham and Public Health England (PHE) are extremely well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.

The risk to the general public is moderate. If you have arrived back to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau within 14 days, follow the specific advice for returning travellers.

Call 111 now if you have been:

• To Wuhan or Hubei Province in China in the last 14 days (even if you do not have symptoms)
• To other parts of China, including Macau and Hong Kong, in the last 14 days and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath (even if it's mild)
• To Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Republic of Korea or Malaysia in the last 14 days and have a mild cough, high temperature or shortness of breath (even if it's mild)
• In close contact with someone with confirmed Coronavirus

DO NOT GO TO A GP SURGERY, COMMUNITY PHARMACY OR HOSPITAL.  CALL 111, STAY INDOORS AND AVOID CLOSE CONTACT WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

Anyone who has travelled to China or places listed above in the last 14 days and develops symptoms of cough or fever or shortness of breath, should immediately:

• Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu
• Call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the country

Information for the public is available at gov.uk/coronavirus

Like the common cold, coronavirus infection usually occurs through close contact with a person with novel coronavirus via cough and sneezes or hand contact. A person can also be infected by touching contaminated surfaces if they do not wash their hands.

The risk of being in close contact with a person with coronavirus or contaminated surfaces is very low at the current time, as members of the public who have visited Wuhan, Hubei province, China are currently in isolation.

Testing of suspected coronavirus cases is carried out in line with strict regulations. This means that suspected cases are kept in isolation, away from public areas of the hospital and returned home also in isolation. Any equipment that come into contact with suspected cases are thoroughly cleaned as appropriate. Specific guidance has also been shared with NHS staff to help safeguard them and others.  Patients can be reassured that their safety is a top priority, and are encouraged to attend all appointments as usual.

Everyone is being reminded to follow Public Health England advice to:

• Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.

You can find the latest information and advice from Public Health England at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

List of non-NHS charges 

For an up to date list of charges for Non NHS Services please contact the surgery.

CQC UPDATE

https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-2698105875

In August 2019 we had our CQC Annual Review .  The outcome of the review indicates that there are no significant changes to the quality of service being provided since the last inspection.  This means that we are still rated GOOD in all areas.

Named GP

In accordance with the current government and our NHS contract all patients who are on the practice list prior to 1st April 2015 will be given a named accountable GP by 30th June 2015.

Newly registered patients will be allocated a named GP on registration.

AFTER 30th JUNE 2015 - You will have been allocated a named accountable GP who will be responsible for your overall care this will either be Dr Ajay Ramachandran or Dr Divya Chikkaveeraiah (you can book appointments with either GP).

If you have a preference as to which GP you are allocated, the practice will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your request. If you wish to know which GP has been allocated to you, please ask reception at your next visit. 

Please do not telephone the practice for this information, our phone lines are very busy and primarily are for patients with urgent needs.

If you are 75 and over you will have already been allocated a GP and are entitled to an Over 75 health check.

Are you looking for something in particular and don't know where to look, take a look at http://route2wellbeing.info/.  If you require any further information please ask at reception and we will try to help if we can.