If you have an urgent problem call the surgery and we will arrange for someone to contact you and then arrange an appointment for you if necessary. Please note that there are limited numbers of urgent appointments each day and so any requests for a same day appointment are triaged by our on-call GP to prioritise the most urgent.
Standard Appointment
Call us to book for standard appointment with a Nurse, Doctor or other healthcare professional. These can be a choice of Face-to-Face or telephone depending on your preference. Alternatively you can use the NHS App to book appointments online for those that are available for online booking.
We also have evening and weekend appointments as part of our Primary Care Network "Shields Health Hub". This is located behind Collingwood Surgery and can offer evening/Weekend appointments for some services. Reception can advise what types of appointment are available if these times are more convenient for you.
Telephone Appointment
You can have a telephone conversation with the doctor if you feel you do not need to see the doctor face to face.
Econsult
Need advice from your doctor, self-help information or have an administrative request (such as a sick note or test results)? You can use the Econsult system during practice opening hours and get a response before the end of the next working day.
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please let the surgery know at least 48 hours before, so we can reuse the appointment. If you have an automated text message, you can cancel by replying CANCEL to the message.
The easiest way to order a prescription is electronically via the NHS App. If you are unsure how to use the NHS App go to www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/ for support and instructions on how to get set up.
Allow a minimum of 72 hours for any prescriptions to be processed by us
Acute Prescriptions (Not Repeat Prescriptions)
It may be possible for some prescriptions to be issued after telephone contact with the nurse or doctor for items such as simple pain killers, creams, etc. Ask the receptionist for advice.
Repeat Prescriptions
Important changes to the way you order your repeat medication from 1st September 2023
What is changing?
· From the above date the repeat prescription telephone order line will no longer be in service.
· From the above date all prescriptions will go electronically to a pharmacy of your choice
How can I order my medication?
We will now only accept repeat prescription requests from you, a member of your family or a carer via the following options:
· Via an app that links in with our GP clinical system (EMIS) such as the NHS app, or Patient Access. Our reception team are available to help you register for one of apps if you need assistance
· In person using the post box in our reception area. Please ensure you print and sign your name on the request, add your date of birth along with a contact number before putting this into the post box.
· By posting your repeat prescription request, via Royal Mail to the surgery. Please ensure you print and sign your name on the request, add your date of birth along with a contact number before putting this into the post box.
Please ensure you have nominated a pharmacy of your choice
Tips on ordering medication:
· Please only order your medication when it is needed
· Please check how many day medication you have left before you order more.
· The practice needs 2 working days (Monday – Friday, not including bank holidays) to produce a repeat prescription. The pharmacy will also require time (please check with your nominated pharmacy on their criteria).
When is this happening?
These changes will take place on the 1st September 2023
Why are we making these changes?
· To reduce the pressure on the telephone system
· The ordering process becomes smoother and easier as patients select the items required.
· Patients no longer need to struggle to pronounce individual medications.
· This avoids leaving a message which an be mis-understood
· This improves the efficiency of the repeat prescription order process.
· This reduces the risk of incorrect medication being issued and thereby increases safety.
· This reduces the time spent chasing missing prescriptions.
· The app and online access is available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week – so you can order your medication even when the practice is closed
· The reduction in printing is also more friendly to the environment.
What about patients who can't use this method of ordering for whatever reason
We understand that for a small number of our patients, none of the three ordering methods above will be suitable. This will typically include our very vulnerable patients such as those with advanced dementia and those who are housebound and we are happy to make alternative arrangements in these instances.
If you believe that you cannot order your medication using any of the options listed above then please contact the practice and leave your details with our reception team and we will arrange for one of our pharmacy team to contact you to discuss this further.
Want advice from your doctor, self-help information or have an administrative request (such as a fit/sick note or test results)? You can use eConsult during practice working hours and get a response before the end of the next working day.
If you have been invited by the cervical screening programme or the practice, then please contact reception who will book you into one of our dedicated nurse smear clinics.
Alternatively, there are also appointments available for smears on evenings and weekends at the North Shields Health Hub which is located behind our Hawkeys Lane Surgery in the old Priory Day Hospital building.
If you require travel vaccinations please give a minimum of 8 weeks notice before you travel, this ensures we can provide you with all the vaccinations you require.
Complete and return a Travel Vaccine Form. Download or pick up at reception.
The easiest way to get online access to your medical record is via the NHS App. Once you have downloaded the NHS App you can request access to your coded medical record by contacting the practice.
If one of our clinicians has asked you to monitor your blood pressure readings at home please read the information in the leaflets below before handing the printable recording sheet into reception.
Measuring your blood pressure at home often gives a more reliable result than checking it at the surgery. Please use our home recording sheet below to record the results correctly and only send in your measurements if a doctor or nurse has asked you to.
Patients sometimes ask for support with taking medicines by asking that their medicines are dispensed into a medicine tray. Please complete the Patient Medication Self assessment Form below and return to the surgery to help us talk through with you issues around taking your medicines.
If your repeat medications are being sent to the pharmacy on different dates and you would like them to renew on the same day then please use the Medicine Synchronisation Form below and one of our pharmacy team will take a look at it.
There is a new telephone number for the One to One Clinic
Tel 0344 728 0554 or follow the link below.
Free contraceptive advice and contraception including condoms, contraceptive pills, implants and coils
Free emergency contraception after condomless sex
Think you might be pregnant? You can get free pregnancy tests, confidential advice, pregnancy decision making support called Options and termination of pregnancy referrals
Vasectomy
Sexual health check ups
STI Screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PReP) Treatment
HIV testing
Cervical smears (North Tyneside only)
Treatment for genital skin problems, vaginal thrush, and other related non-sexual problems
Want advice from your doctor, self-help information or have an administrative request e.g. sick note or test results. You can use the eConsult online system and get a response before the end of the next working day.
The NHS app allows you to book and manage GP appointments, access health records, get repeat prescriptions, get health advice and manage your organ donation.
See a NHS GP (not your GP) by video using Livi. Get medical advice, prescriptions and referrals on the same day – both on weekdays and at weekends. The service is via an app and is provided free on the NHS.
From the 1st of November 2023
How we handle urine samples for possible Urinary Tract infections (UTI's) across the surgeries is changing.
If you are Male, Pregnant or over the age of 65 years and you have symptoms you should make an appointment at the surgery.
If you are Female age between 16-64 years you can access treatment from several local pharmacies.
If you have recurrent urine infections, there are some additional measures that may help to reduce your symptoms and frequency of them. The practice has an information leaflet about this.
Pharmacists are often open late and at weekends and can help with common symptoms and medicines.
GP Video Appointment
Use Livi to see a GP via video, wherever you are, 7 days a week. Livi can help you with medical advice, prescriptions, sick notes or a referral. Visit www.livi.co.uk
Life Threatening Emergency
Call 999 or Visit Accident and Emergency (A&E) - Cramlington Hospital or RVI Newcastle.
Urgent But Not Life Threatening
Go to the Urgent Care Centre, North Tyneside General, Rake Lane, North Shields, NE29 8NH or minor injuries unit at the RVI Newcastle.
Not sure what to do Dial 111 this is a 24 hour service
Life Threatening Emergency Call 999 for an ambulance, or Visit Accident and Emergency (A&E) - Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington or the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.
Urgent But Not life threatening Go to the Urgent Care Centre, Rake Lane. North Tyneside General Hospital, Rake Lane, North Shields, NE29 8NH Or minor injuries unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary.
Self help
numbers
Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team – Northumberland and North Tyneside
Mental health staff, including nurses, social workers, psychiatrists and pharmacy staff give assessment and home treatment for people over 16 experiencing a mental health crisis.
Support for people with mental health problems and those supporting someone with a mental health issue. Support Line available 8am-10pm 7 days a week for those over the age of 16. Call: 0191 477 4545 or 0330 1743 174. Email: admin@tynesidemind.org.uk
Day or night, for anyone who’s struggling to cope, Samaritans’ will listen without judgement or pressure. At a moment of crisis or to prevent a crisis we have trained people to help.
Psychological treatment for anyone experiencing a common mental health condition such as stress, depression, anxiety, panic, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress. For people 16 + living in North Tyneside with a North Tyneside GP. Talking Therapies Website
Supporting older people, their families and carers. We want everyone to be able to love later life.
Age UK North Tyneside - Information & Advice service
Age UK North Tyneside offer a information and advice service for North Tyneside residents aged 50 or over, which could entitle them to additional support and help them access a range of support including: • Pension Credit • Universal Credit • Housing Benefit • Council Tax Reduction • Attendance Allowance • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) • Winter Fuel Payment • Warm Home Discount • Priority Service Register for gas, electricity, and water
Welcome to Healthier Together NENC – a great place to find accurate and trusted NHS healthcare advice in the North East and North Cumbria.
All the information on this site has been checked by clinicians, to ensure we offer the best advice for parents, carers, young people and health professionals.
You can find everything from pregnancy tips and advice on poorly babies to 'should my child go to school today?' or emotional wellbeing for young people, and we're regularly adding new topics.
If you find the site helpful take a look at the Healthier Together app, search for 'healthier together' in your usual app store
Mindstars believe NO child should have to reach a mental health crisis before they have access to help and support.
With our professional and qualified team we offer a range of vital wellbeing activities, support and advice, to remove the barriers that poor mental health brings.
· Definition of carers: 'A carer is a person of any age (including children) who provides unpaid support to a partner, relative, friend or neighbour who couldn’t cope without their help. This could be due to old age, frailty, disability, a serious health condition, mental ill health or substance misuse.'
· What an adult carer does: 'An adult carer either looks after a child or another adult by helping them to wash and change, doing their housework and shopping, helping to distribute their medications and sorting out medical appointments.'
· Definition of young carer: 'Young Carers are children and young people aged 5-18 who help to look after somebody in their family because that person has a disability, illness, mental health difficulty, or because that person misuses drugs or alcohol.'
· What a young carer does: 'A young carer helps to do the shopping, cooking and cleaning, they often look after younger brothers or sisters and help to give medication, they help the person they care for go to the toilet or have a shower and often keep them company when they’re feeling down. Lots of young carers say that they worry about the person they care for when they aren’t with them and feel they need to check they are okay.'
· Carers Champions: 'Over the 3 sites, we have 2 Carers Champions within our team who work to support and help unpaid carers. Our Carers Champions are Caitlin and Lauren, who are a part of our Reception Team. They help to advertise events from the Carers Centre and will help signpost carers to places that will help them when they are struggling.'
· Carers Centre: 'The North Tyneside Carers Centre is a centre based in Wallsend that runs events to support unpaid carers. They run different group sessions for carers to be able to get together. They also provide 1 to 1 support for carers who are struggling and need some support.'