Bath GPs urging people with COVID symptoms to stay away from local surgeries
The virus has forced them to cancel appointments
GPs across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire are asking any patients with COVID-19 symptoms to stay away from their surgeries.
It's in order to help stop the spread of the virus, as self isolation rules mean many clinics and appointments have been cancelled due to a lack of staff.
Anyone who has a high temperature, a new continuous cough, a change to their sense of taste or smell, or any of the milder Omicron symptoms reported such as a continuous headache, runny nose, sneezing and sore throat should not visit their GP.
Cancelling appointments as soon as symptoms develop will give practices more time to offer slots to other patients who need to attend.
Patients who are unwell and unable to visit their practice in person due to their symptoms may be offered a telephone appointment with a GP or other healthcare professional.
Medical help for people who are self-isolating is also available from the online NHS 111 service or 111 phone service.
Dr Amanda Webb, Locality Clinical Chair for Swindon, said:
“We are seeing more and more appointments and clinics cancelled across BSW because the dedicated staff at our GP practices are having to self-isolate after contracting COVID-19.
“Our primary care services are under intense pressure – in December alone, our practices had more than 275,000 face-to-face appointments and more than 153,000 telephone appointments, as well as playing their vital part in the vaccination programme.
“Many practices are also short staffed, so even a small number of staff being off work can have a huge impact on our ability to deliver the services people need.
“Everyone can play their part in helping to address this problem by staying away from our surgeries if they have any of the symptoms associated with COVID, even if they haven’t tested positive on a lateral flow test.
“By doing so, they will give our hard-working staff a chance to stay healthy, do their jobs and keep seeing those patients who need to be seen.”