Get the latest advice about coronavirus from nhs.uk
Please also see our COVID-19 information page
We will be using this website to keep you informed of all the latest news and events happening at the practice. We hope this helps improve your experience of our services.
We are dedicated to providing you with a friendly, caring , safe and efficient family health service.
Even if you enjoy good health, you will probably need our services at some time. This leaflet tells you the way we run our practice and the full range of services that are available to you.
We work from two surgery premises, our main surgery is Hulme Hall Medical Group - Handforth. We also have a branch surgery Hulme Hall Medical Group - Cheadle Hulme.
Both surgeries have ramps for wheelchair access. Please inform the receptionist when you make your appointment if you require any assistance into the surgery from your vehicle and they will be pleased to help.
The Practice supports the government's Zero Tolerance campaign for Health Service Staff. This states that GPs and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused.
Abusive behaviour or threatening language creating intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or an offensive environment will not be tolerated.
Please be mindful we are here to help and any display of unwarranted behaviour to our colleagues will not be tolerated and may result in you and members of your household being removed from the practice list.
Whilst we wish this not to happen, we also have a duty of care for the people who look after you.
All we ask is for you to treat your GP and practice staff courteously at all times.
Thank you.
Working with our neighbouring practices we are starting to offer COVID vaccinations. Please don’t contact the practice directly about your vaccination as patients will all be contacted strictly in priority order as the vaccine becomes available. We have no control over the quantity of vaccines or the risk group you have been placed in.
We have made your appointments for your two doses of the COVID vaccination. If you have a mobile phone on your records, you will receive two text messages confirming the dates, time and venue. Those of you without a mobile phone will be contacted verbally by our booking team. Unfortunately we cannot offer choice of date, time or venue.
See answers any questions relating to the covid19 vaccination programme.
We know this is a confusing time for many and we have taken several calls from carers concerned about their priority for a Covid-19 vaccination. SignPost Stockport for Carers have raised this issue with Public Health Stockport. The Director of Public Health has assured it is being looked at a Greater Manchester-wide level to remove ambiguity and inconsistencies.
The government’s guidance clarifies that unpaid carers who are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, or are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer contracted COVID should be included in priority group 6.
It is currently unclear how other carers (those not receiving Carer's Allowance, for example, will be prioritised).
Our Practice operates in Cheadle Hulme and Handforth which sometimes causes confusion to our patients who live in the Cheshire East area with what services are available from some organisations, particularly support for carers.
SignPost Stockport for Carers offer their services for those who live in the Stockport area and unfortunately unable to assist carers outside of the Stockport boundary.
Cheshire East Council has launched a service that offers support to thousands of carers, including unpaid carers, across the borough during the current Covid-19 crisis.
Register for Support in Cheshire East
Register for Support in Stockport
As the mass vaccination programme starts in Stockport, to seek advice and support on how be prioritised as a carer, and how vaccinations are being rolled out across the borough, SignPost Stockport for Carers are there to help.
We are recommending carers who live in the Stocport area to register with SighPost for a Connecting Carers Card, a form of photo ID, proving that they are an unpaid carer.
They can then inform us that you are an unpaid carer, registered with Signpost and that they have a form of ID to prove this.
Lockdown has been awful for all of us and we worry particularly about our babies and parents, many of whom have suffered, are suffering behind doors, isolated and feeling very alone.
As we begin to see a way out of this pandemic, more than ever, we want to reach out to families and connect you to the following helpful resources:
Tameside and Glossop early attachment service
Stay well and keep safe.
Our message to victims and survivors of domestic abuse
We know that if you are currently experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse you will know what being isolated and frightened will feel like. You might be worried about self-isolating with someone who is harming you. We’ve created this to help you think about what you might do over the coming weeks to stay safe.
You are not alone in this.
You are a survivor, equipped with the knowledge, strength and tools that help keep you and your family safe every day.
Below are some things you can think about if this is happening to you. Remember that you are an expert in your own situation and only take on advice that feels safe and relevant to you. It is important to try and think about the things that may change or make you more unsafe, especially thinking through now how you might get help if you need it. We also know that, like everyone, you could be worried about contracting the virus and the NHS website can give you advice around this.
Always remember that the abuse you are experiencing is not your fault.
General points to consider
Self-isolation means different things in different countries but usually it means only leaving the house for essential reasons. Unfortunately, this means you and the person harming you could end up spending more time together in the same space.
Also, we talk about Idva/Idaa in this guide but instead you may have a social worker or other professional that you trust. Think about who this trusted person is for you. Below are things you might want to think about:
Support from family, friends and neighbours
Family, friends and neighbours can be another way to get support that you need.
-Can you FaceTime or call someone you trust? Can you talk to them about what you areexperiencing and what your concerns are? Do you have a code word/phrase to let someoneknow that it is not safe to talk or to ask someone to phone the police?
-Could you set up with someone you trust a check in call so you know that someone willcontact you at certain times of the week?
Self-care
How can you look after yourself?
-As much as possible stick to usual routines. Maintaining basic self-care like eating,showering, sleeping and exercising can all help your mental health.
-Take whatever breaks you can, walk around any outside space you might have, read amagazine, get the kids involved in an online exercise class.
General safety planning
Do you have a personalised safety plan?
-Think about what needs updating or changing because of what is happening now.
-It is ok to tell your specialist worker that the person harming you is living in the property, theywill not judge you and can better help you think about your safety.
-Can an Idva/Idaa or specialist domestic abuse worker help you do this?
-If you can’t see or speak to them are there other professionals you trust and can talk to?
-Do you have a supportive employer? Can you talk to them about what is happening?
-If you can, download phone apps which will help you. The Brightsky app will help you findservices and the Hollie Gazzard app turns your smartphone into a personal safety device.
-What is the usual pattern of abuse? E.g is it worse when the kids are around or not around?
-This might help you think about times when things might be calmer.
-What are your main concerns and worries?
These are the things you need to share with your specialist domestic abuse worker,trusted professional and if you need to ring 999 for help, the police.
-Will the person who is harming you be out of work or working from home?
-Will your family income be affected? How could this affect things?
-Does the person harming you use drugs and/or alcohol?
-How could their use change and what could this mean?
-Do you know how they might respond to self-isolation?
-Think about whether this might increase the sexual violence/ coercive control/physical abuse
-Do you think there is software on your IT? Any listening devices? Cameras in the home?
-How will this change the way you might get help?
-Do you know what your options are if you want to leave? Or what your options are if you wantto stay but want the person harming you to leave? The Idva/Idaa or specialist domesticabuse worker can help you think this through.
Safety planning suggestions:
-Have you talked your Idva/Idaa through the layout of your house so you can think about anyplaces of safety?
-If you had to leave in an emergency do you know where you would go? Remember manyshops/restaurants/pubs will be shut.
-If someone you trust is doing is your shopping for you could you write a message on theshopping list asking for help?
-Have a bag packed ready and if you can, leave this at a trusted friend/family/neighbor’shome:
-This should contain medical essentials, important documents includingpassports/driving license. Maybe the service you are in touch with could keep copiesof these documents?
-Have a code word/sign to signal you are in danger – set this up for family and friends to letthem know by text/FaceTime/skype. The code will need to alert them to contact the police ifyou are in danger.
-Teach the code to children who are old enough to understand what you are asking of themand why.
-Have a little bit of money hidden away in case you need this to leave.
-Do you need a separate mobile which you can use just to call for help? The service you arein touch with may be able to supply this.
-If there are times you know you can talk, share this with your specialist worker and agree howyou will reach each other.
-Use the fact that there are no online shopping slots available to go to the shop and speak tosomeone.
-Now would be a good time to consider whether there is someone else you could move in withe.g. a vulnerable family member who will need your support. Consider that you will be selfisolating for long periods.
-Silent calls to police – dial 999 – then 55 if you can’t talk – see here.
Children
−The person harming you may use child contact to further control and abuse you. If you havecourt orders in place which are not being followed please contact your solicitor or the police toenforce them.
−If you have children living between two family homes this counts as ‘essential travel’according to the Government.
−For my guidance with here is more guidance about child contact orders during the crisis
Resources
If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police.
Telephone and email
If you are not in immediate danger, the following numbers might be helpful:
England: Freephone 24h National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247
Scotland: Scotland’s 24h Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234
Northern Ireland: 24h Domestic & Sexual Violence Helpline: 0808 802 1414
Wales: Freephone: 24h Life Fear Free Helpline: 0808 80 10 800
LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428 help@galop.org.uk
Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327 info@mensadviceline.org.uk Karma Nirvana,
UK Helpline for ‘honour’-based abuse and forced marriage: 0800 5999 247
Victim Support National 24 hour Supportline: 0808 1689 111
Websites and useful guides Accessing information online may feel like the best option for you at this time. If you do access any information online you may need to delete your browser history or use ‘private browsing’ as a way to hide your searches.
•SafeLives guide to staying safe online
•Women’s Aid guide to private browsing
•Guide to technology safety
•Making a safety plan, Women’s Aid
•The Survivor’s Handbook, Women’s Aid
•Guidance on economic abuse during COVID-19, Surviving Economic Abuse
•Karma Nirvana
•Chayn
Live chats and survivor forums
•Women’s Aid Survivors Forum
•Women’s Aid Live Chat
•Victim Support Live Chat
Samaritans can also be a source of support to you if you are generally feeling low and would like to talk to someone. They are a non-judgemental listening service that will not give advice or pressure you in any way.
You can still sign up to our Patient Access Online System to Access your appointments, view blood results and medical records in real time.
Dear Patients
The Flu vaccination season has arrived and this year is especially challenging. We have gone to great lengths to ensure we can vaccinate everyone who is eligible safely.
If you are eligible ( generally this is patients who had a vaccine last year) we will be contacting you by text with your appointment time over the next few weeks.
All our Flu appointments are at Handforth which has been specially adapted for safe vaccination. We made this decision on safety grounds as we can keep patients separate and operate a one way system. We apologise that for some this is more inconvenient but urge you to accept your appointment. Adult appointments will be all day Monday to Friday. We will be arranging childrens’ clinics on some Saturdays.
The government have promised vaccination for all adults between 50 and 65 who do not normally receive a Flu vaccine. The government have not yet provided details on how this is to be organised but it is likely to happen after November. We will provide more details when we are able. For now, during September and October, we will be concentrating on those who normally get a Flu vaccine each year.
When you attend please arrive at your appointment time. Enter Handforth through the main door if the entrance is clear of other patients, and you will then be directed to one of two rooms. You will have your vaccination and then leave Handforth via a rear door. We regret we cannot do other tasks such as blood tests during these Flu clinics.
Because the Flu clinics are challenging to run we are having to operate a reduced service in other areas- especially nursing and blood test appointments. Please do be supportive of us as we juggle the demands on our staff.
Many thanks
Dr Hastings
Please see a video we have prepared rearding the Flu clinics.
Our Practice Champions are now starting to contact patients that have been on a shielding list.
They will also help any patient needing assistance to register for online services.
The champions can help, listen and signpost a patient to the appropriate support service.
Please contact the practice using the online servive link if you or a family member would like a telephone call from one of our Practice Champions.
Self Care Coordinators help you manage the things in life that may affect your health and wellbeing, If you need someone to talk to who can explore options for you that will help you work towards your goals, book an appointment today. See the Wellbeing and Selfcare Services poster for further details.
If you are in crisis please contact Stockport Mental Health Access and Crisis Team 0161 419 4678
If you are immediate danger contact the police.
The Samaritans - Free calls anytime 116 123
The Sanctuary – Self-help services (6pm -1am) 0300 003 7029
GPs and patient volunteers to work together on Hulme Hall Medical Group’s exciting new project to tackle loneliness and help people look after their health. See the Practice Community Champions document for further details.
The impact of bereavement through suicide is devastating - for family - for friends - for the community.
The Suicide Bereavement Information Service has been set up to help answer your questions, whether it is seeking advice on immediate issues that need addressing or making you aware of ongoing support services.
Please see the Suicide Bereavement poster for further details.
Have you recently been referred to the hospital and wondering why you have not heard anything? This document provides a list of numbers for the Hospitals that you can call to find any information regarding this.
You can get the help you need from a variety of services which you can access without seeing a GP. See our Self Referrals page for details.
We are changing the way we share information about your health and care to help improve individual care,speed up diagnosis and treatment and deliver better local services. See the Say YES Poster for further details.
111 is the NHS non-emergency number. It's fast, easy and free. Call 111 and speak to a highly trained adviser, supported by healthcare professionals.
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