Karen Ritchie, Author at Firrhill Medical CentreFirrhill Medical Centre - 165 Colinton Mains Drive, EH12 9AF

Author Archive

WHY DO RECEPTIONISTS ASK QUESTIONS?

 

GP reception staff are a vital part of the health care team and are there to triage enquires.

You don’t have to tell them anything that makes you uncomfortable, however they can help you get the most appropriate appointment as quickly as possible. All the information they handle is treated confidentially.

I wanted to see my GP, so why am I seeing someone else?

Many GP practice teams include, or are supported by, nurses, advanced nurse practitioners (who can diagnose and treat health conditions), occupational therapists, pharmacists, physiotherapists and link workers.

By using the

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HOW TO REQUEST TRANSPORT TO YOUR HEALTHCARE APPOINTMENT

Patient Transport Service provides ambulances to patients who need support to reach their healthcare appointment, or for their admission to and discharge from hospital, due to their medical/clinical needs.

 

0300 123 1236
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PODIATRY

 

The podiatry team is made up of Podiatrists, Podiatry assistants and Admin staff who are responsible for delivering podiatry services across Lothian. All our Podiatrists are registered by the Health and Care Professions council (HCPC). The podiatry department triage all new patient referrals. Please provide us with as much information as possible and include all relevant medical history and medication. Priority appointments are determined based on the information provided within the referral.

Podiatry – NHS Lothian | Our Services

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MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

MHAS is an emergency mental health assessment service. It is a mental health nurse led team based at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for mental health emergencies.

 

0131 537 6000
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SURGERY ABROAD WITHOUT NHS REFERRAL

https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhsinform.scot%2Ftests-and-treatments%2Fsurgical-procedures%2Fsurgery-abroad-without-nhs-referral&data=05%7C01%7Ckaren.x.ritchie%40nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk%7Cdd85a08475ef4710202e08db45073ed2%7C10efe0bda0304bca809cb5e6745e499a%7C0%7C0%7C638179669639857770%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qn%2FruRIslbZGLIupiy0d20q9F%2BiOXKzxgYbAFL8%2FE2I%3D&reserved=0

NHS Scotland does not recommend choosing to pay to travel abroad for surgery as part of a packaged holiday. This is sometimes called surgical or cosmetic tourism.

Complications of having surgery abroad

Most surgical procedures go well but there can always be complications. You should understand what’s included in your treatment package in the event of complications.

One cause of problems after surgery abroad is the holiday that comes with the surgical package. A key part of recovery after surgery is rest. Taking part in activities such as swimming and sunbathing can have

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COMMUNITY TREATMENT AND CARE (CTAC)

Community Treatment and Care (CTAC) services

CTAC Edinburgh, based within Allermuir Health Centre and Sighthill Health Centre , Calder Road, Edinburgh and currently offers the following services: Wound Care – Basic and complex, Suture and Clip removal, Doppler ABPI, Ear Irrigation and pre audiology appointment check, Unscheduled Vaccinations. WOUND CARE – CTAC can care for all types of wounds from post surgical wound checks to complex care and compression therapy. Patients can self-refer to Edinburgh CTACS by calling the CTACS patient-focused booking line.

 

0131 537 7205

Website

Ear Syringing

The Local CTAC (Community Treatment And

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COST OF LIVING

The price of energy, food and bills are all rising and many of us are feeling worried about our finances. You may find yourself in a position you have never been in before. There are services and advice that can help. Eligibility for some of these services may depend on your circumstances

For more information please use links below 

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cost-living

 

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/cost-living/help-youre-worried-money

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SICK/FIT NOTE’S

How to count sick days

When you work out the number of days that you’ve been sick, you need to count all the days in a row you’ve been sick, including days you don’t normally work such as weekends and bank holidays.

Less than seven days off sick

If you have been sick for more than four days in a row, but less than seven, you can self–certify your illness using a SC2 form available online from HMRC.

Many employers have their own self-certification forms. You do not need to see a Doctor.

More than seven days off sick

If

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DO YOU HAVE A MUSCLE OR JOINT PROBLEM?

Please see guidance on how to self refer to physiotherapy  How to self refer to physiotherapy (2) and self referral form MSK Self Ref v5 (2)

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NHS DIGITAL DATA SHARING OPT OUT

We would like to reassure our patients that the proposed extraction of GP data by NHS Digital does NOT​ include any patients registered with this practice or in NHS Scotland.  NHS Digital provide services in England so are not able to access any data held in Scotland.  You are not required to opt out as your data is already safe.  We take patient confidentiality extremely seriously and safeguards are in place to protect this, including when data is used for research.

Further information on how NHS Scotland handles your personal information

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