Dear Patient,
We are aware that many people are concerned and understandably confused regarding the guidance in relation to shielding of the most vulnerable patients who are advised to shield themselves for a 12 week period.
It is important that the surgery team are available to provide care to those patients who are currently unwell, so please read this information before contacting the surgery to enquire regarding your status or request any letters / certificates / documentation for your employer. Thank you
Any patient who is usually offered a flu vaccination by the NHS is considered to be at increased risk if they become infected with Coronavirus and are strongly advised to follow the guidance on social distancing as strictly as is possible. This guidance can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people. This group is not being advised to shield.
Regarding work, patients in this group are advised to work from home if possible, or to speak to their employer regarding how they can be supported to follow the social distancing advice whilst in the workplace. No letter or certificate is required, and we will not be providing any for this purpose.
An additional, much smaller in number, group of patients will be at very high risk if they become infected with Coronavirus, and these are the patients advised to shield themselves for a 12 week period. The first cohort of patients identified in this group has been written to by NHSE and their medical records flagged to indicate this. There is ongoing work being carried out nationally to ensure any patients not already identified as being in the very high risk group, but who should be, are identified as soon as possible. If you are identified, based on nationally set criteria, as being in this group, you will receive a letter in due course.
This is a detailed and time consuming piece of work to carry out, alongside caring for patients who are currently unwell with both coronavirus and other conditions. We therefore do not have available capacity to discuss each individual case and politely request that you do not contact the surgery to discuss your individual situation, whilst the ongoing work to identify all patients is completed.
Thank you for your support and understanding at this most difficult time
The Sollershott Surgery