Welcome to Carnon Downs GP Surgery situated midway between Truro, Falmouth and Redruth.
We are a dispensing practice offering care to approximately 5700 patients from a single modern site which is located on the outskirts of the village.
The practice team of doctors, nurses, dispensers and administration staff take pride in providing the highest standard of healthcare. Traditional values are combined with modern advances whilst encouraging patients to be active participants in the care they receive. We offer a full range of medical care plus many other extra services that demonstrate our ethos of innovation for patient benefit.
We hope that you will use our website to make the best use of the services we provide.
SPRING BANK HOLIDAY WHITSUN MAY 2020
The surgery will be closed on Monday 25 May and will re-open on the morning of Tuesday 26 May at 8.30am. If you need medical assistance that cannot wait until we re-open please call our Out of Hours Provider by dialling 111.
Please remember to collect your repeat medication before the dispensary closes on Friday 22 May at 5.00pm.
Any orders placed for medication during the weekend we are closed will not be processed until we re-open. We will endeavour to get the order processed and ready for collection by late afternoon the following Wednesday.
UPDATED INFORMATION ON CORONAVIRUS COVID-19
PLEASE KEEP CHECKING HERE FOR UPDATES.
PLEASE REMEMBER ALL OF OUR TEAMS ARE WORKING WITH LIMITED RESOURCES - YOUR PATIENCE AND CO-OPERATION IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED
PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE SURGERY IF YOU HAVE NEW SYMPTOMS OF A PERSISTENT COUGH, HIGH TEMPERATURE OR THINK YOU MAY HAVE CORONAVIRUS, OR HAVE BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO MAY HAVE IT.
In order to limit the risk of spread of coronavirus we will be changing the way we care for you by implementing telephone triage appointments only.
The doctor will telephone you so please do not attend the surgery unless the GP has arranged an appointment for you.
(Currently nurses are doing baby immunisations, INR blood tests, dressings and some procedures - you may be contacted if you already have an appointment)
OUR DISPENSARY REMAINS OPEN AT THIS TIME
1. How can I get my medication?
- Please order your medication as usual using your normal frequency - please do not order early.
- Please do not attempt to order more than your usual amount - the NHS is not permitting over ordering to prevent national shortages.
- The surgery is open for medication collections via the waiting room window so you will be able to collect without entering the building.
- If you are unable to collect due to self isolation please ask a friend or family member to collect on your behalf as you might for grocery shopping.
- Please leave a MINIMUM of TWO TO THREE WORKING DAYS before you collect medication - we will be unable to dispense items any quicker, please give our dispensary team as much time as possible to prepare all orders. You may be asked to return again - if possible help us by leaving it THREE days before you arrive.
- We cannot process orders after 2.00pm so anything ordered after this time either via the prescription box or the online system will be processed during the following morning.
COLLECTION TIMES:
MONDAY TO FRIDAY 8.30AM - 5PM (please ring the bell if the window is unattended as we may have skeleton staff)
If you are finding it difficult to collect medication we have lots of community support see below for their telephone numbers.
2. Do I need to socially distance - what is the most up to date guidance?
Social distancing is advised for all of us, where possible. It is especially important for those aged over 70 and people with long term medical conditions. (About 1800 - 2000 people in our practice population)
Within this group there is also a very high risk population who will be contacted by a combination or either NHS England, Secondary Care or from us here at the surgery by letter - these are patients that need to be shielded.
(About 250 people in our practice population - please do not ring to see if you are in this high risk group you will be contacted)
For the most up to date advice since May 10 please follow this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do
3. Can I still see the doctor or nurse if I need to?
Yes. We are still here. We are still operating with limited resources and therefore we can only deal with medically urgent issues at this time. If you are calling about a routine matter please consider delaying this until later in the summer.
If you have a medical problem which cannot be put off we will aim, if at all possible, to deal with it on the telephone. If you need to be seen, the doctor or nurse will make the appropriate arrangements, in keeping with us managaing both yours and our own safety. We are still operating with limited resources and therefore we can only deal with medically urgent issues at this time. If you are calling about a routine matter please consider delaying this until later in the summer.
4. Where can I get help with my mental health?
Feeling worried about our families, friends, jobs and potentially self isolating is understandable. Below are some websites that provide some useful information to help you.
Healthy Cornwall home based exercise
Cornwall County Council has lots more information and help via this link: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/mentalhealth
5. Where can I get information about testing?
Any patients requiring information about testing can go to the website https://www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test. Patients who do not have access to or cannot use the internet may call the dedicated phone line 0300 303 2713 between 07:00 and 23:00 - please do not call 111 regarding testing.
TEMPORARY CLOSURE of DISPENSARY DURING THE WEEKEND starting 18.4.20
The surgery will no longer be open for the collection of medications on a Saturday morning from Sat 18 April. Our new regular hours for the collection of medication will be Monday to Friday 8.30am until 5.00pm. The window may not be manned if we are operating with skeleton staff so please ring the bell and someone will be with you as soon as they can. Your co-operation and patience at this time is very appreciated.
If you have an urgent medical problem during these times and telephone the main surgery number 01872 863221 you will be advised to telephone 111 or alternatively you can use the link NHS 111 for medical advice.
Please do not ask to see a doctor out of hours unless you genuinely cannot wait until the surgery re-opens.
COMMUNITY HELP IN OUR AREA
We have some wonderful volunteers in our area who are willing to help collect your medication, walk the dog, collect groceries etc. Please ring the numbers the below if you need help. Please keep our phones lines free for the doctors to call out to our unwell patients.
FEOCK PARISH COUNCIL : 07904 547822
PERRAN AR WORTHAL EMERGENCY PLAN AREA: 07564 066 467 or Pawemergencyplan@gmail.com
KEA PARISH: 07887 913488 lines open from 10am - 1.00pm or email clerk@keaparishcouncil.org.uk
PONSANOOTH AREA: 07548 778238 or email stgluviasparishcouncil@gmail.com OR contact the Shop (01872) 857019 or Pub (01872) 863046
MYLOR PARISH COUNCIL AREA: 01326 379359
VOLUNTEER CORNWALL (GWENNAP AREA and others) : 01872 266988 or requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk
DO YOU NEED AN ISOLATION NOTE FOR YOUR EMPLOYER?
To reduce the burden on GP practices a new online system is now live for patients to be emailed a digital isolation note. These provide patients with evidence for their employers that they have been advised to self-isolate due to coronavirus, either because they have symptoms or they live with someone who has symptoms, and so cannot work. An isolation note can be obtained without contacting a doctor, this will reduce pressure on GP surgeries and prevent people needing to leave their homes. The notes can be accessed through the links below, after answering a few questions an isolation note can be emailed to the user. if they don't have an email address, they can have the note sent to as trusted family member or friend or directly to the employer.
NHS website and NHS 111 online.
COVID SYMPTOM CHECKER
We are encouraging patients to download the Covid Symptom Tracker app - please click on the link below.
By using this app you're contributing to advance vital research on COVID-19. The app will be used to study the symptoms of the virus and track how it spreads.
This research is led by Dr Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London and director of TwinsUK a scientific study of 15,000 identical and non-identical twins, which has been running for nearly three decades.
The COVID Symptom Tracker was designed by doctors and scientists at King's College London, Guys and St Thomas’ Hospitals working in partnership with ZOE Global Ltd – a health science company.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
The surgery has recently joined Facebook - tell all your family and friends to find us online and keep up to date with current news and health advice.
Visit us on Facebook
(Site updated 21/05/2020)