Surgeries: St Thomas, Exwick, Exeter University
Together #WeCan work towards a future where cervical cancer is a thing of the past.This Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, get involved to raise awareness and help make it a reality!
How can we end cervical cancer?We have the tools to make cervical cancer a thing of the past.HPV vaccination and the cervical screening programme can help prevent itbut we need to increase awareness and uptake.
Please click HERE for more information.
Our Online Consult service lets you:
After you click on the link it will ask you to
Whether it is an admin query, help for a medical issue or online advice
You may have seen reports in the press and on social media regarding data being extracted from your GP records. We want to provide you with the information we have and to offer you the chance to opt-out of this data sharing.
Please view the STMG Statement on GPDPR for more information.
“Please do not come to the surgery if you have any symptoms of coronavirus. These include a high temperature or a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.
“If you have these symptoms, please book a free test by visiting the government website or calling 119 and self-isolate with members of your household until you get the results.
“If you test positive you must self-isolate for 10 days from when your symptoms started and those you live with must self-isolate for 14 days, but they don’t need to get tested unless they develop symptoms too.
“If other members of your household develop symptoms too, they should get tested and if the result is positive they must self-isolate for 10 days from when their symptoms started, which might mean they self-isolate for longer than 14 days overall.”
From 17 May 2021, people in England who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can demonstrate their vaccination status for international travel. A full course is currently two doses of any approved vaccine. Vaccine status will be available from:
the NHS App which you can download from app stores
the NHS website (from 17 May 2021)
It may take more than a week for your identity to be checked and verified so you can use these services.
If you cannot access these online services, and you have had 2 vaccines, you can request a paper letter from the NHS by calling 119. Only call 119 if you had your second dose more than 5 working days ago. It may take 7 working days for the letter to arrive.
This practice is not able to provide you with a letter that shows your COVID-19 vaccination status.
When you’re planning your travel, check the latest information on demonstrating your COVID-19 status when travelling abroad on the gov.uk website. Make sure there is time to get proof of your vaccination status before you leave.
Some GP sites in Exeter will not be providing vaccinations for their patients aged 18-49, but
people in the city can use the National Booking Service to book an appointment at locations including at the nearby large vaccination centre at Greendale Business Park or Lewis Pharmacy in Exmouth.
Anyone who has an appointment for a first or second dose of Covid vaccine at the large vaccination centre at Westpoint Exeter should go to the new site at the Greendale
Business Park if their appointment is 7 May 2021 or after.
As previously announced, the site of the large vaccination centre is moving from Westpoint
to its new home at Greendale Business Park, as Westpoint starts to return to its commercial
events calendar following the easing of lockdown restrictions.
Greendale is just over two miles from the existing site, and clear signage will be in place to
guide patients from Westpoint.
Our GP-led local vaccination service is providing vaccinations to people in cohorts 1-9 and this will continue.
We will not be providing a vaccination service for people aged 18 to 49 when they become eligible. If you are in this cohort, you will be able to get your vaccination at other local vaccination services including hospital hubs, community pharmacies and larger vaccination centres.
Please click here for more information on Covid-19 Vaccine
Symptoms of COVID 19- The common symptoms of COVID 19 are a persistent new cough and/or temperature, and/or a change or loss of sense of smell or taste. Some people develop shortness of breath or a sore throat. Please contact 111online if you have COVID 19
Find out about the main symptoms of coronavirus and where to get medical advice if you think you have them.
Check if you have coronavirus symptoms
Advice about not leaving your home (self-isolation) and looking after yourself if you or someone you live with has symptoms.
What to do if you or someone you live with has symptoms of coronavirus
Advice for people at higher risk from coronavirus, including older people, people with health conditions and pregnant women.
People at higher risk from coronavirus
Advice about symptoms of coronavirus in children, including when to get medical help if your child seems unwell.
Advice about staying at home to avoid getting coronavirus, including when you can leave your home and how to get medical help.
Staying at home to avoid getting coronavirus
Find out what you can do to help the NHS respond to the spread of coronavirus.
Help the NHS respond to coronavirus
Links to government advice, information for health professionals and advice for other parts of the UK.
Links to more information about coronavirus
For further information go to nhs.uk/coronavirus or gov.uk/coronavirus
The current guidance for protecting extremely clinically vulnerable groups
On behalf of us all at St Thomas Medical Group we would like to acknowledge your patience and understanding during these challenging times.
Our team are carrying on our service but as per government guidelines trying whenever possible to communicate with you over the phone rather than face to face for everybody’s safety.
We are also highlighting our Online Consultation service so patients can contact us through a form on our website and we will reply within 72 hours.
Thank you again for your cooperation and understanding. Keep washing hands, keep wearing masks and most of all keep smiling!
With best wishes all of us from St Thomas Medical Group
Although photographing sometimes seems simple, there are a few rules of thumb that will make it much easier for your doctor to be able to make a diagnosis.
Adequate lighting
Please make sure the area is well lit. Not flooded with light, but enough light to make the area (for example, a mole on your arm) clear to see, and stand out from the surrounding skin.
Use a plain background
A light coloured sheet or a light coloured wall is ideal.
Some sort of scale
It is important to be able to tell the size of lesion, so place a tape measure or ruler alongside it. Alternatively, something like a 5p or 10p piece coin alongside will be very helpful.
Indication of location In some photographs, it can be very difficult to tell what part of the body the photograph is of. Please make this clear, either in the photograph, or in accompanying message. The side of the body (right or left) is also important. Sometimes you need to take several photos, one from a distance to show location, and closer ones to show detail.
Indication of orientation It can sometimes be difficult to tell which way up a photograph is. Please try to make it clear on the photograph which way is up!
Identification (name, date of birth, and date of photo) We need the details of who the photograph is of. We will need both name and date of birth. This is because some photos we are sent are of a relative (or even a neighbour!). We need to make absolutely sure the photos go in the right set of notes. Each photo should include these details on it. I suggest you write these details on a piece of paper and include it in the photograph. These can then be emailed into our secure email address: stthomas@nhs.net
Make sure it is in focus! You would be surprised at the number of images we get sent that are blurry. Do your best to make the photos clear and sharp.
Be aware that by sending photographs to your doctor, you are providing your consent for us to receive and store the images and that you are aware they form part of your medical record, and will be filed within the record for this reason. They also might have to be sent on to a specialist for further advice (this is another reason for needing the patient identification details requested above).
Due to the sensitive nature of some photographs, we are not able to accept images of intimate areas/genitalia or children.
HM Government has created a new campaign, in line with the new advice, explaining the actions we all need to take to support the Government’s strategy.
For information on pharmacy bank holiday opening hours, please view the NHS England Holiday Pharmacy Hours document.
If anyone is at risk of, or experiencing, domestic abuse, they are still able leave and seek refuge. You can find more details on the link below.
Website: www.gov.uk/domestic-abuse