Latest News

Please note that all our Covid-19 news and updates can be found under the Covid section of the menu above.

Covid Vaccine update 06/04/21

We are currently offering first Covid vaccinations to all our patients aged over 50. If you are aged 50 or over and have not yet booked in for your first vaccine please contact Upperthorpe practice on 0114 275 1010 as soon as possible.

If you had your first vaccine at Porter Brook clinic on or before January 16th please contact us on 0114 275 1010 as soon as possible to book in for your second dose.

If you received your first vaccine on Saturday 23rd January you are now eligible for your second dose. We will be contacting you by text or phone over the next few days to invite you for your second dose. If you have given us your mobile phone number you will be sent a text with a link to our online booking system. Please book in through this system as it saves time.

If we do not have your mobile number we will be phoning you. Please make sure you answer your phone and are ready to book in through our staff. They have large numbers of patients to contact so will need to keep calls brief.

If you are not sure when you had your vaccine please check the card you were given at the clinic. If you arranged to have your first vaccine through another organisation e.g. your workplace then they are responsible for your second dose. In this instance, please don’t book in at Porter Brook as you may be taking a vaccine intended for someone else, please contact the organisation who arranged your first dose instead.

If you received your first vaccine after 23rd January you are not yet eligible for your second vaccine and we will contact you when it is time for your second dose. If you have not received a text or call from us about your second vaccine, please do not contact the Practice to enquire when it will be as we are receiving a high number of calls and need to keep the lines open for patients who are unwell. Thank you for your patience and we look forward to seeing you again at our vaccine clinics

COVID-19 Vaccine Update

We are continuing to run our covid vaccination clinics at Porter Brook Medical Centre when vaccines are delivered to us and have been contacting eligible patients by phone, text and letter to book them in. We’d like to thank all our patients for your continued support and for your patience and kind words at this difficult time – it means a lot to us.

We are working with other Practices in our local Primary Care Network to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine. Our vaccine clinic is at Porter Brook Medical Centre (not Ecclesall or Upperthorpe).

The first group of patients who have been offered the vaccine are patients aged over 80 and we are moving onto other groups as determined by the government's guidelines. We are contacting eligible patients by text, phone and letter. Please do not contact us.

When you have received your vaccine appointment please note the following information:

• Your appointment will be at Porter Brook Medical Centre, 9 Sunderland Street, Sheffield, S11 8HN
  

• If you need to cancel or change your appointment please don’t phone Porter Brook, phone us on 0114 275 1010. Appointment times are limited so we can only offer alternatives in exceptional circumstances.

• Please wear warm clothing that can be easily removed ready for your injection

• You will be at the site for about 25 minutes – this includes 15 mins observation time (if the Pfizer vaccine has been administered)

• Please arrive on time for your appointment – not too early as this may cause traffic congestion/queues

• If assistance is needed, please come accompanied but only one carer per patient inside the building please

Do not attend if you have COVID symptoms or have had a test in the last 10 days and are isolating

NHS Numbers

We are receiving an increasing amount of calls from patients requesting their NHS number to allow them to book their covid vaccination once invited to attend a mass vaccination centre. This is causing a delay in unwell patients being able to get through to the surgery to request medical assistance.

If you require your NHS number please don’t call the surgery. You can obtain your NHS number using your log in to your online medical records OR click here to have your number emailed to you.

Flu Vaccinations

Under the new government guidelines if you are aged between 50-64 you are eligible for a Flu Vaccination. 

Patients in the following groups are also eligible:

• Please call the surgery to book an appointment now.
• For more information click here.

Visiting the Surgery during Covid-19 

Do I need to wear a face mask?

• If you have been invited to attend the surgery by one of our clinicians we ask that you wear a face covering to help protect yourself, other patients, our clinicians and other staff members. The safety of all is of paramount importance to us.

• You MUST wear a face covering that should cover your nose and mouth. See illustration below to make your own at home or visit www.gov.uk/phe/face-coverings

• You will not be allowed access to the surgery and to your appointment with our clinicians by failing to wear a face covering.

• We ask that you do not wear gloves. 

• When visiting for your appointment please if possible attend alone, carers or parents of course are able to attend. Our aim is to help minimise the number of people in our waiting area at one time. 

• We have a system in place in the waiting area to allow patients to be seated 2m apart.

• Hand sanitisers are available and should be used by all visiting patients.

• Please be reassured our surgery is a 'Clean' and 'Safe' area to visit, we are following strict protocols to ensure the safety of all.

•  Our GP’s and nurses are here for you- We continue to ensure that people who need care or medical assistance receive it. Do not ignore other health issues or ongoing medical conditions.

Changes to the appointment systems

• Daily telephone triage
  We are screening all appointments at the surgery. Anyone who would like an appointment should call the surgery before 10.30am, but please expect a call from a GP or other clinician before a face to face appointment is offered. If we are able, we will try to help you over the phone and avoid a visit to the surgery.

• Explore other ways of working
  We are exploring other ways of caring for our patients, including online consultations and we are now able to offer video calls and receive picture messages from patients.

• Medication/chronic disease reviews and routine investigations
  We are relaxing our medication review requirements and on a case by case basis weighing up the risk of bringing patients to the surgery for reviews etc against postponing this until a later date.

Other measures at the Surgery

• Protecting each other
  We ask that patients attending the Surgery wear a face covering and follow our social distancing and infection control procedures which are indicated when entering the building.
  
  
• Entry to building via intercom 
  For patients who attend the surgery, we are allowing access via an intercom. Public Health England are encouraging any patients with a cough, fever or shortness of breath not to attend the practice (and to access healthcare via NHS 111 Online). If anyone with these symptoms  does enter the building, we may have to briefly close for a deep clean, so would rather avoid this disruption. We will call back via telephone any patients who attend with these symptoms.
  
  
• Prescription collection and ordering
  We have alternative methods of ordering and collection prescriptions rather than attending the surgery. These are potentially more convenient for patients, and we have been promoting them for some time. We are now strongly encouraging patients to register for our online services or the NHS App to order prescriptions, and nominate a pharmacy (by either speaking with our reception team, or the community pharmacy) so that your prescription can be sent electronically.
  
  
• Letters and non-urgent private services
  There may be some delay in non-urgent matters, such as insurance forms and other letters as we deal with acute medical problems. With regards to holiday cancellations and insurance forms, information is available on the gov.uk website, and you should not require a letter from your GP.
  
  
• Sick Notes & Letters regarding Coronavirus
  The Surgery will not be issuing letters for patients with coronavirus, or self isolating. The government have released an online portal for patients requiring confirmation for their employer. Information about MED3 Fit notes (sick notes) for your employer is also on the gov.uk site.
  
  
• Screening coronavirus symptoms
• It may be necessary for us to see patients with respiratory symptoms at the Practice (after speaking with a doctor).
• We already have robust infection control procedures and are well prepared for circumstances such as this. We have allocated an entrance away from the main reception area and have a designated room to contain potential infection.

COVID-19 Support – We’re Here for You

• It is understandable that during times like this, people may be feeling afraid, worried, anxious, and overwhelmed.
• Our Social Prescriber can help you with finding the support you need, whether that be ensuring you have your groceries, linking-up to mutual support groups, or building your mental health.
  
  
• You can self-refer directly by emailing Eloni at Eloni-jayne.lewis@nhs.net. Tel: 07707053892.
  Office hours: Mon-Fri, 9-5pm.​