Urgent: Self Isolation Severely Affecting Staff Levels Posted or Updated on 15 Feb 2022

We have, in common with many other organisations, been badly affected in the last few days because of staff being instructed to isolate following contact with Covid cases.

The situation has now reached unprecedented levels we have not experienced at any previous time during the pandemic and staff numbers are now significantly down on our normal levels at all sites across the group.

Absences are badly affecting both our clinicians ie GPs, nurse practitioners and practice nurses etc, and also our reception, administration and communications staff.

However, we would like to advise that we are doing everything possible to maintain as near to a normal service as possible.

The clinicians affected have been provided with laptops and are making every effort to continue with phone appointments.

Face-to-face appointments with these clinicians are being replaced by phone appointments or have been reallocated to those clinicians who are not self-isolating.

However, clearly the situation will have some affect on appointments and also as a number of our reception staff have also been affected, there may be longer wait times in answering phone inquiries.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and would like to assure patients that we are making every effort to continue to provide as normal a service as possible at this difficult time. 

We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.