Welcome to The Vale of Neath Practice

The Vale of Neath General Practice is an online resource providing general surgery information and advice on common health issues.

Christmas 2023 Opening Hours

Please see the opening hours for the forthcoming Christmas Period, and note our Emergency/Urgent only clinics during the afternoons from Wednesday 27th December until Friday 29th December 2023.

On behalf of all our GP's, Nurses and Admin Staff, we wish our registered patients a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  

The Way You Access NHS Services Has Changed - HELP US TO HELP YOU

Please see promotional video by the Welsh Assembly Government, which explains the way in which access to NHS Service's has changed:

COVID-19 BOOSTER VACCINATION PROGRAMME

LATEST NEWS: Please click HERE to read the latest Swansea Bay Health Board COVID-19 vaccination newsletter.

For more specific Health Board information on the Booster Vaccination Programme, please click HERE.

For Public Health Wales COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), please click HERE.

Safe Clinical Capacity At Vale Of Neath Practice

Dear Patients, from Wednesday 28th April 2021, the way appointments are made is changing. Owing to demand beyond our capacity, in order to maintain a safe service for all our patients we are having to limit the number of appointments per clinician in both morning and afternoon sessions. If capacity has been reached you will be asked to recontact us at an alternative session or send us a message via our email service AskMyGP. To request a consultation please contact us between 08:30 and 10:30 for a morning appointment, and 13:30 and 15:00 for an afternoon appointment.

We thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we implement these important safety changes.

COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAMME

If you have not yet received your first COVID-19 vaccine, then you MUST complete the Swansea Bay University Health Board vaccination reserve list form - which can be found HERE.

LATEST NEWS: Please click HERE to read the latest Swansea Bay Health Board COVID-19 vaccination newsletter.

This week's newsletter (12/05/2021) includes important information for any patients who have not received their first COVID-19 vaccination, and information on the restarting of hospital visits. 

The Vale Of Neath Practice has been approved by Swansea Bay University Health Board, to deliver the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in our community. We will shortly be sending invitation letters to patients in line with the Welsh Government's priority listing guidance, which is namely our registered patients in residential care homes and registered patients who are over 80 years of age (date of birth before 31/03/1941). Please do not call the surgery to enquire when you will be receiving a vaccination invite, you will be called automatically when your priority age category is due.

The Practice will be organising vaccination clinics at The Vale Of Neath Medical Centre, due to the added workload and pressure associated with delivering this programme, we will be operating with an "emergency or urgent only" GP Service on vaccination clinic afternoons - so please bear with us. 

When you receive your vaccination invitation letter and consent form, it is extremely important to follow the procedure below:

1. On receipt of your letter, the registered patient (family member or carer) MUST attend the medical centre promptly at the allotted date and time. Please remember to bring your vaccination card when attending for your second dose.
2. The consent form should be completed when received, and brought with the patient when they attend for their vaccine - we are unable to vaccinate any patient without a fully completed consent form.
3. On the day of the vaccination clinic, it is vital that all patients are well and not demonstrating any covid-19 symptoms. If you are unwell on the morning of your scheduled vaccination, you must not attend the Medical Centre and contact the surgery so we can reschedule an appointment for you.
4. All patients should attend promptly at their designated vaccination time, as we will be unable to allow access to the building until the previous group of patients have left.
5. When patients attend for their vaccination please can you bring along your own pen, so you can complete a screening questionnaire which must be completed on the day.
6. Housebound Patients: The Practice will be making provisions for patients who are genuinely housebound and who cannot attend the surgery to receive their vaccine, so please call the surgery on 01639 509050 for further information.

Two doses of the vaccine will be required, and these will be administered 12 weeks apart in line with Welsh Government guidance, the Practice will contact you again when the second dose is due.

Thank you for your cooperation and support as we help deliver this extremely important vaccination programme, by consenting and attending for your vaccination you will be playing your part in protecting your family and the wider community from catching and spreading COVID-19.

Drive Through Canopy & Work Cabin

Please click on the link below to read the good news story about the drive through canopy and work cabin, which has been financed by a very generous patient donation and grant funding from the Pen Y Cymoedd COVID-19 Community Grant Scheme.

NEWS STORY

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, please kindly note the following important messages:

• We are now telephone triaging all appointments at the surgery, entry to the building is now only by prior arrangement by telephone.
• Do not enter the building if you have a fever or cough.
• Please deposit repeat prescriptions in the Practice letterbox outside the staff entrance.
• We are not providing letters for employers or schools regarding self-isolation as per Government advice.

Further NHS advice about coronavirus, including what to do if you think you have it can be found via the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19 

Click the image above to be taken to the NHS-111 "Get An Isolation Note" page.

#CORONANXIETY SUPPORT

Please click on the link below to access a range of information, resources and support for helping you understand how to deal with your anxiety during these difficult times as Coronavirus (COVID-19) is impacting on our lives:

https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/coronanxiety-support-resources/ 

Extremely Vulnerable Category Patients

People who are extremely vulnerable to coronavirus due to an existing health condition will receive a letter from Wales’ Chief Medical Officer. If you have not received a letter by Monday 6 April then contact your GP.

Further information and advice can be found on the Welsh Government Support page, via the following link:

https://gov.wales/get-coronavirus-support-extremely-vulnerable-person 

We thank you for your patience during this challenging time for everyone.

Vale Of Neath Practice.