In line with NHS England guidance on establishing a remote “Total Triage” model, and current national policy to enable digitally-enabled triage and remote consulting, McKenzie Group Practice is adopting a Total Triage appointment system from Wednesday 1st October.

This means that every request for an appointment will be reviewed by a clinician before an appointment is offered. This ensures you are directed to the right care, in the right place, at the right time, in keeping with current national standards for safe, efficient access.

How to contact us

• Online (preferred & quickest): Submit your request via our online consultation form.
• By phone: You can still call reception, who will complete the same online form on your behalf if you’re unable to do it yourself. If you are able to use the online form yourself, this is faster and helps keep phone lines free for those who need extra support.
• In person: You can still come into the surgery and we will complete the same form with you. Please note that arriving at 8:00am or first thing in the morning will no longer give priority. All requests are triaged in the same way throughout the day.

Why we are making this change
We are implementing this in keeping with Government & NHS guidance on remote consultations and triage, which encourages all general practices to:
✔️ Use total triage so that every request is screened and assessed remotely where possible, to prioritise urgency and safety
✔️ Ensure patients who can’t access digital tools are still able to use telephone or in-practice options so no one is excluded
✔️ End the 8:00am “rush” – calling at 8:00 or coming down to the surgery will no longer give priority. Requests are triaged in the same way throughout the day. Depending on clinical need, you may be given a same-day appointment or a pre-bookable appointment.

What this means for you
• Appointments can no longer be booked directly. Every request will first be reviewed by a clinician
• Urgent requests will be prioritised in accordance with clinical need
• Some issues may be handled remotely (telephone), others may be face-to-face if necessary
• You may be signposted to other services if those are most appropriate (e.g., pharmacy, or self-care advice)
• Routine nurse appointments — such as dressings, smears, immunisations and blood tests — will continue to be booked as normal

We believe this change helps us meet national policy, aims to improve patient access, maintain safety, reduce unnecessary face-to-face contact, and ensure resources are used effectively.

All requests go through the same process whether submitted online, by phone, or in person.

To submit your request online please complete this form.

Women in the North East and North Cumbria can now get the contraceptive pill straight from their local pharmacy, without needing a GP appointment.

The new service offers women more choice about where and how they access the contraception.

All pharmacies offer walk-in appointments, with no need to book in advance, and consultations are carried out in private with a trained pharmacist. Pharmacists can help whether someone is starting the pill for the first time or continuing an existing prescription.

A yearly check-up will take place, usually when returning for the next supply.

The service is free and confidential for everyone, including those under 16. Personal information will not be shared unless there is a serious concern for safety or wellbeing. Learn more and find your nearest participating pharmacy here:
Find a pharmacy offering the contraceptive pill

The NHS App is a simple and secure way to receive messages from your trusted health care providers. 

Make sure to turn on notifications for the NHS App to stay up to date.

Download the NHS App or find the same services on the NHS website: www.nhs.uk/nhs-app

Thinking about Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) injections for weight loss?

Heard you can now get them from the NHS?

Please don’t make an appointment right now!

The ICB (Integrated Care Board) have been tasked by NHS England with providing these in GP practices and the details of how GPs will be able to provide these injections have still not been agreed.

 The injections will only be available for a very specific groups of patients with particular health conditions as detailed below.

 Eligible patients must have a BMI of 40 or more and 4 of these weight related health conditions:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Obstructive sleep apnoea
• Abnormal blood fats

 We will contact eligible patients if and when we are able to provide this.

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme saves thousands of lives every year by detecting abnormal cells in the cervix that could develop into cancer, if left untreated. How often people need to have cervical screening is changing in England from 1st July 2025.

 The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes nearly all cervical cancers. Now that we have a better test for HPV, women and people with a cervix aged 25-49 years who test HPV negative, will be invited every 5 years, instead of every 3.

This change is strongly backed by robust scientific evidence. Studies have shown that if a person tests negative for HPV, they are extremely unlikely to go on to develop cervical cancer within the next 10 years.

If your cervical screening shows you have HPV, you may be invited for more frequent screenings to check HPV has cleared and, if not, if any cell changes have developed.

 This move brings England into line with Scotland and Wales which have introduced this change, and with women aged 50 – 64 who are already invited every 5 years.

 The way people can receive cervical screening invitations and reminders has also changed as this is now possible via the NHS App. To receive these, please download the NHS app and make sure your notifications are switched on. Find out more https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app If you don’t wish to use the App, we’ll attempt to contact you by text message or letter so, don’t worry, you won’t miss an invitation.

 See Frequently Asked Questions for more information or visit Cancer Research UK’s website.

A new free, confidential mental health crisis text service is now available across the North East and North Cumbria. Anyone feeling anxious, stressed, isolated, or struggling can text ‘CALMER’ to 85258 for 24/7 support from trained mental health professionals via Shout.

Impact on Teesside are running a free six-week programme for individuals that want to learn how to manage pain and fatigue effectively. Individuals can self-refer using the QR code or by visiting www.impactonteesside.com/online-referral/

Together-all is an online mental health resource to help take control of your emotional wellbeing. Together-all offers a supportive, anonymous community where you can discuss what’s on your mind, get support from others and access resources, to helping with sleep and managing your feelings. Register using your Hartlepool postcode via this link:https://account.v2.togetherall.com/register/area Support is free, 24/7 and available now.

Hartlepool Community Hubs offer free drop-in blood pressure checks for adults of all ages. There is no need to book an appointment. They have trained staff available to take your blood pressure and give advice.

McKenzie Group Practice is working with Clinical Research Nurses, Nichola and Laura, from Hartlepool & Stockton Health (H&SH) on several research studies.

They have begun reaching out to patients to request their participation in the research studies we have enrolled in.

You may see Nichola and Laura from time to time helping the practice team with the studies we have signed up to.

From Monday 13^th January 2025, patients registered with McKenzie Group Practice will also be able to access appointments and services at Gladstone House Surgery. 

There will be no changes to practice opening hours, staff, or services. Patients will be able to book an appointment at any site, giving patients more choice on where they want to be seen as well as having access to a wider range of services and clinical staff.

Further information is available using the links below: 

Information for patients

FAQs

Text messages are also being sent to patients regarding this change. 

Start is a drug and alcohol support service. It gives treatment and support to help people get well and back on their feet. No matter what advice or level of support you need, it is always free, confidential and without judgement. Anyone living in Hartlepool can use the Start service, no matter what their age, substance use or circumstances are.

For more information please click here

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is an infectious disease of the airways and lungs. RSV infection often causes symptoms similar to a cold, including cough, sore throat, sneezing and runny or blocked nose. It can also make you become wheezy or short of breath and lead to pneumonia and other life-threatening conditions. There is no specific treatment, and most infections will get better by themselves. Every year thousands of older adults need hospital care for RSV, and some of them will die. RSV can be more severe in people with medical conditions such as heart or lung disease or a weakened immune system. RSV infection is common in young children but is most serious for small babies and for older people.

The new RSV Vaccine is available for:

• Patients who turn 75 years of age on or after the 1st September 2024
• Patients who are already aged 75-79 years old on 1st September 2024
• Pregnant patients from 28 weeks of pregnancy. 

Further information is available for patients below:

Your guide to the RSV vaccine for older adults

A guide to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine for pregnant women

Eligible patients will be invited to the surgery to for this vaccine. 

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can now call NHS 111 and select option 2 for urgent mental health support.

NHS 111 is available 24/7.

If you are deaf or have hearing loss please use NHS 111 – SignVideo https://signvideo.co.uk/nhs111/ or use the 18001 111 Relay UK app.

Don’t worry, local freephone crisis service numbers in your area will still be active for a while to make sure you always get the support you need, and are available 24/7.

You can find a current list of local freephone crisis service numbers on the NHS North East and North Cumbria website. https://northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.uk/here-to-help-summer/looking-after-your-mental-health/

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust have created a video to show what callers can expect when they call NHS 111 and select option 2 for urgent mental health support.

You can find the video using this link: https://youtu.be/80yKimwGcNQ