Message from NHS Wirral:

NHS services across Wirral are currently under a lot of pressure, with staff working incredibly hard to meet very high demand. Please help us to ensure our services are available for those who need them most.

Ambulance service staff from GMB and Unison trade unions will take industrial action on Wednesday, 11 January 2023.

This means reduced ambulance crews but also reduced 999 and 111 call handling staff.

Please look at the alternative options available for accessing NHS services if your condition is not urgent.

• You can find self-care advice on nhs.uk;
• Consider using your local pharmacy for expert help and advice for every-day conditions;
• Online services are available, where you can request repeat prescriptions via the NHS app or your practice patient online service;
• Advice is also available from NHS 111 online at 111.nhs.uk. The online service can provide the same advice and help as the phone service. You will be directed to the best service for your needs if you’re not sure what to do and a clinician call will call you back if needed.

Our staff are still working incredibly hard, and we are here for you, so please continue to come forward for the help you need.

There are a number of services available locally to help you including;

• Minor Illness Unit here at Birkenhead Medical Building – 8am to 8pm 7 days a week – walk-in or telephone appointment booking;
• Acute Respiratory Hub here at Birkenhead Medical Building – Appointments only – 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday – access via your own general practice who will complete your first assessment
• Minor Ailments Services at local community pharmacies

Pre-bookable, routine appointments are also available at evening and weekends thanks to the new enhanced access contract. You can access these appointments by speaking to our reception team.

You can also ‘help us help you’ by ensuring you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including having your autumn booster dose and your seasonal flu vaccination, if eligible.

STREP A.  Health Security Agency update for patients:

There are lots of viruses that cause sore throats, colds and coughs circulating. These should resolve without medical intervention. However, children can on occasion develop a bacterial infection on top of a virus and that can make them more unwell.

As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement. Contact NHS 111 or your GP if:

• your child is getting worse
• your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
• your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehydration
• your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C, or is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39°C or higher
• your baby feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty
• your child is very tired or irritable

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

• your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
• there are pauses when your child breathes
• your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
• your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake

Good hand and respiratory hygiene are important for stopping the spread of many bugs. By teaching your child how to wash their hands properly with soap for 20 seconds, using a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes, and keeping away from others when feeling unwell, they will be able to reduce the risk of picking up or spreading infections.

Welcome to Cavendish Medical Centre 

We are currently registering new patients on-line as this is felt to be the quickest and easiest way for you to register.

This is only available to patients within our catchment area of Birkenhead. We may reject requests from outside our catchment area, as we would be unable to provide you with the care you may need.

If you would like to register as a new patient, please  use the following link to complete our registration form, or you can pop in to speak to our reception team:

https://gp-registration.nhs.uk/N85017

We are open from Monday to Friday from 8am until 6.30pm and offer a range of extended access appointments outside of these hours

For GP appointments: There will be an initial phone contact with patients prior to an appointment. This helps us to get rapid face to face appointments for those patients who need them, whilst being able to resolve many of the other matters over the telephone without delay.

What to do if we are closed:

If you have an urgent need, that can’t wait until the next working day, use NHS 111. The 111 online service offers quick advice and the best options for getting the care you need, including getting a call back from a trained clinician or nurse or booking an appointment in A&E.

Mental Health Emergencies out of hours:

If you or someone you care for is having a mental health crisis and  lives in Cheshire or Wirral, you can call the 24/7 crisis line on 0800 145 6485.

Alternatively, you can access our SHOUT text messaging service by texting BLUE to 85258 to start a conversation with a trained volunteer. For more information, visit: www.cwp.nhs.uk/crisis

COVID 19:  Our thanks go to you, our patients who showed so much kindness and consideration whilst we got on with the job in hand of providing ongoing care to all in the safest way possible.

If possible, please continue to wear a face mask when in public areas of the building, and when in consultation with any of our clinical staff. In this way, we minimise the risk of having to cancel services due to staff illness.

We have limited waiting room space in order to try to remain covid-secure.

Please do not attend the practice if you have symptoms that could be Covid. Please telephone for advice.