01204 885 106

Our number for all branches
Minden, Tottington, Greenmount & Spring Lane

01204 885 106

Our number for all branches
Minden, Tottington, Greenmount & Spring Lane

Clinical system upgrade

What is Happening?

Tower Family Healthcare are going to be undertaking some necessary technical upgrades to our computer systems throughout October 2021 and would like to share these with you for awareness and to ask for your patience and understanding during this time.

This is a Bury wide initiative and throughout 2021 and 2022 practices across Bury will be undergoing the upgrades to their systems.

When ?

The works start from the end of September until the end of October 2021

Where?

Greenmount, Spring Lane and Tottington sites:  upgrade taking place between w/c 27th September 2021 to 15th October

Minden site: upgrade taking place between w/c 4th October to 22nd October

How can you help?

Prescriptions:

  • Please could you order your repeat medication for October before 27th September to allow us to clear in advance
  • Please do not attempt to order your repeat medication via the NHS App during the upgrade periods (listed above) as the practice may not receive it in time to action.
  • If you require a prescription during this time, please ring the practice and collect from one of our designated pharmacies close to the practice for October. This is because we can only print off prescriptions during this time (i.e. we cannot send electronically) and there are too many for patients to queue up at the practice from a safety perspective
  • If you would like to order your repeat medication online, please register for the NHS app rather than patient online services, in advance of the changes implemented from 13th October/22nd October, as Patient Services will no longer be available after these dates.

Telephones

Our telephones will continue to be open during this time however you may find that they are busier than usual. We ask for your patience and kindness to our teams who are here to help and continue to work under immense pressure.   With the pressures on our service we need to continue to work together to meet your pressing  clinical needs, in view of this we may need to defer non urgent matters.  We thank you for your understanding in advance for this.

askmyGP

askmyGP (AMGP)  is the digital system, used by all GP Practices across Bury, where patients submit requests for a healthcare professional response.  This was implemented at the start of the COVID pandemic but does not detract from us continuing to provide a GP service in a safe manner, just in a different way.

  • Once you submit a request it is sent to be seen by a clinician, you will receive either an email response, telephone call or a face to face appointment depending on the outcome of the clinical assessment of what is most appropriate.
  • If you miss a call, then the clinician will try one more time before notifying you via email to you AMGP account of next steps.
  • If you have asked for a contact between a certain timeframe, we will endeavour to meet this request however it may not be possible due to the demands on the system. We ask that you have your phone to hand throughout the day so that you are able to take the call.  If this isn’t convenient for you then please submit your request on a day that will be convenient thank you.
  • For minor conditions the pharmacies continue to provide a service to support you with self-care remedies.
  • For eye conditions the minor eye condition service is available at local opticians across Bury.

If you need to be seen face to face, then for our Greenmount, Tottington and Spring Lane the clinicians will ask you to wait in your car until your appointment time when they will ring you and meet you at the entrance.  This is for safety reasons to protect both patients and staff.

We are continuing to see positive COVID cases/patients on sites and we may be seeing patients who are vulnerable and susceptible to infection. Therefore sitting in a waiting room, with limited ventilation, is not always a healthy or safe option.  This does not mean we are closed!  We are controlling the footfall into the practices on three of our four sites (this is not possible at our Minden site).

These changes are to improve the delivery of services to you and to support the staff in providing healthcare for you.

We will continue to provide further updates on our website:  www.towerfamilyhealthcare.co.uk

Thank you for your help, patience, kindness and understanding at this difficult time, it is very much appreciated.