Vaccination appointments UPDATED 04 APRIL 2024
The NHS Scotland vaccination service invites eligible patients to book an appointment for any vaccinations. This includes influenza, covid, shingles, pneumococcal and childhood vaccinations plus any others that may be offered in the future. Vaccinations and immunisations are no longer provided by GP Practices and we are unable to make, amend or offer alternative appointment slots.
Eligible Patients are now being invited to their COVID-19 spring vaccine.
Eligible patients are either:
- aged 75 or over on 30 June 2024 (i.e. born on or before 30 june 1949)
OR
- your health records show you have a weakened immune system that means you are at greater risk of COVID-19
Eligible patients should access the NHS online booking portal using login information previously provided:
https://vacs.nhs.scot/csp
Patients should keep trying the portal to see if clinic dates are released. Alternatively phone the NHS Highland service delivery centre on 0800 0320 339 or booking portal on 0800 030 8013.
https://www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/health-and-wellbeing/immunisation-and-vaccines/
Out of Hours services UPDATED 03 APRIL 2024
The Practice had a productive meeting with NHS Highland on Tuesday 19 March and we have agreed a resolution to the Out of Hours (OOH) situation. The GP practice has been re-commissioned to provide OOH services to our locality on Monday to Thursday weeknights. This is a return to the same weeknight cover as was in place for many years up to September 2023. NHS Highland has withdrawn their notice to cease all GP involvement in local OOH services.
At weekends NHS Highland will either use Rural Support Team clinicians or locum GPs based in the area to cover Friday night through to Monday mornings.
NHS Highland have sent a letter confirming the new arrangement to the community council.
Letter to CC
The GP Practice would like to offer our thanks to all patients and members of the local community who took the time to lobby NHS Highland and raise the issue of local OOH services with MSPs etc.
Citizens Advice Bureau - Update 8th February 2024
Ross & Cromarty Citizens Advice Bureau are now running a regular advice service on the third Thursday of every month in Gairloch Community Hall.
They offer advice on a wide range of issues, including benefits, debt and money, energy, work issues, relationships and housing. They can provide benefit checks and help with form filling.
People can book an appointment by telephoning them on 01349 883333 or emailing at adviser@alnesscab.casonline.org.uk
Citizens advice bureau poster
Gairloch Dentist closed UPDATED 17 JANUARY 2024
Gairloch Dental Practice has announced that they have closed. Their notice attached here which includes instructions for existing patients how to access services:
Gairloch Dental Practice closure notice
NHS Highland is obliged to offer dental services to all patients. Follow this link for information about where and how to access Highland dental treatment.
The NHS Highland dental helpline provides information about dental practice registration plus emergency care for unregistered patients according to clinical need:
GP Practices do not provide dental services. GPs do not have the requisite skills to manage dental conditions.
Online appointment booking service available UPDATED 06 FEBRUARY 2023
Patients who register for Practice online services can access appointment bookings as well as submit and monitor medication requests. Certain GP or Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) appointments can be booked. Other appointments can also be cancelled online.
To sign up for online services you will need an email address and access to the internet. The email address must be specific to one person and not shared. To sign up telephone or drop into your local surgery and be prepared to confirm your identity and we will help you get set up for the service.
Video consultations can be requested
We have the technology! If patients have a smart device connected to the internet with a camera (smartphone, iPad, laptop, PC + webcam, etc.) then we can offer a video consultation with clinicians. Clearly there will be circumstances when this is not appropriate, for example a blood test, but often video can offer a richer experience than a telephone call.
Please feel free to request a video consultation when booking your appointment. We can also offer an option to include more than one participant in the video consultation such as a relative who is living elsewhere. Practice link for video consultations: https://nhsattend.vc/gpnearme/aultbea-gairloch
How to order repeat medication
Our Vision Online Services repeat medication ordering is available. This service allows patients to login to a secure website and select your own repeat medication to order from what is available to you. The system will tell you if a request is in progress and allows the exchange of simple messages such as requesting additional medication that is not on your repeats list.
To sign up for online services you will need an email address and access to the internet. The email address must be specific to one person and not shared. To sign up telephone your local surgery and be prepared to confirm your identity over the phone and we will help you get set up for the service.
Patients can also request repeat medication either by calling their local surgery when we are open and choosing option 2 or by calling our dedicated phonelines on 712358 (Gairloch) or 731599 (Aultbea) at any time.
Useful websites UPDATED 16 NOVEMBER 2022
NHS Inform - self care advice for Scotland www.nhsinform.scot
GP Near Me link for patients to access the video consultation service (needs either Chrome or Safari browser)
https://nhsattend.vc/gpnearme/aultbea-gairloch
Book Highland vaccinations https://vacs.nhs.scot/csp
NHS Highland vaccination service details https://www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/health-and-wellbeing/immunisation-and-vaccines/
Tick bites and lyme disease
Ticks are small, spider-like creatures which feed on the blood of animals and humans. Some of them carry Lyme disease which is an infectious disease which can be treated with antibiotics if detected early. However the best way of protecting against Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites or if bitten to remove the tick safely from the skin as soon as possible.
The practice has a number of resources available to help patients deal with tick bites and for advice when concerned, including translated versions in French and German. They can be found on our Tick Bites webpage following the Tick bites link under Further Information.
Our practice patient information leaflet has been updated with the latest guidance:
Tick bites patient leaflet