Several GP practices have been forced to close their doors to patients following major outbreaks of Covid, including one practice in Kent which has 24 staff members in isolation.
This follows Pulse’s report on one GP practice, based in Worcester, which had to close last month after 14 GPs and staff tested positive for coronavirus.
An update from West Malling Group Practice, issued today, read: ‘We currently have 24 members of staff off due to isolation/symptoms of Covid-19. (None of our patients are at risk as a result of this).’
The practice warned that despite doing their ‘very best’ to provide services, the services required by patients ‘may not be available in the next 14 days’.
Last week, GP practices in Staffordshire and West Wales were also affected by the second wave of coronavirus.
Trent Meadows Practice’s two village surgeries, near Burton-on-Trent, were temporarily closed last week due to a rise in cases of the virus among practice staff.
Posting a message from NHS East Staffordshire CCG on its practice website, Trent Meadows Practice said that it is ‘not able to see patients face to face’.
It continued to carry out phone consultations and fill prescription requests.
Neyland Surgery and Johnston Surgery in the Haverfordwest area have also closed to be deep cleaned after non-clinical staff tested positive for the virus, Wales Online reported.
Patients have been informed they can access ‘limited’ services in neighbouring GP practices.
Glenpark Medical Practice in Gateshead was deep cleaned last weekend after members of staff tested positive for Covid, although it did not have to close.
Dr Becky Haines told Pulse: ‘We had more than one staff member test positive over the weekend so we contacted public health – they were really helpful, advised that our policies were all correctly in place but that we should deep clean before we opened again on Monday.’
It comes as several GP practices had to close to be deep-cleaned at the beginning of the pandemic following concerns about similar outbreaks.
