APPOINTMENTS BOOKABLE UP TO 4 WEEKS IN ADVANCE

Our doors are open to patients who have a pre-booked face to face appointment.  Phone and face to face appointments may be requested up to 4 weeks in advance. Please do not come into the Health Centre unless you have a pre-booked appointment

Reception Staff will be triaging all patients.  Please expect to be asked about the reason for your call.  This is so we can safely care for all of our patients

Please continue to call 111 out of hours if you require urgent advice that cannot wait or 999 if it is an emergency (e.g. suspected heart attack, stroke, serious breathing difficulties or severe bleeding)

For Health Board Services at the Health Centre, including TREATMENT ROOM, DISTRICT NURSES AND MIDWIVES,

please call 01573 223001 

VACCINATION INFORMATION

Vaccination/Immunisation Programmes

NHS Borders has taken on the responsibility of arranging and administering the following vaccinations at NHS Borders run clinics:

Further information relating to vaccinations in the Borders can be found here www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/vaccinations

Patients will receive postal letters with their allocated vaccination appointment directly from the NHS Borders

Note - the national vaccination/immunisation programmes are no longer delivered by GPs/Health Centres, so please do not contact Kelso Medical Group Practice regarding them as we will not be able to assist you

If you have any queries or need to rearrange a vaccination appointment please call  the appropriate telephone help line number listed above where NHS staff will be on hand to help you with the information you require or to reschedule a new appointment if the appointment posted out to you is unsuitable

Covid vaccinations are now offered to 5-11 year olds - please watch this video for more information about your child and the Covid vaccine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAE7ylm0t3s

The national ‘Fit for Travel’ website will be updated with enhanced patient advice and self-risk assessment pathways. A ‘what next’ section will direct patients to the NHS Borders Vaccination Hub or directly to community pharmacies, please click Fit for Travel Information.  More general information about travel vaccination can be found here: Travel Vaccinations

COVID VACCINATION PASSPORT & EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES

The Scottish Government has released the following information in relation to COVID Vaccine certification.  You can download your certificate from the site below:

COVID Vaccination Certificate/Passport

Please note, GPs are unable to provide exemption certificates.  Please see the below information from the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland:

St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG   www.gov.scot

Covid Vaccination Exemption Certificates - Important Notice

GPs and their teams cannot issue vaccination exemption certificates.

Further information on the vaccination exemption certificates scheme, including information on safe vaccination and routes to obtain an exemption can be found on the Scottish Government and NHS Inform websites.

Alternatively you can phone the free NHS Covid helpline on: 0808 196 8565

Dr Gregor Smith

Chief Medical Officer

LONG COVID RESOURCE

If you feel you may have Long Covid, you may find this link helpful: Long Covid Resource

NHS BORDERS SCREENING PROGRAMMES, FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS & WAITING TIMES

Between screening appointments or as you wait for your rescheduled screening appointment, be aware of any symptoms or signs of the conditions we screen for. If you have any of the symptoms contact our reception team on 01573 224424 for an appointment with a doctor

For information on current screening programmes please visit www.nhsinform.scot/screeningupdate 

Understandably we are receiving queries regarding out-patient appointments, follow-up appointments and waiting list times at BGH.  Unfortunately, we do not have access to or influence over BGH appointment booking systems, so we request that you contact BGH Outpatients directly if you have queries about your appointment or expected waiting list times on 01896 826756.  Alternatively, the NHS Borders website can give up to date information about expected waiting times at www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/waitingtimes

KELSO RUGBY MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE

As part of Kelso Rugby Mental Health Initiative, this short video was made for TV.  If you are affected by any issues raised in this film, please call to speak to a member of our team

Kelso Rugby Mental Health Initiative

TEXT MESSAGE ALERT SERVICE

We can use text messaging to contact you for the following:

•        Confirmation of appointment date/time
•        Appointment date/time reminders
•        Information and updates about the Practice
•        Unavoidable short notice cancellations

If you would like to receive text messages please make sure that we have your mobile number.  You can update your details by emailing us at contact.kelsohc@borders.scot.nhs.uk

‘Are you an unpaid carer? The Scottish Borders Health and Social Care Partnership are reaching out to unpaid carers across the Borders to ask them to complete a short questionnaire which will help us identify their needs, and what matters most to them. This will help us make informed decisions about the services that unpaid carers may need to support them in their caring role.  

You have until 17 July to complete the survey. Click here: https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk%2Fget-involved%2Fcarer-needs-assessment-consultation%2F&data=05%7C01%7CKatie.Cathrow2%40borders.scot.nhs.uk%7C12b56827fca44f6664c608da505e9a13%7C10efe0bda0304bca809cb5e6745e499a%7C0%7C0%7C637910664647214457%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=zQqKHcJoLllEd%2BtiS8BCcNhA%2FnyK8zOyN49JXFihXPI%3D&reserved=0