Let it snow .....

I don't know about you but I am thoroughly fed up with all the snow we have had. I was out at 6 am on three mornings last week to dig my drive out so that I could get to work and on Friday when there was no fresh snow to clear I spent an hour at the surgery (together with our GP trainees) making sure that pathways to the surgery and the slope to the car park was clear.

Despite the snow we managed to provide an almost normal service in the surgery building last week. We were open till 6.30 pm every night as usual and the only services we cancelled were our extended access surgeries on Thursday morning and Thursday evening. We did however cut down visits to only really, really important visits but this week we seem back to normal.

All our staff turned up except for Dr Firth. He lives off the M18 in the country and is a long way from a trunk road. He has sent us pictures of how much snow they have had and it looks impressive. He helps organise an annual ploughing match in his village and hires a plough and tractor to take part - I am sure he will use this snow as an excuse to actually pursuade his wife that he ought to be able to buy a tractor! I think we were able to provide a normal service because a lot of our administration team are able to easily walk to work and we also have a very loyal and committed team who brave snow and ice to make sure that we are open.

Looking at the long range weather forecast it looks as if the cold weather will continue and nobody is betting against more snow. So here is my list of hand tips for patients if we have more snow:
  • Ring and ask for a telephone consultation - if you think the weather is too bad to get to the surgery but for example have run out of prescriptions or had an appointment for blood results ring the practice and we can arrange a telephone consultation. The doctors and staff are quite happy to discuss a lot of things on the telephone.
  • If you are old (perhaps over 65, and certainly over 75) and have an appointment and there is ice on the ground (like there is today) - DON'T COME. Ring up, cancel it and arrange a telephone consultation.
  • If you can't get out and need a prescription ring the chemist, they are very helpful at delivering prescriptions.

Anyway - I an looking forwards to a possible thaw at the end of the week, but I do keep humming 'let it snow, let it snow, let it snow ....'

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