Welcome to Valley Medical Centre's Website
The Valley Medical Centre is home to the Stocksbridge Medical Group which was formed in 1988 and provides medical services for the local community in Stocksbridge and Deepcar as well as nearby villages.
Closed for Bank Holiday Monday
We will be closed on Monday 25th May for the Bank Holiday.
We will be open as usual on Tursday 26th May.
Valley Medical Centre would like to invite you to join DoctorLink.
We have been looking at how we can improve access to Practice services; DoctorLink is our new online service where you can access advice and appointments on line.
Registration is simple and you can register here:
app.doctorlink.com/valleymedicalcentre/register
For all urgent appointments, we ask that you undertake a symptom assessment through DoctorLink.
The symptom checker will ask you a number of questions to help to identify your problem.
The outcome of your assessment will direct you to the right treatment, whether emergency care, your GP, nurse or self care.
If your outcome indicates that an appointment is required, you simply click on the request appointment link.
Once the request has been submitted, you will then be contacted by the Practice Team, to arrange an appointment within the identified timeframe (as outlined in the outcome of your symptom checker).
The information you provide will be shared with our clinical team (where appropriate) and will assist in providing robust information of your problem to the required clinical team member prior to your appointment.
You can even download the App:
For the most up to date advice on coronavirus please visit the website:
www.gov.uk/coronavirus
To reduce your chances of catching COVID-19 and reduce pressure on your local GP practice during this busy time, appointments will be carried out over the phone unless there is a clinical need for you to come into the practice. This will help minimise risk while continuing to ensure people get the care and advice they need.
Useful Links for Support & Advice during Covid-19
COVID-19: Information and support for our 13-19 year old patients
COVID-19: Information and support for our adult patients
COVID-19: Information and support for families
Coronavirus and your Wellbeing:
www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing
10 tips if you are worried about Coronavirus:
www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips
How to look after your Mental Health during Coronavirus
www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus
Elefriends - Supportive Online Community
www.mind.org.uk/information-support/support-community-elefriends/
Useful Apps:
Wellmind - Wellmind is your free NHS mental health and wellbeing app designed to help you with stress, anxiety and depression. The app includes advice, tips and tools to improve your mental health and boost your wellbeing.
Calm Harm - Calm Harm provides tasks that help you resist or manage the urge to self-harm.
You can add your own tasks too and it's completely private and password
protected
Virtual Hope Box - A mobile app that includes simple tools to aid coping, relaxation, distraction and positive thinking.
Headspace - A mobile app that involves a course of guided meditation.
Elefriends - Elefriends is a supportive online community from the mental health charity Mind. We all know what it's like to struggle sometimes, but now there's a safe place to listen, share and be heard. Whether you're feeling good right now, or really low, it's a place to share experiences and listen to others.
Sick Notes / Isolation Notes
If you are at home with Covid-19 symptoms you do not need a sick note for your employer. A digital isolation note can be obtained without contacting a GP. Visit www.111.nhs.uk/isolation-note.
If you require a sick note (GP Fit Note/ Med Cert 3) from a GP for an existing health condition to submit to your employer to receive sick pay, please specifically check with your employer that this is still required because some employers have waived this requirement due to the pressure on GP's at this time.
SOHAS
SOHAS is currently operating a telephone advice service, if you need to talk to a SOHAS adviser, please ring 0114 2755760 and speak to the SOHAS Manager and he will make arrangements for an adviser to contact you and give the advice you require.
What is Social Prescribing?
Social prescribing can help you to have more control over your own health and find ways to improve how you feel in a way that suits you.
Your Social Prescribing Link Worker is Katy Travis. She is there to listen to you and put you in touch with the people and activities that might help you to feel better.
Click on the poster for further information.
Stocksbridge Community Care Group
Please read the November newsletter detailing our Community Dementia Provision.
SCCG - November 2019 Newsletter
Upper Don Network
We are pleased to announce that we have received formal approval for our network Upper Don. This comprises of Valley Medical Centre, Deepcar Medical Centre and Oughtibridge Surgery. Together we work for 21,000 patients with numbers rising due to the new residential building. Our successes as a Neighbourhood can now continue under the new contract as a Network.
We have links with many local organisations, faith groups, People Keeping Well and South Yorkshire Housing Association. We acknowledge that our community has a rich resource in its local voluntary groups and organisations that provide many great services to our local population. Our patients can access shared services across our geographical boundary to improve their health and wellbeing. These include the local community run Leisure Centre, Dementia Café, Community Support Worker, Sexual Health Services, Diabetic Eye screening, Occupational Health, Food bank, Social Café, Addiction Recovery, Valley React, lunch clubs, mother and toddler groups, sports teams and facilities, Drama groups, Young people/children's clubs, dance classes, Stocksbridge Walkers are welcome, Community Carers group, the Community Health Forum and many others. (Apologies if missed).
Locally a new Diabetes Prevention and awareness project has been launched to engage all ages in providing information on healthy living. Our practices are engaged in the Working Win initiative to help people find work and stay in work that may have limiting health conditions. This is run by South Yorkshire Housing Association.
The network already shares a Community Support Worker Amy May, and we will soon be sharing a community pharmacist to support the doctors with Pharmaceutical and Medicine Reviews. The three managers from each surgery work closely together to benefit our patients and each practice has a Patient Participation group where all patients are welcome.
Our long term aim is to bring more services closer to our patients and by working together we will ensure there are equitable access opportunities for our patients. We have appointed a Clinical Director to our Network, Dr Ruth Izard from Oughtibridge Surgery who will represent our practices and patients at City wide meetings.
Results of 2019 IPSOS Mori Poll
This patient survey is carried out independently of the practice and randomly with our patients. We are very pleased with this year's results and would like to share these with you.
Please visit www.gp-patient.co.uk
Community Support Workers (CSW)
We are pleased to inform you that with effect from Friday 18th February our CSW will be holding a drop in service at the surgery between 9 and 11am.
NEW Opening times – aimed at our working patients
We are now able to offer some early morning and later evening appointments. These are aimed at our working patients to enable them to come outside their working hours.
7:30am-8:30am - Appointments for a HCA, i.e. blood tests, BP checks, Health Checks. We also have limited GP appointments. Please ask at reception.
6-7pm - We can offer nurse appointments for Long Term conditions i.e. Asthma and Diabetes reviews, smear tests.
Days can change depending on staff availability so please ask at reception.
New Directory of Services for Sheffield
Activities, organisations, information and services at your fingertips for adults, children & families, those with educational needs and disabilities:
www.sheffielddirectory.org.uk
SEXUAL HEALTH CLINICS
Valley Medical Centre is pleased to announce that a full range of contraception services are now available at the surgery, including implants and coil fitting.
Clinics usually run on Thursdays - please contact reception for further information.
Door43 – Emotional, mental and sexual health support
Are you aged 13-25?
Worried about your emotional or mental health?
You might not realise it, but emotional and mental health issues are quite common and you're not on your own – we're here to support you. Sometimes you just need space to think, and that's cool, we all do. You can do that at Door43.
If you call in to Sheffield Futures, Star House, 43 Division Street, Sheffield, we will do our best to help and support you, or we will point you in the right direction to get help elsewhere.
Sometimes things happen and it's too embarrassing to speak to a parent, carer or teacher, but we know everyone needs a little help from somewhere. We can support you in all sorts of situations, so please get in touch and speak to one of our specially trained professionals who are ready to help out and they will not judge you or be shocked by anything you tell them.
At Door43, lots of different people work together to make sure that we always have someone to hand who can help – including youth workers, counsellors, substance misuse workers, sexual health workers, careers advisors, volunteers, peers supporters and more!
For more information please call us on 0114 201 2800 or drop in to Star House during our opening hours.
Going Abroad?
Before you go, please visit www.smarter-traveller.co.uk for travel health advice to help you stay healthy while you're abroad.
We advise you to arrange this with our Practice Nurse at least 4-6 weeks prior to your travel date. We can often accommodate short notice travel. Please be aware travel vaccines incur a standard NHS Prescription Cost per item.
All you need to do is complete the travel form and hand in to reception. A nurse will then contact you to inform you of which vaccines are advised and book you a travel consultation appointment.
NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme
The NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme in Sheffield will help you take control of your health, supporting you to make changes to your diet, weight and the amount of exercise you do. Taking this kind of action now is very important as it can reduce your risk of, or even stop you, developing Type 2 diabetes.
Find out more by visiting www.preventing-diabetes.co.uk
and by downloading the leaflet:
NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme in Sheffield
SystmOnline App Approved
TPP's SystmOnline app is now available for both the Apple and Android platform. It offers patients the same functionality as the Systmonline website but optimised for smartphones The patient can log in with a username and password provided by their practice to order repeat prescriptions, book and cancel appointments.
Living Well in North West Sheffield
Download your Guide to Living Well in North West Sheffield »
IAPT Improve Your Wellbeing Courses
Download the list of free courses to Improve your Wellbeing »
Things to do locally
You may find the following websites useful:
Stocksbridge Community - www.stocksbridgecommunity.org
Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre - www.stocksbridgeclc.co.uk
