Queen Street Medical Practice
Welcome to our website. Queen Street Medical Practice is a friendly, family orientated doctors surgery in Whitehaven on the West Coast of Cumbria. Dr Graham Ironside, Dr Paula Denham and Dr Stephen Katebe and all the staff pride themselves in always aiming to give the best possible clinical care and service they can to all their patients.
We are situated in the centre of Whitehaven. We have modern, specially built medical facilities and a well trained and conscientious team always trying to go that extra mile in giving both good quality care and good service to our patients.
The practice is consistently one of the highest performing practices across the area. In a recent survey, 100% of patients said they would recommend us to someone new to the area. Take a look at how we have performed against some of the Government targets and feel free to give us a call if you would like any further information.
NORTH CUMBRIA PRIMARY CARE
You may have heard of some changes being made to the running of Queen Street Medical Practice. We have been chosen to be one of the first GP practices to join North Cumbria Primary Care, an initiative designed to safeguard the future of GP services in North Cumbria.
North Cumbria Primary Care is part of the NHS led by GP's and is not for profit organisation which mean that if we make surplus they will be reinvested in patient care.
There is a national shortage of GP's part of the problem is that newly qualified doctors prefer not to have the business responsibilities or the expense of owning a GP practice. North Cumbria Primary Care will take on the business responsibilities leaving GP's to do the job they are good at, effectively treating their patients.
Queen Street is the first practice to join North Cumbria Primary Care. Other practices across North Cumbria are due to join very soon.
We believe that joining North Cumbria Primary Care provides the best solution to our patients, our staff and the long term survival of our patients. One GP Practice in Whitehaven closed recently and if we did nothing others may follow.
We would like to emphasise that we are changing how the practice is managed, not what it does. We believe that this represents a very positive opportunity for the patients of Queen Street and all the staff who work here.
Please contact Anne Thompson or Mike Hunter if you would like any more information about North Cumbria Primary Care or have any particular concerns about your care.
Thank you.
FAQ's
INFORMATION REGARDING CORONAVIRUS
URGENT UPDATE 13/03/20
With patients and staff safety in mind and to help minimise the possible risk of Coronavirus we are moving to telephone triage for all appointments.
Once triaged if you need to be seen / examined you will be given an appointment at the surgery.
Please contact the surgery by telephone for any further information
A coronavirus is a type of virus. As a group, coronaviruses are common across the world. Typical symptoms of coronavirus include fever and a cough that may progress to a severe pneumonia causing shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
Generally, coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease.
Returning travellers - stay indoors and avoid contact with other people immediately if you’ve travelled to the UK from:
- Hubei province in China in the last 14 days, even if you do not have symptoms
- Iran, lockdown areas in northern Italy or special care zones in South Korea since 19 February, even if you do not have symptoms
- other parts of mainland China or South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan or Thailand in the last 14 days and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath (even if your symptoms are mild)
- other parts of northern Italy (anywhere north of Pisa, Florence and Rimini), Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar or Vietnam since 19 February and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath (even if your symptoms are mild)
Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
Use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do next.
Further information can be found using the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
APPOINTMENT AVAILABILITY
As you will be aware there is a large demand for our appointments.
To help manage this and make more appointments available we are trialling a new system. Helen our Nurse Practitioner will have telephone consultations available between 9-10 am Monday - Friday; This is for urgent problems only, Helen will call you back and discuss the appropriate course of action.
Please ensure we have your correct telephone number and you are available to answer her call.
Please be aware our receptionists may ask you a series of questions to ensure you are seen by the appropriate person, all information is confidential. You can still book routine appointments with any of the clinicians and we would encourage you to do this if your problem is non urgent.
BLOOD STEM CELL DONATION
For many people with a blood cancer or blood disorder a donation from a matching blood stem cell donor is their best chance of survival. With blood stem cell donation, only stem cells are donated not blood and matches are determined by tissue type, not blood group.
Even though there are 27 million people on the worldwide register, this is not enough. Many people in the UK still can't find a suitable matching donor.
Donation venues and dates (2020) - No appointment required!
Monday 20th April
9am - 5pm at Whitehaven Harbour Youth Project Offices
Tuesday 21st April
9am - 3pm at Castlerigg Room, B409, Sellafield
Wednesday 22nd April
10am - 4pm at Westlakes Science Park, Sustainability room, Ingwell Hall
Thursday 23rd April
12pm - 5pm at Egremont Market Hall
Friday 24th April
1pm - 9pm at Xtreme Gym, Lillyhall
If you are unable to attend a donation session, you can visit the website and register for a swab kit to be sent to your home address, then just post it back.
Use the following link to register and order your swab kit:
https://www.dkms.org.uk/en/register-now
EXTENDED ACCESS SERVICE
You can now book routine appointments between 8.00am and 8.00pm and appointments on Saturday and Sunday.
Please note these appointments are in the Outpatients department at West Cumberland Hospital, NOT at the surgery. To book please speak to Reception.
GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATIONS
Please see the below statement regarding how and where we collect personal information about our patients, how we use it, how we keep it secure and how you can access it.
Data Privacy Statement
Patient Participation Report
Results of the 2015 Patient Survey now available below. Take a look to see how we did, and our plans to improve even further next year. Thank you to everyone who took part, and in particular the members of our Patient Group for their help.
Take a look at our latest 2013 Patient Survey
Download our action plan to improve the service we provide to patients
REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS
PLEASE NOTE THE WAY YOU CAN ORDER REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS HAS NOW CHANGED
Please note that prescriptions ordered directly via this website have closed and you will now need to register for the new on line prescription ordering service with myGP. This will also give you the ability to see all the medications you have on repeat, book appointments on line and see some of your medical records.
To register for myGP please use the following link: https://www.ilovemygp.com/
Download the app to your smartphone or tablet to register. If you need a pin letter please contact the Practice and ask to speak to Rebecca.
You can also order your prescriptions via our new answer machine service..... The prescription telephone line number is 01946 694887. This service is available 24 hours a day. When you call, please state your name, date of birth, medications required and where you would like to collect your prescription from, ie collect from the surgery or preferred pharmacy. Fran and Jackie will continue to look after our on line or telephone answer machine requests.
PLEASE NOTE DUE TO THE INCREASE IN PRESCRIPTIONS WE HAVE TO ISSUE WE HAVE HAD TO INCREASE THE TIME WE NEED TO ISSUE THESE TO 72 HOURS (3 WORKING DAYS)
PLEASE ALLOW ENOUGH TIME WHEN ORDERING, WHICHEVER SERVICE YOU WISH TO USE.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE DOCTORS MAY RESTRICT YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS IF YOU ARE DUE ANY CHECKS OR NEED TO BE SEEN. PLEASE HELP US TO HELP YOU BY MAKING APPOINTMENTS UPON REQUEST.
DR GRAHAM IRONSIDE
Queen Street Medical Practice is a trading name of North Cumbria Primary Care Ltd. North Cumbria Primary Care Ltd is a registered company. Registration number: 11172424. Registered office: Voreda House, Portland Place, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 7Q0
(Site updated 02/04/2020)