CONTACTING THE SURGERY
If you need to contact the surgery to make a GP telephone appointment, Nurse appointment, or for any other reasons, please remember that there are two ways to do so.
You can contact us by telephone - there is sometimes a delay in answering due to the high volume of calls we receive – or alternatively you can email our reception team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This is a secure means of contacting us with NON URGENT queries. The email inbox is checked regularly throughout the day.
If your question is about the first or second COVID vaccination, please remember the NHS will contact you if and when you are due your first or second vaccination.
Thank you for your continued support.
Dr Ellis Rickwood, Senior Partner
COVID Vaccination - Important Information
Have you received an invitation to have your vaccination? Click here
Have you already booked your COVID Vaccination? Click here for some important reminders
Are you waiting to be invited for your vaccination? Click here
July 2020 – COVID-19: Patient notice
General practice has undergone a lot of changes this year. This has been a challenge for both patients and staff, and we appreciate everyone's cooperation and patience during this difficult time.
We would like to give you an update on the current situation within the practice, and how this may affect you.
Attending the practice
Patients should not come down to the practice without a prior appointment. To avoid attending the practice unnecssarily, please consider the following:
- Do you have a nominated pharmacy so that you don’t need to come and collect prescriptions?
- Are you using Systmonline, Airmid, or the NHS app to order your prescriptions?
- If you're struggling to get through on the telephone, did you know you can contact the practice using eReception?
If you do need to attend the surgery, please:
- follow the instructions on social distancing
- wear a face mask or face covering
- follow the arrows on the floor for exiting the building and do not leave via the front entrance
Day Lewis
If you collect your prescriptions from Day Lewis, please follow the instructions to queue outside the practice, and do not come inside
You can arrange for Day Lewis to send you a text message when your prescription is ready to collect
We would like to thank all our patients for their understanding and hope they are safe and well
March 2020 – COVID-19: Patient notice
The health and safety of our patients and staff is of the utmost importance to us
During the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions, we are advising all patients to avoid attending the Surgery whenever possible.
ALL requests for GP appointments are being managed by telephone triage in the first instance and a face to face appointment will ONLY be used after speaking to one of the GP team.
Appointments with the Nursing team are being offered on a reduced basis and we will be contacting you by telephone wherever possible.
We would ask all patients to use their SystmOnline access or the NHS App for the ordering of repeat prescriptions. Prescription requests are currently being managed within our usual time frames, however, our Community Pharmacy colleagues are experiencing very high demand and we would ask that you give them additional time in which to prepare your prescription.
We ask all patients requiring health advice and reassurance about COVID-19 to use the NHS website www.nhs.uk for the most up to date guidance including isolation advice.
This website also gives access to isolation certificates www.111.nhs.uk/isolation-note
If you still need to speak to the Practice please bear in mind that our telephone lines are extremely busy and ALL our staff are working very hard to ensure we continue to offer safe care during this challenging time
Thank you for your understanding
Anita Hampson, Practice Manager
NHS Guidance for Coronavirus
The NHS in Leeds and Public Health England (PHE) are well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.
The latest information on symptoms of Coronavirus infection and areas where recent travel may have resulted in a high risk of exposure can be found on nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.
Use this service if:
- you think you might have coronavirus;
- in the last 14 days you’ve been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus;
- you’ve been in close contact with someone with coronavirus.
Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Call 111 if you need to speak to someone.
Like the common cold, coronavirus infection usually occurs through close contact with a person with novel coronavirus via cough and sneezes or hand contact. A person can also catch the virus by touching contaminated surfaces if they do not wash their hands.
Testing of suspected coronavirus cases is carried out in line with strict guidelines. This means that suspected cases are kept in isolation, away from public areas of GP surgeries, pharmacies and hospitals and returned home also in isolation. Any equipment that come into contact with suspected cases are thoroughly cleaned as appropriate. Specific guidance has also been shared with NHS staff to help safeguard them and others. Patients can be reassured that their safety is a top priority and are encouraged to attend all appointments as usual.
Everyone is being reminded to follow Public Health England advice to:
- Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
Click here for NHS Guidance for Coronavirus
Message from Dr Richard Hall
It is with mixed feelings that I am retiring from the partnership in April 2020.
It has been an honour and privilege to serve the wonderful population of Wetherby for the past 29 years. It has also been a huge joy to work in such a fantastic team. Crossley Street Surgery has been a huge part of my life for over a quarter of a century and there is so much that I shall miss.
The time has come, however, to move on, and I am excited that I will have more time and energy to pursue other interests both medical and non-medical. I will continue to support the next generation of GPs through education, appraisal and mentoring, as well as having more time for family, leisure and my charitable causes.
I am cycling from Paris to Nice via the Alps in September 2020 (666 miles in 8 days), for my chosen charity, Artizan International. Funds will help to empower differently-abled workers via Social Enterprises in UK and Latin America.
If you feel that you wish to show thanks for any care given over the past 29 years please support via the link.
https://craftaidinternational.charitycheckout.co.uk/pf/richard-hall
NHS Guidance for Coronavirus
Please do not book a GP appointment or attend your GP Practice if you've visited or travelled through mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, or Thailand and have symptoms of cough, fever or shortness of breath within 2 weeks of returning, or if you have symptoms of cough, fever or shortness of breath after being in contact with someone with a confirmed case of coronavirus. Please call NHS 111 instead.
Click here for NHS Guidance for Coronavirus
Joint Injections
Following the retirement of Dr Hall, the practice will have limited resources to provide joint injections for patients.
The appointments are considered routine appointments and there may be a wait of several weeks before being able to see a suitably qualified GP
The Practice is working to increase our capacity for this service as soon as possible.
Dr Richard Hall
After 28 years at Crossley Street Surgery, Dr Richard Hall is retiring from the Practice on 6th April 2020.
Dr Hall has been our Senior Partner and has led the Practice since 2012, always ensuring that patient care is at the forefront of all decisions, changes and adaptations we make.
We know he will be greatly missed by both patients and colleagues.
If Dr Hall is your registered GP you will be contacted in due course regarding the name of your new registered GP. In any event you can make an appointment to see any of the GP team to continue your care.
We appreciate that patients may wish to see Dr Hall to express their gratitude for his years of service in Wetherby, but would ask that you do not use a medical appointment for this purpose.
Dr Ellis Rickwood will now become our Senior Partner and further details will follow in due course regarding our new GP structure.
Practice Vacancies
Due to retirement we are looking to recruit 2 x part time Medical Receptionists - click here for more information
Patient Notice
After a long and successful career as a GP, Dr Christopher Ade is retiring from the profession.
Dr Ade has been a valued member of the Crossley Street team for the last 9 years and we know he will be much missed by patients and colleagues.
We all wish him well for the future.
Any patients who saw Dr Ade on regular basis are free to make an appointment with any member of the team to continue their care.
New Telephones
As you may be aware, we had a whole new telephone system installed at the practice in March. These phones have been rolled out at all practices in Leeds by the CCG.
As with any new technology, these new phones work differently to our old system. We are currently trying to iron out the kinks, so we would appreciate everyone’s patience during this time! Soon we will have the ability to tell you where you are in the queue of people calling the surgery.
This will help you decide whether you are happy to wait in the queue or whether you would prefer to call back later.
As always, we are a very busy surgery and we experience an extremely high volume of calls. In an effort to alleviate some of the pressure from the telephones, please could we remind you of the following:
- You can book GP appointments and blood tests using SystmOnline
- If your call is for something other than an appointment and isn’t urgent, don’t phone at 8am, as this is when our phones are busiest
- You can also contact us by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Any emails received will be acknowledged within two working days, however a full response to your enquiry may take longer. Please note we cannot correspond on medical matters via email at this time
- You can now contact us contact us via eReception from your computer, tablet or smartphone — for more information please visit our homepage
- If our phones are very busy, please do not attempt to “jump the queue” by choosing the option to speak to a secretary — they will not be able to help you with your query, nor are they able to transfer you to reception. You will be asked to call back and choose the correct option
National Bowel Scope Screening Programme
Harrogate, Leeds and York Bowel Cancer Screening Centre has been selected as a Third Wave site for the commencement of ‘Bowel Scope screening’ for all men and women aged 55 years. Patients who are registered at this practice aged 55 years will be invited to participate in the new bowel cancer screening national programme. Eligible participants will be invited for screening approximately 2 months following their 55th birthday.
Invitations will be sent out offering a one-off appointment for a Bowel Scope (flexible sigmoidoscopy) test. Participants will need to confirm they are attending the appointment using the confirmation slip attached to their invitation letter, or by ringing the North East Bowel Cancer Screening Hub. Appointments can be changed if the date or time is not suitable. If the invitee chooses not to participate at the time of their 55th birthday they can opt in at any time up to the age of 60.
For more information, click here to read the Bowel Scope Screening information leaflet. This leaflet aims to help you make a choice about whether to have bowel scope screening. It includes information about why the NHS offers bowel scope screening, what to expect from it, and the possible benefits and risks for you.
Extended Access
Extended Access Clinics are now available, including weekend appointments with GPs, Nurses, and HCAs. These are held at Wetherby Health Centre on a Saturday morning and can be booked by our patients. Please note this is not a walk-in service and you will need to book an appointment in advance.
These are pre-bookable, routine appointments. For more information please speak to a member of reception.
Click here for more information.
Complaints About the Extended Access Service
If you have a complaint about the service you have received from the Extended Access Service, you can download a Guide to Making a Complaint by clicking here. This guide explains how to make a complaint, and includes a complaint form for you to fill out.
Diabetes – Developing a diabetes strategy for Leeds
The NHS in Leeds is asking people what they’d like to see in a new diabetes strategy for the city.
The strategy will outline plans to reduce the number of people in Leeds who develop the condition and identify everyone who has it, while also looking at how we can support people with diabetes to live a fulfilling life.
The CCG is asking anyone with an interest in shaping the future of diabetes prevention and care to take part in a survey – www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/leedsdiabetes2018
For more information, please visit Diabetes – Developing a diabetes strategy for Leeds
Audiograms
Please note, that we will no longer be performing audiograms in the surgery. These are available free on the NHS at the following locations for adults 18 and older.
Free Hearing Tests on the NHS:
Boots Wetherby or Harrogate 0845 270 1600
www.bootshearingcare.com
Spec Savers Wetherby 01937 545 370
Spec Savers Harrogate 01423 564 515
www.specsavers.co.uk
To clarify, you DO NOT need a GP referral in order to have a hearing test at one of the above locations. If however, after the hearing test, you need a hearing aid on the NHS, this will require a referral from your GP (unless you choose to have a hearing aid fitted privately). Please speak to reception if you need a referral for a hearing aid.
We've Updated Our Privacy Policy
Click here to read our Privacy Policy and learn how we collect and use your data.
Non-Emergency Transport Criteria
In keeping with other NHS organisations we can now only arrange non emergency transport for those patients who have a clinically stated medical need that prevents them using private or public transport.
In future, our reception team will need to ensure you meet the set criteria before agreeing to arrange your transport and will enquire if you are able to make your own way or can make alternative arrangement via friends or family. For more information, click here.
Online Blood Test Appointments
You can now book your blood test appointment online. If you have a SystmOnline account, you can book an appointment for a blood test in the same way that you can book an appointment with a GP.
Please note that these appointments are for blood tests ONLY, and the Health Care Assistant is unable to check your blood pressure, your weight, or anything else in these appointments. You can however have your blood pressure and weight checked on the surgery POD while you are at the practice.
Crossley Street on Twitter and Facebook
Crossley Street Surgery now has a Twitter account and a Facebook page. If you would like to follow us, click below:
Car Parking
As you may have experienced yourself, car parking at Crossley Street can be challenging. We only have a limited number of parking spaces, and this problem is often compounded by those taking up spaces when they are not visiting the surgery.
We appreciate that it can be frustrating when there are no free spaces, but please can we ask that you do not park on the yellow hatches, or on the double yellow lines along the side of the surgery. This can make it difficult for emergency services to access the surgery, and also puts your car at risk of being damaged.
The large car park across the road from the surgery offers free parking for up to 2 hours. So, if our car park is full, please consider using this, thank you.
Accessible Information
The Accessible Information Standard is a new ‘information standard’ for implementation by all organisations that provide NHS or adult social care. It aims to ensure that people who have a disability or sensory loss receive information that they can access and understand, for example in large print, or via email, and professional communication support if they need it, for example from a British Sign Language interpreter.
Individuals most likely to be affected by the Standard include people who are blind or d/Deaf, who have some hearing or visual loss, people who are deafblind, and people with a learning disability. However, this list is not exhaustive.
If you have information or communication needs relating to a disability, impairment or sensory loss, or if you are a parent or carer for someone who has such information or communication needs, please ask reception for a Communication Needs form and we will ensure that your needs are recorded.
Patient Experience Survey
Click here to view our Patient Experience Survey Results 2016/2017. The practice has reviewed all the results in detail with both staff and the PPG and is now working towards making improvements in those areas where patients have expressed concerns.
Thank you to all patients who took part in this survey.
28 Day Prescriptions
Crossley Street Surgery is in the process of moving all patients to a 28 day cycle for all repeat medications. For more information, please click here.
InterCare
We are supporting the work of InterCare, a charity that recycles surplus quality medical supplies and donates aid to African health units.
UPDATE: Please note, Intercare are NO LONGER able to accept medicines. You can find a list of what items can be donated here.
If you wish to know more about InterCare, please visit their website by clicking here.
Risk Profiling
Crossley Street Surgery is taking part in a new NHS service that helps your GP to spot whether you need more help to manage your health. This service is called “Risk Profiling”.
Using information from your health records, a secure NHS computer system will look at any recent treatments you have had in hospital or at this surgery, and any existing health conditions that you have, and alert your doctor to the likelihood of a possible future hospital admission. This information will help you get early care and treatment where it is needed.
If you don’t want your information being used in this way, or have any other concerns, please contact Beth Congreave, IT Administrator, at the practice.
