THE CASTLE PRACTICE
IMPORTANT PATIENT NOTICE
EASTER HOLIDAYS 2024
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SURGERY
WILL BE CLOSED ON
MONDAY 1st APRIL 2024 AND
TUESDAY 2nd APRIL 2024
AND WILL RE-OPEN AT 8:30 AM ON
WEDNESDAY 3rd APRIL 2024
If you require URGENT MEDICAL CARE,
which cannot wait until your GP surgery re-opens
please call Dalriada Urgent Care on
028 2566 3500
MMR Catchup
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is undertaking a Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccination catch-up campaign aimed at ensuring all children and young people are fully protected.
The vaccinations are targeted at those aged from 6 – 25 who have not yet received both doses of the MMR vaccine.
With measles cases on the rise, the campaign aims to help prevent the spread of contagious diseases.
If you, or your child, have not yet received both doses, you will receive a letter inviting you to attend a vaccination clinic.
Children aged between 12 months – 5 years
This age group can get the vaccine through their GP practice.
We will contact parents regarding catch up clinics from March 24
Encouraging all those who require a vaccination to come forward, Northern Trust Lead Nurse for Public Health Nursing Geraldine Doherty said: “It is important for people to understand that measles is a highly infectious viral illness which can lead to serious complications.
“This catch-up campaign aims to ensure that we have fully vaccinated as many of our children and young people as possible, protecting them and the wider community from serious illnesses which are wholly preventable.
“We are aware of a growing number of measles cases across the UK and Europe, so I would urge all parents, carers and young people to recognise the importance of supporting this campaign by coming forward for vaccination if it is required.”
Clinics for children aged 6 – 15
All children aged from 6 – 15 who live in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust area are invited to attend their preferred clinic from the list below.
These clinics will run from 12noon – 3pm, with walk-in appointments available or you can book an appointment at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/northern-ireland-mmr-catch-campaign.
Saturday 17 February, The Junction, Antrim– Unit 68 (next to Costa Coffee).
Saturday 24 February, Valley Leisure Centre, Church Road, Newtownabbey.
Saturday 2 March, Robinson Hospital, The Tweed Room, Newal Road, Ballymoney.
Saturday 9 March, Mid Ulster Hospital, Children’s Ward.
https://https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/northern-ireland-mmr-catch-campaign
To view the MMR information Leaflet please click here
FLU VACCINE IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL
Patients aged 50-64
TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT
028 9331 5805
07513 985 167
07513 985 168
07513 985 169
07513 985 170
WELCOME TO OUR WEBSITE
We aim to provide as much useful information for you to make the best use our patient services
In the case of an emergency, Collapse,
Significant shortness of Breath or Acute Chest pain
Dial 999
Castle Practice Emergency Number
028 9331 5804
OUT OF HOURS Dalriada Urgent Care
028 2566 3500
When you attend the Health Centre Please
Inform the staff if you have COVID symptoms
Follow the staff instructions
YOUR CONTACT DETAILS
Keep your contact details up to date
email us with any change of telephone number, address or email admin.Z00390@gp.hscni.net
CONTACTING US
DUE TO THE HUGE NUMBER OF TELEPHONE QUERIES AND PATIENT REQUESTS FOR GP SERVICES THE TELEPHONE LINES INTO THE HEALTH CENTRE ARE EXTREMELY BUSY
OUR LINES ARE NOT DOWN OR BROKEN - OUR STAFF ARE WORKING HARD AT ANSWERING EVERY CALL THAT GETS THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN WE ARE SORRY THAT THIS CAN OFTEN TAKE SOME CONSIDERABLE TIME, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE
PLEASE USE OUR ONLINE SYSTEM TO ORDER
PRESCRIPTIONS – MAKING SURE TO ADD YOUR CHOICE OF PHARMACY TO THE ORDER
CONTACT NUMBERS
028 93315805 (Servicing 5 lines)
PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW MOBILE NUMBERS in addition to our appointments lines
07513 985 167
07513 985 168
07513 985 169
07513 985 170
PLEASE DELETE THE PREVIOUS NUMBERS FROM
YOUR PHONES AS THEY ARE NO LONGER IN USE
CANCELLING YOUR APPOINTMENT
If you no longer need your appointment and want to cancel, please let us know in advance.
Recently in 1 week alone, over 60 people did not keep or cancel an appointment.
These appointments could have been offered to someone else in need!
You can text us to cancel your appointment on
07513 985 170
Please read our policy on non attendance of appointments here
FLU VACCINATIONS
AUTUMN - WINTER 2023/24
**WE CAN STILL GIVE YOU YOUR FLU VACCINE IF YOU HAVE MISSED IT - PLEASE CONTACT RECEPTION**
APPOINTMENTS
On the Day Call Lists
We run a GP Telephone Consultation list from 8:30 am and will close when we reach capacity.
Our Patient Service Advisors (administration/reception staff) will ask you for brief details and information to allow the GP to assess your call appropriately.
The information on the call list that you have given will be assessed by a clinician through the telephone call back system. The more information you can give our staff the sooner your problem will be dealt with. Please note all of our staff are bound by confidentiality.
You may be called back by either a GP or Patient Service Advisor to be offered an appointment the same day, or you may be offered an appointment up to the next 7 to 10 days, depending on the Clinicians assessment or there will be appropriate navigation to services available, prescription issued, other health care provider.
Please note a Clinician will always assess your call and all our staff are bound by confidentiality.
Please do not call at the reception desk to access the call list as this may result in a long waiting time. Remain at home and telephone your request on 028 9331 5805. Our system will allow you to be dealt with promptly.
If you have a non-urgent problem and would like medical advice you can email your request to
You will be contacted within 72 working hours in relation to your problem. More urgent issues cannot be dealt with through the email system.
If you feel you need to pass some information on to your GP, please contact reception on 028 9331 5805 and staff will happily pass the information on.
Try to call after 2.00pm
If you have received a text message directly from your GP, and they have requested that you call them back, you should do so by calling 028 9331 5805 after 2.00pm and leave up to date and accessible contact details for the GP to return the call.
RECEPTION AND OUR PATIENT SERVICE ADVISORS
Office Manager
Lisa Fulton
Practice Secretary
Laura Wootton
Patient Service Advisors (PSAs)
Leona; Luke; Kirstie; Jacqui; Kirsty; Robyn; Hannah; Michael; Siobhan; Emma; Adam; Courtney; Nicky
Patient Services Advisors (PSAs) provide an important link for patients with the practice and are your initial contact point for general enquiries. They will ask for details relating to your medical problems to pass on to the Doctor, this allows your GP to concentrate on clinical issues and the more information you give them the sooner your query will be dealt with. Our PSA's are all bound by confidentiality and any information you give is between you and the Practice
They can provide basic information on services and results and direct you to the right person depending on your health issue or query. PSAs can direct you to the most appropriate care giver.
They also perform other important tasks, issuing repeat prescriptions and dealing with prescription enquiries, workflow from Secondary care, updating your medical records from other departments, dealing with financial claims, Solicitors claims and insurance companies. Vaccinations, ambulance control and other health and social care departments dealing with patients records and carrying out searches and practice audits.
We are a Training Practice!
Castle Practice is a NIMDTA Training Practice and has regular GP trainees working in the Practice. From time to time we may ask you to participate in a Video consultation or an Audio consultation. It is not compulsory however we hope this will provide excellent help in the Training of these future GPs.
GP APPOINTMENTS & ACCESS EXPLAINED
Condition Management Programme - Health, Work and Wellbeing
Please click on the image below for further information
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/condition-management-programme#toc-0
CASTLE PRACTICE SUPPORTS ZERO TOLLERANCE AGAINST INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR TO ANY OF OUR STAFF
The Partners of Castle Practice regret that we must post this message. The majority of our patients are kind and considerate and understanding of constraints within a struggling NHS system however a growing number of incidents of aggressive behaviour towards staff members in Castle Practice has prompted us to remind those patients who are not that we have Zero tolerance in this respect.
Castle Practice Patient Notice
We aim to provide high quality healthcare and we will treat all patients with respect and dignity.
In return, we expect all our staff to be treated with respect.
We will not tolerate abusive language, threatening or aggressive behaviour against any of our staff
Such behaviour may result in a breakdown of Dr/Practice/Patient relationship and further measures as appropriate.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Please note abuse of staff on social media will result in the same action by the Practice
INFORMATION ABOUT COVID
CLICK HERE https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/
ORDER PRESCRIPTIONS – ONLINE, TELEPHONE or BY PHARMACY - please remember to nominate a pharmacy when you order - you will not be able to collect prescriptions at reception. Prescriptions should be ordered 72 hours before they are due to allow time for the processing by both the Practice and the Pharmacy
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL BEING DURING THIS TIME
Northern Emotional Wellbeing Service LINKS counselling service - If you are feeling anxious, low in mood or suffering from mild to moderate mental health difficulties, we're here to help. To set up an appointment for telephone or video counselling, complete our on-line referral form at: Links Counselling Service or give us a call on 028 38 342 825.
You do not have to speak with your GP to arrange this.
The Minding Your Head website contains information to help you look after your own mental health and to support others. It contains a directory of mental health services in Northern Ireland, as well as links to online support such as the HSC Apps Library, which provides a range of safe and approved apps for you to download for support with issues such as stress and sleep management.
Free online Stress Control classes are also available for everyone. Each session repeats four times to enable ease of access, with the latest block of classes starting on 8 June 2020. For further information visit:
If you are concerned about your mental health and would like to speak to someone, you can talk to your GP, or if you are in distress or despair, you can call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 where you can speak to a trained counsellor. This service is available 24/7 and is free from all NI landlines and mobiles.
FREE ONLINE STRESS CONTROL COURSE - please see the link to the next stress control online course 6,000 people attended the first online run with great feedback from attendees. Anyone can register for the course for free at NI Stress Control
HOSPITAL APPOINTMENTS
Your GP cannot effect change in relation to waiting times for appointments, x-rays, reviews. We understand this can be worrying and frustrating but you will be contacted by Hospital appointments when things change in this regard.
THANK YOU
The Doctors, Nursing and Admin staff appreciate your support and thank you for your kind actions and the grateful words of encouragement we have received.
Samantha Bailey
Practice Manager
(Site updated 27/03/2024)