GPs are often asked to make Mental Capacity Assessments for patients. These assessments can be requested for a variety of different reasons. As GPs it is an essential part of our role that we are able to perform capacity assessments which relate to decisions regarding medical investigations, treatment and care. However capacity assessments relating to overall welfare, finances and property are often more complex and sit outside our expertise.
The level of risk and responsibility linked to capacity assessments can be extremely high. Decisions such as whether someone's house is sold or how their life savings are spent can depend on capacity assessments. It is therefore essential that adequate time and attention is dedicated to these assessments. It is also essential that those carrying out these assessments for legal purposes are highly trained and experienced in this area.
Legal capacity assessments do not fall within the NHS duties of GPs. Some GPs do agree to perform these assessments privately at a fee, but many others feel the risks of doing so are too high or that the time needed to perform an adequate assessment is not available to them. There are other professionals who can perform mental capacity assessments including solicitors and psychiatrist.
As a surgery we do not feel we have the capacity to offer Mental Capacity Assessments for legal purposes for our patients. To do so would require significant resources being diverted from our core duties as a health care provider. It would also pose a significant legal and financial risk to our GPs. We feel there are other professionals available with more appropriate training, legal protection and expertise who can perform these assessments.
We realise that this practice policy may cause some inconvenience to our patients but hope you can understand that our priority must be to our core NHS duties as a health care provider. If, in the future, the funding crisis in General Practice is adequately addressed by government we may find ourselves able to reconsider our position.
Calling the Practice
The Practice continues to experience poor performance with its telephone service. As a result, we would strongly encourage patients to utilise online methods for contacting us.
ENGAGE CONSULT (Link below) for online consultation reviewed by a Clinician and a response provided, usually within 48 hours, or to access self-help information
BLACKBURN RD.MEDICAL CTR. – Online Services (engage.gp)
You can also email the Practice on blackburnroad.medical@nhs.net if you have any routine questions
We are investigating every avenue to resolve the problem but are very sorry for the issues this will be causing you
Blackburn Road Medical Centre and Birkenshaw Health Centre are participants in the
SAFE SURGERIES initiative. There is NO requirement for immigration status or an NHS number to register.
Rough sleepers that require medical attention can give a temporary address, including the GP surgery address,
to access health care at our locations.
National Data Opt Out.
If you do not want your patient data shared with NHS Digital, you can register a Type 1 Opt-out with your GP practice. You can register a Type 1 Opt-out at any time. You can also change your mind at any time and withdraw a Type 1 Opt-out.
Data sharing with NHS Digital has been delayed until at least 1 September 2021
If you have already registered a Type 1 Opt-out with your GP practice your data will not be shared with NHS Digital.
If you wish to register a Type 1 Opt-out with your GP practice before data sharing starts with NHS Digital, this should be done by returning this form to your GP practice by 23 June 2021 to allow time for processing it. If you have previously registered a Type 1 Opt-out and you would like to withdraw this, you can also use the form to do this. How to opt out | medConfidential You can send the form by post or email to your GP practice or call 0300 3035678 for a form to be sent out to you.
If you register a Type 1 Opt-out after your patient data has already been shared with NHS Digital, no more of your data will be shared with NHS Digital. NHS Digital will however still hold the patient data which was shared with us before you registered the Type 1 Opt-out.
If you do not want NHS Digital to share your identifiable patient data with anyone else for purposes beyond your own care, then you can also register a National Data Opt-out.
If you do not want your patient data shared with NHS Digital, you need to register a Type 1 Opt-out with your GP practice. You can register a Type 1 Opt-out at any time. You can also change your mind at any time and withdraw a Type 1 Opt-out.
More information about the National Data Opt-out is here: https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/
Blackburn Road Medical Centre and Birkenshaw Health Centre have a Facebook page, follow us now
Message To Our Patients
The Practice has remained open throughout the ongoing Pandemic and will continue to do so.
With the requirement to carry out telephone triage before any face to face appointments there is an increase in telephone traffic into the practice, which is making it difficult for patients to contact the practice.
In response, the practice has increased the amount of lines available by 125% but patients may still experience log delays, in particular in the periods 0800 – 0900 and 1700 – 1800.
We would encourage patients to call outside of these times and, where possible, to use the ENGAGE CONSULT facility on our website in order to ask routine questions. This will free up the lines to allow patients to make appointments and prevent long waits for patients that have routine questions.
Online booking of Nurse appointments is now available – these are for specific clinics so please ensure that you book appropriately.
Inappropriate bookings will NOT be seen and will result in a wasted appointment for another patient
GP Telephone appointments are also available for online booking – You will be rung WITHIN 24 HOURS and more routinely ON THE DAY – NOT at the time of the appointment allocation time.
You can also email the practice on blackburnroad.medical@nhs.net for ROUTINE QUESTIONS.
Accessing your GP animation – public messaging
Please watch this - an animation to help explain to the public how they can continue to access GP services, including how to get in contact, the different ways care may be delivered, and how face-to-face appointments have changed
All Appointments will be triaged, any appointments that are routine will be deferred, if an appointment is needed you will be given a telephone appointment.
The Doctor will ring you within 24 hours – please ensure that you have provided an up to date telephone number
If you have ANY respiratory symptoms, please seek advice from NHS 111 online or 111 Please do not attend the practice if you have any Flu like symptoms
ONLINE CONSULTATIONS – How to contact your GP by email
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Message To Our Patients
The Practice has remained open throughout the ongoing Pandemic and will continue to do so.
With the requirement to carry out telephone triage before any face to face appointments there is an increase in telephone traffic into the practice, which is making it difficult for patients to contact the practice.
In response, the practice has increased the amount of lines available by 25% but patients may still experience log delays, in particular in the periods 0800 – 0900 and 1700 – 1800.
We would encourage patients to call outside of these times and, where possible, to use the ENGAGE CONSULT facility on our website in order to ask routine questions. This will free up the lines to allow patients to make appointments and prevent long waits for patients that have routine questions.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
The current Government Guidance for employers and businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19) states;
“By law, medical evidence is not required for the first 7 days of sickness. After 7 days, employers may use their discretion around the need for medical evidence if an employee is staying at home.
We strongly suggest that employers use their discretion around the need for medical evidence for a period of absence where an employee is advised to stay at home either as they are unwell themselves, or live with someone who is, in accordance with the public health advices issued by the government.”
Medical certificate COVID-19
Welcome to Blackburn Road Medical Centre
Our main surgery is at Birstall and we have a branch surgery at Birkenshaw. The practice area covers Birstall, Gomersal and Birkenshaw.
With patients' needs at the heart of everything we do, our website has been designed to make it easy for you to gain instant access to the information you need. As well as specific practice details such as opening hours and how to register, you’ll find a wealth of useful pages covering a wide range of health issues along with links to other relevant medical organisations.
Friends and Family Test
Friends and Family Survey Form
Evening and weekend appointments now available.....
Patients can now see a local GP for routine appointments on weekday evenings and at weekends.
Pre-bookable and on-the-day appointments are available between 6.30pm and 9.30pm each weekday,
with additional slots available on Saturdays from 9am and 4pm and Sundays 9am and 1pm.
The scheme starts in August when evening and weekend appointments will be available for any patient registered with a GP in North Kirklees.
The appointments will be available in Dewsbury Health Centre.
How to book an evening or weekend appointment
There are ‘pre-bookable’ and ‘on-the-day’ appointments which can be accessed through your own GP practice, or by calling the free NHS 111 phone line out of normal working hours.
New Telephone System
The Practice is using a new telephone system to direct patient calls to the most appropriate health care navigator.
Between 8am and 10am is for appointments only and If your call is for a general enquiry or test results, please call back after 10am.
After 10am For appointments please press 1
For general enquires including test results and prescription queries please press 2
For referral enquiries please Press 3 for the Secretaries
We do not take repeat prescription requests over the telephone. But please note all prescriptions take a minimum of 48 hours to be processed.
Get Well, Keep Well
Of course we’re not just here for when you are unwell. Our team of healthcare professionals and back-up staff offer a number of clinics and services to promote good health and wellbeing whatever your medical condition.
Join In
We hope you enjoy having a look around the site and familiarising yourself with some of the online features such as ordering a repeat prescription. Whatever your thoughts, be sure to let us know via our feedback function. Would you like to be part of the Patient Participation Group? Are you interested in finding out more about Blackburn Road Medical Centre? Would you like to influence the development of local health services? We are recruiting new members for our Patient Participation Group. Please contact Reception for details. Comments and suggestions are always a great way of helping us continue to enhance the way we look after you.
Access
Both sites have a dedicated disabled car parking space, with wheelchair access to the building and a disabled WC.
(Site updated 26/04/2021)