Seascale and Bootle Surgeries

24/11/2025

There are many many things that frustrate us and potentially make us angry...

- Bad weather and politics.
- Waiting and delays.
- Being behind someone driving slower than you want to drive.
- Being in front of someone who’s practically on your bumper when you are driving the speed limit.
- & perceived patronising posts on social media that talk about what makes us frustrated and angry. 🤔

Anyway, the point we’re making is that sometimes all this can understandably build up - and occasionally, that frustration ends up being taken out on the people who are just trying to help.

It really saddens us that in recent weeks, some GP practices have reported incidents where members of staff - particularly reception teams - have experienced abuse and threatening behaviour from patients. This behaviour is unacceptable, and practices will respond accordingly to protect their teams. In serious cases, practices have the right to remove patients from their list if they are violent or abusive.

We completely understand that everyone can feel anger or frustration at times - healthcare can be especially stressful for both patients and staff. But at the end of the day, we’re all human.

And yes, this should absolutely work both ways. Healthcare staff should treat patients fairly, kindly, and respectfully too. If you have concerns about your care, there are formal complaints routes to raise them safely and effectively - abusive behaviour is never the right route.

This message doesn’t just apply to GP practices - it includes all wider healthcare teams: dentists, opticians, pharmacists, hospital staff, community services, and everyone working hard to support patients across our area.

Maybe technology and outside factors have changed our patience, concentration, and expectations, but unfortunately not everything can be instant. Healthcare teams are working hard to provide the best care possible in a system under huge pressure.

So, in a world where so many things seem to be sadly increasing in cost, remember - kindness is still free to share. 💚💙

13/11/2025

CUMBRIA WEATHER WARNING

In some areas there has been local flooding, if you have an appointment please take care travelling to and from our surgery and stay safe.
If you can't attend please call us to re-arrange your appointment.

After a night of heavy rain across Cumbria, there are reports of flooding and surface water affecting many roads this morning.

11/11/2025

29/10/2025

Phone System Fault

Our telephone system is currently having technical issues. Some calls can get through, some can't. There are engineers working to resolve this. You can still log your problems via the accuRx forms on the surgery website.

Contact us about your request

23/10/2025

Flu Clinic - Tue 28th

Next Tuesday there will be a flu clinic at Seascale Health Centre. Please contact reception to book your appointment if you are eligible.

23/10/2025

Your pharmacist can provide treatment or some prescription medicine, if needed, for seven common conditions - without you seeing a GP.

Think pharmacy first and get seen by your local community pharmacy team.

21/10/2025

Good afternoon,

Our phone systems are still having issues. Some calls are getting through, some aren't. We apologise for this inconvenience. We are working with our telephone system provider, who are actively trying to resolve the issue.

Please visit our website and use our online consultation form to contact the surgery for medical assistance until our phone systems are back up and running.

Call 999 in a medical or mental health emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

21/10/2025

Good morning,

The telephone system is currently having technical issues. Engineers are working to resolve this. You can still log your problems via the accuRx forms on the surgery website.

17/10/2025

It really saddens us to have to write posts like this, as we know it’s probably not our lovely followers who are responsible — but we do need to raise awareness.

In recent weeks, some GP practices have reported incidents where members of staff — particularly reception teams — have experienced abuse and threatening behaviour from patients.

This behaviour is unacceptable, and practices will respond accordingly to protect their teams. In serious cases, practices have the right to remove patients from their list if they are violent or abusive.

We understand that everyone can feel anger or frustration at times — healthcare can be stressful for both patients and staff — but even though we’ve used AI imagery to illustrate these scenes, we’re talking about real people. As our colleagues in the Hospital Trust remind us: we are all human.

Healthcare staff should also treat patients fairly, kindly, and respectfully. If you have concerns about your care, formal complaints channels exist to raise them safely and effectively — abusive behaviour is never the right route. To learn more about patient and staff rights, you can read more in the NHS Constitution: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england/the-nhs-constitution-for-england

This message doesn’t just apply to GP practices — it includes all wider healthcare teams: dentists, opticians, pharmacists, hospital staff, community services, and everyone working hard to support patients across our area.

Maybe technology has changed our patience, concentration, and expectations — but not everything can be instant. Healthcare teams are working hard to provide the best care possible.

In a world where so many things seem to be increasing in cost, remember that kindness is still free to share. 💚💙

07/10/2025

** SICK NOTES ** 💙💚
DID YOU KNOW when you're absent from work... You DO NOT require a sick note (now called a fit note) for periods of 7 days or less.

> A fit note for periods of OVER 7 days is free of charge

> A fit note issued for periods of absence UNDER 7 days should NOT be requested via your GP

> If your employer asks for evidence for the first 7 days of sickness, a healthcare professional may charge a fee for this IF they offer this service. Your employer should pay the fee if one is applied.

> You do not need to see a healthcare professional again to go back to work.

> Your employer may ask for confirmation that you’re fit for work, but healthcare professionals DO NOT have to provide this as part of their standard service.

Depending on your job, you may need to meet other requirements before you can return to work after being ill.

For example, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) rules will apply if you drive a large vehicle like a lorry or bus. More information can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/driving-medical-conditions

For further information about fit notes (sick notes) please click the link below:
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/getting-a-fit-note/