News
Udny Station Branch Operating Times Change
Dear patients.
From Tuesday 15th April, the Undy Station Branch will operate with a GP on a Tuesday only. The branch will still be open on a Thursday for prescription collections.
Our Bridge of Don Practice continues to be available to you, Monday to Friday, 0800-1800.
Our preferred method of requesting appointments or medical support is by Engage Consultation. Further information can be provided via our website: https://www.scotstownmedicalgroup.co.uk/
Engage Consult allows patients to communicate securely and safely online with their practice about non-emergency medical conditions or admin questions. It also offers 24/7 access to symptom-specific self-help information and easy access to other local NHS and self-care services. Engage Consult is designed to boost patient access, enhance practice efficiencies and to free-up much needed time and resources for clinical and admin teams.
The Practice can still be contacted for those without the ability for online or app consultation. Calling the Practice when the Engage Consult service could be used, restricts our ability to help those in need.
Tel number: 0345 189 7070
Additional Patient Engagement Meeting
Dear Patient.
Following our patient engagement sessions on Tuesday 25th March 2025, we would like to invite you to a further engagement session on Wednesday 14th May 2025, 1600-1800.
The session will be held at the Udny Station Community Centre. Udny Station, Ellon. AB41 6QJ.
Attending on behalf of Scotstown Medical Group will be:
- Dr Alasdair Forbes, GP Partner
- Dr Stuart Shand, GP Partner
- Peter Reynolds, Group Business Manager
Members of the Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership and Aberdeenshire Health & Social Care Partnership will also be in attendance.
Our situation remains unchanged, in that we have notified the Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership and Aberdeenshire Health & Social Care Partnership of our ongoing challenges in being able to continue providing a GP service at Udny Station. We find ourselves in the regrettable situation that we must engage with you on the potential closure of the Udny Station Branch Surgery.
Regards
Peter Reynolds
Group Business Manager
Scotstown Medical Group
Q&A
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Can I stay registered with Scotstown Medical Group? Yes, you can, and we hope that you will. Our decision just means that your appointments with a GP or any of our team will be provided at Scotstown Medical Practice. Cairnfold Road, Bridge Of Don, Aberdeen. AB22 8LD We are not changing our practice boundary. All patients living in the community of Udny Station can remain registered with Scotstown Medical Group. |
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What do I need to do now? Please do nothing. You will remain registered with Scotstown Medical Group unless you tell us otherwise. The only thing that is changing is that you will no longer be able to attend appointments at our Udny branch. |
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What will the benefits be to patients? There are benefits to providing our full service from one site and this will give all patients’ access to all our GPs and not just those who previously consulted in Udny. There will be wider access to: nursing services, chronic disease management of conditions such as hypertension, respiratory disease and diabetes as well as access to additional clinics such as those for coils, contraceptive implants and some joint injections. We will be able to invest in one site by reducing our costs associated with running our branch surgery. This will help keep our practice sustainable and reduce the risk of further change that might affect all our patients. |
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What will happen to my medical records? Your records will continue to be held digitally, along with all patient records. |
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How do I contact the practice when I am unwell? Our preferred method of requesting appointments or medical support is by Engage Consultation. Further information can be provided via our website: https://www.scotstownmedicalgroup.co.uk/ Engage Consult allows patients to communicate securely and safely online with their practice about non-emergency medical conditions or admin questions. It also offers 24/7 access to symptom-specific self-help information and easy access to other local NHS and self-care services. Engage Consult is designed to boost patient access, enhance practice efficiencies and to free-up much needed time and resources for clinical and admin teams. The Practice can still be contacted for those without the ability for online or app consultation. Calling the Practice when the Engage Consult service could be used, restricts our ability to help those in need. Tel number: 0345 189 7070 |
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How do I order my prescriptions? Prescriptions can be requested via our website. The prescription telephone request line is also open 24 hours a day. Please leave the following information on our answer machine: your name, address, date of birth, telephone number, the names of the medication you require and where you would like to collect the prescription from e.g. your nominated pharmacy. Telephone 01224 551400 Your nominated community pharmacy may also have a prescription ordering system that you could use, please contact them for further information. |
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Will I have to change my preferred pharmacy? There will be a need to change your local pharmacy for those who utilise Udny Station. Please remember to inform the practice of who your nominated pharmacy will be, should you want prescriptions to be sent directly to them. This will keep our records accurate too. |
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How will I get my results? There is no change to how you get your results. Our results line is open Monday to Friday from 11am to 4pm by telephoning: 0345 189 7070, option 4. |
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Can I still ask for a house call from a GP? Yes, you can, and we are happy to visit patients who are housebound or unable to get to the practice. Please telephone 0345 189 7070, option 3. |
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I prefer to have my appointments over the phone, will this still happen? All requests will be initially triaged by a Clinician, who will decide on the best course of action for you. You can state a preference for telephone consultations. |
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Is there parking at Scotstown Medical Practice? Yes, we have a car park at the front of the surgery and we are on a main bus route. |
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Is there disabled parking at Scotstown Medical Practice? Yes, we have one disabled space in the car park. |
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Is there regular public transport from Udny to Bridge of Don? Bridge of Don is well catered for with public transport links. |
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Translation of this document If you wish this letter to be in other formats or translated into another language, please use google translate: Google Translate
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LMC Statement on GP Workload 18/07/2024
Please see below link regarding the Grampian LMC (Local Medical Committee) statement on GP workload from 18/07/2024:
Brain Health Service Officially Opens!
An innovative new brain health service has been officially opened in Aberdeen today by Maree Todd, MSP, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport.
This is the first example in the UK of a brain health service that offers a drop-in, self-referral system.
The service will be based in the Alzheimer Scotland Brain Health and Dementia Resource Centre on King Street in Aberdeen and will provide people who are worried about their brain health with support and an initial assessment. The service team can then provide a personal brain health plan to support people to take steps to improve their brain health.
The service is for anyone, regardless of age, who might have concerns about their brain health and can drop-in to the Brain Health and Dementia Resource Centre on King Street, Aberdeen.
Open 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday
13-19 King Street
Aberdeen
AB24 5AA
Further information is available here:
https://www.nhsgrampian.org/news/2023/december/ministerial-opening-of-innovative-new-brain-health-service/
https://www.alzscot.org/living-with-dementia/getting-support/find-support-near-you/aberdeen-dementia-resource-centre
Tablets for fear of flying: why we don't prescribe them anymore
People sometimes ask the doctor or nurse to prescribe diazepam, or similar drugs like lorazepam, temazepam or clonazepam, for fear of flying or to help sleep during flights.
Prescribing these drugs is not recommended any more for these reasons:
- Although plane emergencies are rare, taking Diazepam reduces awareness and reaction times for patients so you risk not being able to react to save your life if you have to escape quickly. You may also put other people in danger by getting in their way or making them help you.
- The use of these drugs can make you sleep in an unnaturally deep sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep so you have a bigger risk of getting a blood clot (Deep Vein Thrombosis – DVT) in the leg or lungs. Blood clots are very dangerous and can kill. This risk is bigger if your flight is longer than 4 hours.
- They have short term bad effects on memory, co-ordination, concentration and reaction times, and are addictive if used for a long time, with withdrawal leading to fits, hallucinations, agitation and confusion. They have also become widely used drugs of abuse since they first came on the market. Diazepam in the UK is a controlled drug. The prescribing guidelines doctors have to follow say that that use to treat short-term ‘mild’ anxiety is inappropriate. They are only to be used short term for a ‘crisis in generalised anxiety’. But if you are having such a crisis you are not likely to be fit to fly. Fear of flying in isolation is not a generalised anxiety disorder.
- Some people get agitated and aggressive after taking diazepam and similar drugs, and behave in a way that they would not normally, which can pose a risk on the plane. This affects everyone’s safety and could get you into trouble with the law. A similar effect can be seen with alcohol, which has led to people being removed from flights.
- There is evidence use of these drugs stops the normal adjustment response that would gradually lessen anxiety over time, and may increase anxiety in the long term, especially if used repeatedly.
- Diazepam and similar controlled drugs are illegal in a number of countries. They may be confiscated or you may find yourself in trouble with the police.
- Diazepam stays in your system for some time. If your job or sport needs you to have random drug testing you may fail this having taken diazepam.
- It is important to tell your travel insurer about your medical conditions and medications you take. If not, there is a risk of your insurer not paying if you try to make a claim.
So we will no longer be providing Diazepam or similar drugs for flight anxiety. Instead please try one of these aviation industry recommended flight anxiety courses.
Fly And Be Calm™
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The least expensive option, takes very little time, works on the root cause of your problem. If you are not 100% happy you can get a full refund.
Easy Jet
www.fearlessflyer.easyjet.com
British Airways
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/travelassistance/flying-with-confidence
Virgin Atlantic
https://www.flyingwithoutfear.co.uk/
Page created: 15 July 2022