100,000 extra GP appointments to be made available in Gloucestershire as part of NHS Long Term Plan
pharmafile | February 4, 2019 | News story | Sales and Marketing | GP, Gloucestershire, NHS, UK, britain, primare care
GP practices in Gloucestershire are set to offer 100,000 more appointments for patients in the coming year. The initiative comes as part of the newly announced NHS Long Term Plan which will see billions invested into Britain’s healthcare system.
The move will be made possible as 75 GP practices across the English county will open up additional appointment slots during the daytime, weekends and evenings, through improved access initiatives.
The appointments will for the most part be provided by GPs and nurses. However paramedics and physiotherapists will take up some of the slack.
Paramedics are currently working with GP practices to carry out home visits which save an estimated 120 appointments each month. Meanwhile physiotherapists are expected to save an additional 180 appointments each month.
Clinical pharmacists advising on medicines are also expected to see around 65 patients each week.
Dr Jeremy Welch, a GP in Tewkesbury, said: “Introducing different skill mixes into our practices has been excellent for patients, and across Gloucestershire we have a variety of different services based on each surgery’s specific need.
The feedback from patients and staff has been extremely pleasing and we are encouraged to keep developing the offer we are able to provide to our patients. We are in exciting times and it really feels like a team effort to support our patients.”
The initiative will see more appointments between 6.30 am and 8pm on weekdays as well as additional slots on Saturdays and Sundays. The appointments will be provided by the GP Provider Company for Gloucestershire.
Louis Goss
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