Venues revealed for new out of hours GP appointments in Doncaster
From Monday, the centres in the North, West, South and East of the borough are opening for appointments which are accessible for patients who work 9-5, Monday to Friday.
They are at Lakeside Practice, at Spa Pool Road, Askern; Thorne Moor Medical Practice, at Field Side; Thorne, Tickhill Surgery on  St.Mary's Rd, in Tickhill; and Devonshire House, at Cavendish Court, South Parade.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdDoctors are able to access the records of any of the patients who visit them, even though they may be from practices which they do not usually work with, under a new agreement
Dr David Crichton, the chairman of the Doncaster NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, said: 'We know any additional appointments will be welcomed by patients, and extended access is there to try to accommodate people who work nine to five Monday to Friday, people who need to be seen outside working hours.
'Because it is organised across neighbourhoods, it is not restricted to the capacity of one particular doctors surgery. GPs have come together and there is a rota system. They will have access to the patients records in the same way as the patient's own GPs would have.'
The new out of hours appointments have been welcomed by the patients consultative group Doncaster Healthwatch.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdChief Operating Officer Andrew Goodall said: 'The provision of extended access clinics by Primary Care Doncaster will give local people across Doncaster increased choice and access to appointments to see a GP or nurse in four hubs across Doncaster.
'Healthwatch Doncaster welcome the provision of the additional clinics and sessions '“ this is a good example of where people's voices have been heard and listened to and will continue to be heard and listened to so that services can be continuously improved.
'We are working closely with Primary Care Doncaster to evaluate the new services and we encourage people to share their experiences with us through surveys in the clinic sessions or through our Feedback Centre '“ www.healthwatchdoncaster.org.uk/feedback
The Clinical Commissioning Group awarded the contract to provide 160 hours a week of extra contact time with patients to Primary Care Doncaster Ltd '“ the federation which represents the borough's 42 GP practices '“ earlier in the summer.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe sessions will be paid for by nearly £2 million of new funding from NHS England '“ part of national plans to offer more accessible services to those people who have difficulty getting to a surgery during the core weekday opening times of 8am to 6pm.