NHS Lincolnshire East CCG has launched a pilot to deliver extended access to GP services in the evenings and weekends.
Some 11 practices in East Lindsey have joined forces to create an extended hub service for their patients, which will be able to see a GP at a clinic based at the Urgent Care Unit at Louth Hospital from 26 February.
NHS Lincolnshire East CCG has launched a pilot to deliver extended access to GP services in the evenings and weekends.
Some 11 practices in East Lindsey have joined forces to create an extended hub service for their patients, which will be able to see a GP at a clinic based at the Urgent Care Unit at Louth Hospital from 26 February.
Patients will be able to book appointments via their usual GP practice from 6.30pm to 8.00pm during weekdays and from 8.00am to 7.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.
NHS Lincolnshire East CCG’s pilot is part of the CCG’s plan to strengthen out-of-hospital strategy, improve collaboration among local practices and work on integrated care within the community.
The decision to provide an out-of-hours service comes despite our sister publication Pulse revealed last month that there was a 26% increase in the number of serious incidents reported by GPs in out-of-hours services to commissioners.
However, NHS Lincolnshire East CCG believes that the pilot will help practices cope with increasing demand and pressures.
GP and Clinical Leader of East Lindsey Locality for NHS Lincolnshire East CCG Dr Seng Keat Ko said they will assess the pilot over the coming months by collecting patients’ feedback.
He said: ‘We also hope the scheme will reduce some of the pressure on other local health services, such as accident and emergency, urgent care and out of hours services, which people often turn to if they can’t see a family doctor. This is all part of our commitment to making our local GPs more accessible and for patients to get the care they need when they want it.
‘It is early days, and there are still some limitations, but extended access is just the tip of the iceberg of what the hub can offer in terms of the range of services that could benefit our patients in the future.’
Last year, Healthcare Leader reported that selected CCGs with high performing integrated care systems were given extra funding to support extended GP opening hours.
The Conservatives previously pledged that by 2020, every patient will be able to see a GP between 8am and 8pm, seven day a week.
