Patients across South Warwickshire are to be offered evening and weekend appointments thanks to a new service, called GP+, being provided by the South Warwickshire GP Federation (SWGP). From 3 September, patients registered with any GP practice in South Warwickshire will be able to book face-to-face or telephone appointments at two GP+ ‘hubs’ from 6-9pm on weekdays and 9am-1pm on weekends. Routine and same day appointments will be offered with GPs, nurses and clinical pharmacists. In addition there will be same day appointments from 6-9pm on weekdays for children aged 0-16 who need treatment after school hours. Appointments are booked via a patient’s normal practice. South Warwickshire GP+ will run initially from two centrally located and accessible hub locations, Trinity Court Surgery in Stratford-upon-Avon and Waterside Medical Centre in Leamington Spa. The hubs will be staffed by GPs and nurses from local GP practices, with some specialist roles recruited specifically for the new service.
GP+ clinicians will have access to patient records, so that the patient’s full medical history is known and records can be updated regardless of when or where patients are seen (subject to consent). Tim Morris, Managing Director of South Warwickshire GP Federation, said: “Attending GP appointments is not always convenient for patients, particularly for those who work full time. GP+ will make it easier for people to see a GP, nurse or pharmacist, whether that’s for a specific illness or to keep up to date with important screenings or medication reviews. “By operating from two central hubs, we have been able to maximise the range of services and the extra hours available to patients across South Warwickshire. We are particularly pleased to be offering the childrends clinic which will allow young people to be seen and treated at short notice without having to attend A&E.” South Warwickshire GP+ is commissioned by South Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group and is being delivered by SWGP in partnership with Care UK and the South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust. For more information, visit http://www.southwarwickshiregps.nhs.uk/extendedaccess/