GP surgeries in Northallerton and Catterick now open evenings

DOCTORS surgeries in towns in North Yorkshire are now offering evening and weekend appointments.

People living in Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby can now pre-book GP appointments during the evening and on Saturday mornings.

It’s the result of the Better Access programme which has seen surgeries in Northallerton, Catterick and Whitby offering weekday evening and Saturday morning appointments. There are also extra appointments available on Saturday mornings in Thirsk, Stokesley, Whitby and Sleights.

The aim is to make it easier for people to access services who find it difficult to attend appointments during working hours. It covers GP, pharmacist, physiotherapist, nurse and healthcare assistant appointments.

The Better Access programme was developed by a federation of GP practices in the area following a series of public engagements events and campaigns last year, which gathered the views of almost 80,000 members of the public and other bodies to discuss access to GP services. The results showed a demand for out-of-hours appointments.

The programme was commissioned by NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (the CCG) and funded by NHS England.

It is also hoped that the extra appointments will also reduce pressure on hospital services over the winter period.

CCG chief officer Janet Probert said: “We are determined to protect the high standards of service that the public have come to expect and this extension of access to routine services in practices, delivered locally by people our patients know, is an important element of our winter plan. We know that if people can get the right care at the right time, many can stay out of hospital.”

Credit: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk