At a time when general practice is facing unprecedented pressures and demand, 11 practices in East Lindsey have banded together to create an Extended Hub Service that will provide their registered patients access to GP services in the evenings and weekends. The service will be starting 26 February 2018.
Patients will be able to see a GP at a clinic based at the Urgent Care Unit at Louth Hospital between the hours of 6.30pm to 8.00pm Monday to Friday and 8.00am to 7.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.
The appointments are all pre-bookable and patients should contact their own practice to access one of these appointments.
The innovative pilot scheme is part of a wider plan to strengthen Lincolnshire East CCG’s out-of-hospital strategy, integrate care within the community and improve collaborative working between local practices to deliver more joined-up GP services.
Dr Ko, GP and Clinical Leader of East Lindsey Locality, NHS Lincolnshire East CCG said:
“We are really pleased to be introducing this pilot, which will be particularly beneficial to those patients who struggle to get an appointment during the daytime because of everyday life including work and school commitments.
“Over the coming months we will assess how well it is working and will be asking people for their feedback. 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.”
The practices taking part in this trial are: The James Street Family Practice, Louth; Newmarket Medical Practice, Louth; Tasburgh Lodge, Woodhall Spa; The Kidgate Surgery, Louth; The New Coningsby Surgery, Coningsby; The North Thoresby Surgery, North Thoresby; The Old Vicarage, Horncastle; The Surgery, Market Rasen; The Wolds Practice, Tetford; The Wragby Surgery, Wragby; and Woodhall Spa New Surgery, Woodhall Spa.
