GP Practices working together to offer more appointments

News - 27 November 2018

Do you need to see a healthcare professional but struggle to attend during the day?
lady in GP waiting room

Thanks to a government-led initiative in September 2017, a range of routine primary care appointments are now available most evenings during the week and in the mornings on Saturdays on the Isle of Wight. The appointments that are available are with a range of healthcare professionals including:

  • GPs
  • practice nurses
  • Healthcare assistants
  • clinical specialists.

We found in a recent survey that 24% of people have to wait over two weeks for an appointment with their GP, so we welcome this opportunity for Isle of Wight  residents to have more opportunity to access the health care they need.

When and Where:

Advanced access appointments are currently held as follows:

  • Monday - Thursday, 6.30pm - 8pm at Shanklin Medical Centre.
  • Wednesday and Thursday, 6.30pm - 8pm at Sandown Medical Centre.
  • Saturday morning appointments are available at Tower House Surgery Ryde, Sandown Medical Centre and Carisbrooke Health Centre.

How to access them:

These appointments are available for all Isle of Wight residents to attend, you do not need to be registered with these surgeries to access the appointments and they are bookable up to 7 days in advance by contacting the GP practice you are registered with. They are able to book you an appointment.

Appointments offered:

Jason McLean, Practice Manager from Shanklin Medical Centre says:

We are very keen to ensure that all patients are aware of this service as it gives them another access option to sit alongside their own GP practice appointments and, where available, eConsult. Feedback from patients using the service has been overwhelmingly positive. From April 2018, Shanklin Medical Centre have provided 1288 appointments between 6.30pm - 8pm with a mixture of GPs, nurses and healthcare assistants.

Patrick Legg, Practice Manager from Tower House in Ryde is very happy with how the service has grown in the last year.

In our first year of operating this pilot we have offered a total of 5161 additional appointments:

  • 2669 GP appointments
  • 964 healthcare assistane appointments
  • 386 advanced nurse practitioner appointments
  • 571 practice nurse appointments.

We have 75 staff regularlyworking across the Island to help deliver the appointments. The appointments have been very well received by both patients and GP practices, with the feedback being overwhelmingly positive.

What is eConsult?

eConsult is an online triage and consultation tool that is being offered in some surgeries. Already established, it gives patients access to self-help, allowing them to complete administrative tasks such as requesting a sick/fit note remotely and making it easier for GPs to assess what medical care the patient needs.

Who offers eConsult?

Currently sox GP practices are using the eConsult system:

  1. Beech Grove Surgery
  2. Esplanade Surgery
  3. Sandown Health Centre
  4. Shanklin Medical Centre
  5. South Wight Medical Practice
  6. West Wight Medical Practice.

You can acces this sevice by going on to the GP surgery website.

 

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