Some of our local Primary Care services are changing.
Currently, there are two services that operate outside of normal opening hours to provide additional access to appointments with GP practice teams.
These are:
Extended Hours appointments are additional appointments before and after each GP practice's normal opening hours, which are only for their own patients. These are run by GP practices.
Extended Access appointments take place with staff from practices across Worcestershire outside of opening hours and are for patients across the county. These are run by a provider commissioned by the CCG.
From October 2022, NHS England has decided that these two services should merge to look more like this:
Enhanced Access appointments will be offered to patients across the PCN outside core opening hours, and will include ‘routine’ services like screenings, vaccinations and health checks.
Each PCN is developing their own strategy for the types of appointments they'll offer during their Enhanced Access hours, based on their patient population, their existing local services, and of course, feedback from their patients.
The aim is to offer a bespoke service that's designed around what the local population really needs - using a combination of face-to-face and remote appointments, and staff from all disciplines to offer the best possible service for you.
The appointments will be offered by a mix of GPs, Practice Nurses, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, and Health Care Assistants.
As the service grows, they may also be joined by Paramedics, Physiotherapists, Mental Health Practitioners, Pharmacists, and other members of the Primary Care multi-disciplinary team.
And the types of appointments offered may include smear tests, pill and HRT checks, blood tests, chronic disease reviews, support with musculoskeletal problems, NHS Health Checks, and weight management, diet and lifestyle advice.