Surgery aims to open till 9pm

A Shropshire medical practice has applied to open to as late as 9pm seven days a week following calls from the Government for all surgeries to extend opening hours.

It is thought that Marysville Medical Practice in Shrewsbury could be one of the first in the county to apply for extended opening hours.

Bosses have applied to vary their hours to open the practice, in Brook Street, Belle Vue, from 7am to 9pm seven days a week.

Practice managers have been asked to consider such proposals to open longer to make it easier for patients to see their doctors at times convenient to them.

In a form outlining the plans to Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council’s planning department, Marysville Medical Practice bosses say: “Government policy has changed so that surgeries must offer extended opening hours which could be as long as 8am to 8pm seven days a week. To meet these times we would need access from 7am to 9pm.”They said that if approved the change in opening hours would allow them to open at “maximum” from 7am to 9pm Monday to Sunday. At present the surgery is open from 8.30am to 6pm Mondays to Fridays.

The £1 million medical centre was officially opened in August 2005 providing a range of clinical services, including minor surgery.

The purpose-built medical centre provides facilities to more than 4,300 patients.

Julie Thornby, director of corporate affairs with Shropshire County PCT, said: “The PCT has recently been in touch informally with all Shropshire GP practices to see if they would extend their opening hours.

“We would encourage and support practices to do this, to make it easier for patients to see their GP at a convenient time.”