Urgent weekend appointments offered at Telford GP surgery to take pressure off A&Es

Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) commissioned the pilot primary care ‘urgent extended access’ weekend service, with appointments provided from Teldoc’s Malinslee site.

A new report to the CCG's primary care commissioning committee says the new pilot service was developed in response to the high demand on urgent and emergency care services in the county.

Of the 400 appointments available over the first five weekends, 314 were booked either through NHS 111, Teldoc’s extended access call centre or by Shropdoc.

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Although both A&E departments in Shropshire saw an increase in demand during that period, it was less than the previous year.

According to the report, the emergency department at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) saw a 2.5 per cent growth in activity, compared to a 15.6 per cent rise 12 months ago.

There was also a 5.7 per cent increase in activity at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, but a year ago the A&E had to deal with a 14.7 per cent rise in demand.

Reduced A&E attendances and admissions in the first five weekends of the scheme running also helped to save the CCG more than £1,870, the report estimates.

In the report, Jacqui Seaton, deputy executive for primary care and medicines management, says: "To test the hypothesis that additional primary care capacity may help to reduce demand on urgent and emergency care services, Telford and Wrekin CCG commissioned a pilot primary care ‘urgent extended access’ weekend service.

"The service was provided by Teldoc, it commenced on December 14 and was approved for four weekends initially and then extended until February 2.

Uptake

"All appointments were provided from Teldoc’s Malinslee site.

"Fifteen-minute appointments were available from 10am until 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

"There has been good uptake of the urgent extended access appointments (the service has not been advertised).

"The appointments may have contributed to the reduced rate of growth of A&E attendances on the PRH site."

The service is expected to be reviewed again after this coming weekend.

Ms Seaton has also proposed that the CCG should work with the emergency department at PRH "to divert appropriate activity into the urgent extended access service".

Telford & Wrekin CCG's primary care commissioning committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss the report.

It was revealed earlier this month that more patients faced trolley waits of more than 12 hours at Shropshire's A&Es than anywhere else in the country in December.

Hospital bosses said doctors, nurses and other staff were working hard to provide the best possible care in the face of 'very high demand'.