Patients will be able to see a doctor as late as 9.30pm under new plans to improve GP access across Teesside.
Almost £3m has been set aside by health bosses to help poorly patients in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Eston secure an out-of-hours appointment.
The funding from the South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group will go towards implementing the South Tees Access and Response (STAR) scheme.
The aim of the scheme is to provide GP services outside of current core hours of care.
Through a staged approach and starting in Redcar and Cleveland in May this year.
The scheme will ultimately provide GP access for 291,943 registered patients from 6.30pm to 9.30pm on weekdays and 8am to 8pm on weekends and bank holidays.
The STAR scheme will work with the current NHS 111 service, GP out-of-hours and walk-in centres, and provide medical support to out of hours community services, ambulance services and care homes.
Patients will be able to access the service via NHS 111, and directly bookable appointments will be offered. Telephone and web-based video consultations will also be offered.
Dr Teik Goh
Dr Teik Goh, lead clinician for the scheme, said ‘I am delighted that we have a great opportunity to improve patient care whilst integrating and simplifying the way the NHS works locally during the busiest period of out of hours care. I would like to thank all GP practices across South of Tees, and the South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group, for their tremendous support.”
The announcement comes after Prime Minister David Cameron last week pledged that everyone on England will have access to GP services seven days a week by 2020.
However Labour accused the Government of failing to live up to its previous promises over GP access.
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