"Patients love evening and weekend access to GPs | Busy parents, working commuters and active pensioners are among those welcoming evening and weekend GP and nurse appointments in the Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead area." writes the Windsor Maidenhead & Ascot Clinical Commissioning Group.

Local GPs offer weekday and weekend routine appointments at two dedicated “hubs” in the Royal Borough...That means anyone registered at a local surgery can see a GP after work and at weekends without having to try and make time when it’s tight during the week. Patients just call their own GP as normal and ask for one of the evening or weekend appointments at a hub.

Seeing a GP in one of the “hubs” in the evening or weekend means:

  • Patients get longer appointment times – 15 minutes instead of the usual 10
  • Parking is plentiful and free and buses stop right outside

And

  • Anyone caring for children or a relative or friend during the day can take advantage of evening and weekend appointments when there’s someone else to take on their caring role.

 Boroughs like Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead are leading the way to becoming healthier communities as part of a national pilot* to test out demand for seven day GP opening.

 Local people can show their support by:

  • Using the new seven days a week GP service
  • Valuing GP appointments and time by cancelling unwanted appointments and using appointments for genuine health http://www.ourhealthissues.com needs – not form filling which can be arranged separately
  • Using alternatives to GPs when that’s what’s needed, such as a visit to a pharmacist, or nurse, or seeking advice over the telephone

Patients love the new service:

 

One busy mum, finds it difficult to make appointments to see her GP or practice nurse during her surgery’s prime morning booking slot as that’s when she’s taking her three young children to school.

So an evening or weekend appointment at a hub suits her better, particularly as her husband can then look after their children.

She said:  ““With three young children weekday mornings are incredibly busy, getting them ready for school. I need to ring my surgery at 8.30 am to get any appointment at all. That’s really difficult while driving and doing the school run.”   More follows 1/2

One  commuter lives in Windsor but works in London. Weekday GP appointments and any follow-up tests add extra stress to his busy day. So he was thankful to the hub being open after work for an ECG test following a GP appointment.

He said: “The availability of this service fits better with my working life. I work long hours in the city. Work pressures make weekday surgery appointments difficult. My blood pressure was high at the weekend. I saw my GP on Monday and he said he couldn’t prescribe anything until after I’d had an ECG and blood tests. I was able to come here (hub) and have the tests after work. It was very quick and convenient.”

One active pensioner, although retired, is a keen amateur thespian and is busier than ever. So when she was faced with either a two-week wait at her own surgery or a same day evening appointment at a hub, she chose the hub.

She said:” I am retired but am still very busy so need flexibility for medical appointments. It was necessary for me to come today as I am in a theatre production all of next week. I hurt my foot and wanted to know what’s wrong – now and not in two-weeks. The appointment worked really well for me. It’s very convenient, relaxed and the staff were all extremely pleasant.”