Melton GP practice backs NHS plans to extend opening hours

Melton's main medical practice says it is '˜supportive' of new NHS plans to increase access to GP surgeries, which could include an extension of opening hours into the evenings and at weekends.
Latham House Medical Practice EMN-170504-132737001Latham House Medical Practice EMN-170504-132737001
Latham House Medical Practice EMN-170504-132737001

NHS England has set out areas it wants to target over the next two years to improve services for patients.

As well as extending opening hours at GP surgeries, the organisation wants to use urgent care centres and an enhanced 111 service to ease pressure on A&E units.

Latham House, which is the largest single group practice in the UK with 20 GPs caring for 35,500 patients, said nothing had yet been decided on how the practice would support the new proposals outlined by the NHS.

A statement released by the practice yesterday (Wednesday) reads: “Staff and doctors of Latham House Medical Practice welcome the government’s commitment to improve patient access to health care.

“Although the detail of the service developments are yet to be finalised, patients of Latham House Medical Practice can be assured that the practice is supportive of the developments.

“Although hospitals and doctors’ surgeries, including Latham House, are working under intense pressure and experiencing challenging times, Latham House will continue to look at how best to continue to support local patients.”

The NHS said that patients in Leicestershire and Rutlandwill see services increasingly delivered in a joined-up way, giving greater access to services in primary care and in patients’ own homes.

A national commitment will be made to end out-of-area care placements for children and young people by increasing the number of beds.

Initiatives like a new screening programme for bowel cancer will be brought in with the aim of saving an additional 5,000 lives a year.

Elliot Howard-Jones, of NHS England (Central England) said: “We will be working closely with local health and care leaders and frontline staff to deliver on the priorities that patients and members of the public have told us matter most to them.”

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