Local GP practices are working together to offer patients evening and weekend appointments across East Cornwall. This is now known as “enhanced access”, that means you will be able to see a nurse, pharmacist or other health professional at a time which is most convenient for you.
The new enhanced access arrangements aim to remove variability across the country and improve patient understanding of their local services. The new offer is based on Primary Care Networks (PCN) providing bookable appointments outside core hours within the Enhanced Access period of 6.30pm to 8pm weekday evenings and 9am to 5pm on Saturdays, utilising the full multi-disciplinary team, and offering a range of general practice services, including ‘routine’ services such as screening, vaccinations and health checks, in line with patient preference and need. PCNs will be able to provide a proportion of enhanced access outside of these hours, for example early morning or on a Sunday, where this is in line with patient need locally and it is agreed with the commissioner
Across East Cornwall, our enhanced access services are to include; blood pressure checks, diabetes group clinics, a menopause service, NHS health checks. We aim to grow these service offers through the coming months.
Amy Knighton – Operations manager – East Cornwall PCN said:
We are delighted to be bringing an enhancement to services to the people of East Cornwall. Currently we are providing Covid and Flu vaccinations service each weekend until December 15th, after this date other service provisions will be made available.
Enhanced access for the modern world
The new arrangements aim to remove variability across the country by putting in place a more standardised and better understood offer for patients. Enhanced access (EA) provides an opportunity to develop a better blend of appointment modes including taking advantage of a more digitally enabled offer, facilitating convenient access for patients and flexible working for staff. Introducing a more multidisciplinary offer means patients can access a broader set of services including screening and vaccination.