THE CHANCES of seeing a Forest doctor at a convenient time have been boosted by a new pilot project.

GPs across the district have come together to offer the option of seeing a doctor up to 8pm on weekdays and on Saturday mornings as well as more same-day appointments.

The first phase involves nine surgeries and will run until the end of the year with funding from the Gloucestershire Care Commissioning Group (CCG).

The surgeries will operate as ‘hubs’ with patients calling their own practice and, if convenient appointments are not available, being told which hub is open and the times available.

The service, which started on October 2, is open to residents of the Forest registered with a Gloucestershire GP.

The new system will offer additional weekday, urgent, same-day appointments for eight hours on four days a week, routine GP appointments between 6.30pm and 8.30pm and routine appointments with two doctors working between 8.30am and 12.30pm on Saturdays.

The pilot also means specialist nurse appointments for four hours on three days a week and between 8.30am and 12.30pm on Saturdays. These are for patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and respiratory conditions.

The project has been agreed through a steering group with representatives from all the Forest practices.

Project lead Dr Sophia Sandford said: “This is an exciting project for the Forest of Dean – the GP practices are working together to provide more GP and nurse appointments for our patients.

“With greater collaborative working between our practices, we can provide more services for our patients and also build more resilience in primary care services in the Forest of Dean.

“We hope our patients enjoy this new service and find it beneficial.”

Helen Goodey, director of primary care at the Gloucestershire CCG, added: “GP surgeries in the Forest of Dean are working together to ensure that residents have easier and more convenient access to GP services including appointments at evenings and weekends. We recognise the really positive progress that has been made.

“With hospital and GP services under pressure, we hope this initiative will also help reduce demand on GPs during normal hours as well as on our urgent care services.”

The project has seen an additional 171 hours of GP time committed this month and 206 hours are in place for November.

A second phase will run until the end of March 2018 with the GP steering group developing further services to be added at that time.

The hub surgeries are: Blakeney Surgery; Brunston and Lydbrook Surgery; Coleford Family Doctor; Dockham Road Surgery, Cinderford; Drybrook Surgery; Forest Health Care, Cinderford; Mitcheldean Surgery; Severnbank Sur-

gery in Lydney and Yorkley Health Centre.

Appointments at hubs will probably not be with patients’ usual doctor or nurse and people using the service will have to give consent for the GP or nurse to view their records during the consultation.

More information is available from local surgeries or their websites or by visiting www.forestgpsurgeries.co.uk

The project is not connected with the current consultation on the future of hospital services in the Forest.