PATIENTS were able to book an extra 1,660 appointments in three months thanks to a Forest-wide trial initiative to improve access to GP services.

The Improved Access Pilot Project has offered a “huge boost to the number of appointments available to patients” following its launch last October.

And the success of the scheme, involving 11 surgeries, will now see it extended to at least March 2019.

Where patients are unable to secure an appointment at their local surgery at the time they want, they can now take up an appointment at another neighbouring ‘hub’ surgery with spare capacity.

Project lead, Dr Sophia Sandford, said: “It has been fabulous working together to provide extra service for our patients.

“The project is helping ease on-the-day demand at practice level as well as opening up access on late evenings and Saturdays which has been appreciated by our working patients.

“Everyone benefits from using this opportunity of funding and turning it into appointments.

“The project has improved the working relationships across primary care in the Forest of Dean.

“Hubs were established in some Forest of Dean surgeries and appointments offered every weekday evening from 6.30pm to 8pm, on Saturday mornings plus additional daytime appointments.

“The project has reached beyond all expectations and not only offers those times, but a GP is also providing extra appointments during the day on four days of the week, again from a hub surgery.

“These additional appointments are available to all patients in the Forest of Dean registered with one of the 11 participating practices; most of the practices are also opening their doors as a hub too.

“During these additional GP appointment sessions, patients will mostly see a Forest of Dean GP and they are being supported with regular locum GPs who help cover the additional capacity created.”

Participating surgeries are: Mitcheldean, Forest Health Care in Ruardean, Dockham Road in Cinderford, Drybrook, Yorkley, Coleford Family Doctors, Lydbrook and Brunston, Lydney, Severnbank in Lydney, Newnham and Blakeney.

A total 1,667 extra appointments were booked from November 1 to January 31, with another 205 slots being offered, but unneeded.

Dr Sandford said: “The IAPP should run until March 2019 and plans are in place to develop a dressings clinic on a Saturday morning; this will allow patients who require a dressing to get an appointment at a hub and to be treated by a local practice nurse.

“This is seen as a great advantage in convenience to patients as well as freeing up time during the week in practices for practice nurse appointments.

“The IA steering group are working on this and hope to have the first clinic in early April.

“There has been a reported patient satisfaction of 100 per cent and the gathering of further feedback from GP practices is planned,” she added.

“Initial feedback is very positive from receptionists, GPs and other practice staff. The project allows options for patients to book convenient routine appointments as well as capacity for receptionists to offer urgent same day appointments.

“All GP practices across the Forest of Dean have been very supportive and patients have been more than willing to travel across the Forest to another surgery to see a GP.”