GP appointments in Hastings and Rother are now available at evenings and weekends

Patients in the Hastings and Rother areas will now find it easier to see a GP, practice nurse or other health professional at a time more convenient to them, with appointments available on weekday evenings, over the weekend and at Bank Holidays.
By The Newsroom
Published 18th Dec 2018, 15:51 BST
Updated 10th Jan 2019, 10:07 BST

The new improved access service means that in addition to the current appointments available, patients will also be able to book to see a health care professional from 6.30pm to 8pm on weekdays, with appointments available in the morning on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

These new appointments may be at your GP surgery, another GP surgery in the local area or via telephone consultation. If your appointment isn’t at your usual surgery, the person you see will have access to your medical records if you give them permission, just like seeing a locum at your regular surgery. You will be asked before any of your information is accessed or shared.

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The following practices listed will offer the improved access appointments (in addition to their normal surgery hours) on a rotational basis, taking turns to offer the additional appointments on different days:

· Bexhill – Pebsham Sea Road Surgery

· Central Hastings – Station Practice

· Central St Leonards - Warrior Square Surgery

· East Hastings - Beaconsfield Ore Satellite Surgery

· Rother – Rye Medical Centre

· Rother – Sedlescombe Surgery

· West St Leonards - High Glades Medical Practice

Dr David Warden, chairman of Hastings and Rother CCG said: “We are delighted to be working with Integrated Family Healthcare Ltd and South Downs Health and Care Ltd, the local GP federations, to be offering these additional appointments at evenings and weekends.

“They will make it easier for patients to get an appointment, especially those that are working 9am-5pm, and will also help manage pressures on urgent and emergency care services.”

Hannah Hughes, chairman of Integrated Family Healthcare (IFH), which is operating the service in Hastings and rural Rother, added: “These additional appointments should prove particularly helpful for those people who, until now, have had to take time off work to access the health services they need.

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“Patients across Hastings, St Leonards and Rural Rother will now be able to access more appointments with GPs and practice nurses, and in some surgeries, pharmacists – which will be of great benefit to local people.”

Nick Harvey, chairman of South Downs Health and Care Ltd, which is operating the service in Bexhill, also said: “I am personally really excited that we are able to offer this service for the people of Bexhill.

“Central to the quality and continuity of this service is the ability to access the primary care records. We hope that this genuinely improves access to primary care, especially for working age people. The availability of this service will gradually be increased over the coming months in order to maintain a high quality at all times.”

If you need to cancel an improved access appointment please call your own GP surgery during normal opening hours to let them know so someone else can benefit from the appointment slot.

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Related topics:PatientsGP appointments