GP practices are offering patients improved access to appointments and other general medical services through a programme called Enhanced Access.

‘Enhanced Access’ means:

• GP practices in your area will be working together to provide appointments from 6.30pm until 8pm on weekdays, and from 9am-5pm on Saturdays.
  
• Appointments will be both bookable in advance and available for same day.
  
• A mix of services will be available within these additional hours with access to the range of health professionals working in the general practice team, such as mental health professionals, advanced nurse practitioners, and paramedics to name a few.
  
• There will be a choice of ways to access appointments depending on patients’ clinical need, such as telephone, video appointment, online consultation, or face to face.

If a face-to-face appointment is needed, this will be at a GP practice in the local area – this may not be at your own GP practice, but at another nearby. This is because GP practices are working together with other practices and health services in their Primary Care Network (PCN) to provide these enhanced access appointments.

PCNs are groups of local practices working together to provide better care to their patients. Click here to find out about the PCNs in Norfolk and Waveney.

The exact mix of what is provided through this enhanced offer will be determined based on local health needs, patient feedback and current usage of out of hours services.

What does this mean for patients?

Patients will be able to book an appointment for weekday evenings and Saturday between 9am and 5pm. Speak to your GP practice reception team to find out more about what appointments may be available in your area.

These appointments should provide greater flexibility for patients and expand access to routine and same-day appointments.