Following a thorough procurement process NHS East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has agreed to award a 5½ year contract to Yorkshire Health Partners Limited, (on behalf of the combined federation of local GP practices) from 1 October 2018.
The contract, worth around £10 million in total, will provide access to routine and same day appointments with general practice (GP) clinicians 7-days a week in additional evening and weekend clinics across East Riding of Yorkshire.
Dr Gina Palumbo, CCG Chair, said:
“As a GP, I am often told by patients that they sometimes find it difficult to get an appointment at their GP practice at a date and time that is convenient to them. We are therefore very pleased to be working with Yorkshire Health Partners Limited who, over time, will bring in this additional and much needed capacity through a mix of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals at evenings and weekends.”
Dr Noel Tinker, Chair, Yorkshire Health Partners Limited, said:
“We are delighted to have been awarded this contract. We are working closely with our GP practice colleagues to ensure that the additional appointments can be introduced safely and via existing, well-understood systems. Patients can contact either their GP practice or NHS 111 when practices are closed. Appointments may be available at, or close to, your own GP practice, depending on where you live.”
The additional appointments will be phased in over five months to meet local need, starting in Goole and the surrounding area generating approximately 600 additional appointments a week. From April 2020, this will increase to around 900 additional appointments per week.
Dr Palumbo added:
“Not everyone needs to see a GP as there are an increasing number of highly skilled and competent professionals who are able to see patients autonomously, ensuring that GP’s time is being used more efficiently.
“We are confident that these additional appointments, along with the improved support we are putting in place to help patients get to the right specialist for their condition first time, will significantly improve overall access to primary care in the longer term.”
