Increase in GPs offering extended hours

The number of GP's surgeries in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale offering extended opening hours to patients has gone up over the past month.

Latest Department of Health figures, for January, show that the local NHS is performing comfortably above the national target of 50% of GP’s within each health trust area offering extended hours.

Two more surgeries are now offering early morning, evening or weekend appointments since Rochdale Online reported the figures last month, bringing the total to 24 surgeries out of 35, or 68%.

NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale is continuing to work with those practices who have not yet signed up to extended hours, with the local percentage slightly below the national average of 71%.

Residents across the borough have received a leaflet about local GP extended hours, listing all of the practices that are taking part.

Vivienne Ben-David, head of primary care at NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, said: “It’s important that GP’s offer flexible appointment times to ensure patients are able to get an appointment when it’s convenient to them. It will greatly help to improve the patient experience, but it will help to reduce the number of patients that do not attend appointments they have made.

“Thank you must be extended to our local GP’s for continuing to work with us on providing this service.”