New care home patient-only GP service to be rolled out

A new GP service in Southend is to be rolled out in April that will only treat elderly patients in care homes.

Similar to many locations around the UK, GP waiting times in the area are ever-increasing and Southend Clinical Commissioning Group wanted to see a GP service specifically for care home patients to help ease this.

With over 100 care homes and 2000 beds in the borough, the service will massively reduce the strain on main stream GPs in Southend.

The service, which will be operated by South Essex Partnership Trust, has been on trial since December and is set to be fully rolled out in April. This will provide a permanent surgery alongside field-based doctors that will visit patients in care homes who may otherwise struggle to attend off-site appointments.

With strain on NHS GPs and A&E services throughout the country continually rising, if the scheme is a success it will come as little surprise if we see other CCGs adopt similar ideas in their areas.

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