Gosport same-day service pilot is off to '˜encouraging start'

A pilot scheme for same-day healthcare has been a hit

More than 5,000 Gosport patients have used the new Same Day Access Service (SDAS) in the first seven weeks of its launch.

The main aim of the scheme is to make it easier for people to receive same-day consultations with a GP, nurse or relevant healthcare professional.

Dr Donal Collins, who chairs the Locality Board which includes all 11 Gosport practices, said: ‘At the outset of this scheme, we said it gave us a real chance not just to sustain access to our services, but also to improve them.

‘And that is what appears to be happening.

‘It’s still early days yet and we are continually fine-tuning and making adjustments and improvements where we can, but the initial indications are very encouraging.’

Launched in December last year, figures reveal the service has received around 1,000 calls a week with Mondays the busiest day. In January, the calls led to 665 GP, 694 nurse, 152 paediatric and 94 physiotherapy appointments.

Four GP practices in Gosport are taking part and the services, on Mumby Road, Stoke Road, Rowner Road and at Whites Place, have all seen signs of having extra time for routine appointments.

Project manager Michele Hayman-Joyce said: ‘We’re very busy, particularly on Mondays – with a larger volume of activity than expected. This is something that we are working on.

‘We have had feedback from the practices that this is allowing them to increase their routine appointments back at practice.

‘Several patients have commented how pleased they were to be able to get an appointment the same day.’

SDAS is being run from a hub at Gosport War Memorial and provides both same-day phone triage and face-to-face appointments.

The scheme does not involve the closure of any GP practices or restrictions to opening hours.

The pilot will continue for another six months.