PATIENTS in Sedgefield borough will soon be able to see their family doctor much quicker.

Four GP practices have been working with Sedgefield Primary Care Trust on an initiative to improve access to primary care professionals.

The practices involved are Dr Baliga, in Shildon, Dr Jones and Partners, which has practices in Sedgefield, Fishburn, Bishop Middleham and the Trimdons, the Spennymoor-based Jubilee Medical Group, and Dr Walton and Partners from Shildon.

Each practice has been working closely with Dawn Wilson, newly appointed access facilitator for the trust, on introducing systems to help patients access services.

They looked at how their practice booking systems work and how they could be improved.

Some of the new services include telephone consultations between doctors and their patients, and a collection service for repeat prescriptions from the pharmacist.

Dr Baliga's practice also offers the services of a Citizens Advice worker.

The project will help to reduce waiting times and ensure that patients see the most appropriate healthcare professional, which may not be a GP but a member of the nursing team.

Nursing teams at the practices have also taken on roles previously provided by GPs, allowing doctors to develop specialist interests.

Ms Wilson said: "The four practices I have been working with have already achieved significant improvements to their services in just a few months.

"Waiting times for an appointment to see a doctor or a nurse have improved in all four practices and two now offer patients an appointment on the day they request it."

A random sample of patients surveyed in the Sedgefield area showed that 86.6 per cent had been offered an appointment on the day of their choice.

Ms Wilson said: "This figure is impressive, but one that practices are committed to improve further."

Chief executive Nigel Porter said the trust had invested an additional £900,000 this year to give patients quicker access to GPs.