MORE than 291,000 patients on Teesside should soon find it much easier to get GP appointments after £2.9m cash injection by the Government.

The extra cash will be used to greatly expand evening and weekend opening hours at GP surgeries across the South of Teesside.

GP surgeries have been given the allocation so they can put into place the new South Tees Access and Response (STAR) Scheme.

The aim of the STAR scheme is to provide a high quality, integrated and innovative primary care service, outside the normal hours of care.

This will be led by general practices across Redcar, Eston and Middlesbrough with the support of NHS South Tees CCG.

Through a staged approach - starting in Redcar and Cleveland in May this year - the scheme will eventually see GP access for 291,943 registered patients extended from 6.30pm to 9.30pm on weekdays and 8am to 8pm on weekends and bank holidays.

The STAR scheme will work with the current NHS 111 urgent care helpline service, GP out-of-hours and walk-in centres, and provide medical support to out-of-hours community services, ambulance services and care homes.

Patients will be able to use the service by ringing the NHS urgent care helpline 111, and bookable appointments will be offered. Telephone and web-based video consultations will also be offered.

Dr Teik Goh, lead clinician for the scheme, said “I am delighted that we have a great opportunity to improve patient care whilst integrating and simplifying the way the NHS works locally during the busiest period of out–of- hours care. I would like to thank all GP practices across South of Tees, and the South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group, for their tremendous support.”