PATIENTS in Sunderland will soon be able to benefit from an out-of-hours GP service every bank holiday, following a successful pilot scheme last month.
The trial service, held on Bank Holiday Monday, August 28, gave patients needing emergency medical attention the chance to see a doctor at a special local surgery set up for the day.
About 47,000 patients registered at 11 surgeries in the south of the city were covered by the scheme.
Now it will be used on future bank holidays, with a rota of local GPs for quick responses to calls and full collaboration with the patients' own doctors.
It is organised by the Sunderland South Primary Care Group.
Dr Mohammed Ela, of the Pallion Health Centre, said: "This new service is good news for GPs in that it marks a step further forward in improving the standard of healthcare we provide for our patients.
"We were especially encouraged by the positive feedback we received from patients using the facility on the day, who found it easy to make contact and reassuring to find a centre open to attend."
Future plans to improve the service could see the out-of-hours system extended to include emergency cover for night-time and weekends.
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