Poole Bay & Bournemouth PCN
Patient Information
Enhanced Access to General Practice Services
From Saturday 01 October, we will be providing enhanced access to general practice services across our Primary Care Network, which includes Denmark Road Medical Centre, Westbourne Medical Centre and Winton Health Centre.
As a Primary Care Network, we are working together to provide additional clinical capacity that will help deliver more patient appointments; some of which will be face-to-face, by telephone or using our online digital platform. You may also be seen at one of our Primary Care Network member practices that is not your registered practice or by a clinician from another practice within the Network. All clinicians will have access to your healthcare records through the Shared Admin functionality within our clinical system.
When
The enhanced access hours operate between 6.30pm and 8.00pm Monday to Friday and from 09.00am to 1.30pm Saturday.
Our usual core operating hours remain unchanged – we remain open between 08.00am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday (closed between 12.00pm and 2.00pm Friday).
We will continue to offer the existing phlebotomy (blood test) and family planning appointments from 07.30am.
In summary, pre-bookable appointments will be offered between 07.30am and 8.00pm Monday to Friday and from 09.00am until 1.30pm Saturday.
What is available
Pre-bookable appointments include wound dressing, long term condition reviews and chronic disease management, family planning, cervical screening, medication reviews and GP consultations.
The enhanced access service excludes walk-in appointments. All appointments are pre-bookable up to 2 weeks in advance.
How to book an appointment
You can book an appointment up to 2 weeks in advance by either visiting our website and completing an online consultation or by calling the practice where our Patient Coordinators (reception team) will be able to offer you the most appropriate appointment.
Why is this necessary?
Primary Care Networks are required to offer the enhanced access services as part of the contract with NHS England. Prior to October, Dorset Healthcare NHS University Foundation Trust was responsible for providing general practice services outside of our core hours and the decision was made by NHS England to move that service into Primary Care Networks so that care is available closer to home and within our patient’s communities.