Well Prepared but 'please use the service responsibly'

17/03/2005

The NHS in Gloucestershire has reassured the public that the Out of Hours service is well prepared for Easter, but has issued a request for patients to use the new service responsibly over the holiday period.

Thorntons stores in Gloucestershire, which are particularly busy this time of year, will be helping to encourage appropriate use of the service by displaying information cards in the run up to Easter.

Chief Executive of Cheltenham and Tewkesbury PCT, Caroline Fowles said that the NHS had looked carefully at staffing issues and was working hard to achieve improvements and consistency in IT to support the service.

She said:

"We expect it to be a busy four days, but we have learned from our experiences over the Christmas and New Year period and are as prepared as we can be for Easter. We have now arranged a priority agreement with BT to ensure that all telephone lines are checked prior to and during periods of high demand and investment in training has also been important to ensure that staff have more experience of the system."

"Local GPs and nursing staff have been very supportive in helping to fill the rotas and we have continued to recruit salaried GPs as out of hours specialists."

"Based on feedback from patients and the number of patients receiving the care and treatment they need we believe that overall the service is working well. We are now concentrating on making sure that the necessary improvements are made for the benefit of all patients."

Over Easter, the Out of Hours service will be operational for 4 consecutive days (March 25, 26, 27 and 28) and Gloucestershire PCTs have called on patients to play their part in helping the NHS to provide an effective service.