Need to see a GP or nurse over the festive holidays?

If you need to see a GP or a nurse over Christmas and the New Year, appointments are available in North West London from 8am to 8pm on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. 

GP and nurse appointments are available at the following times: 

Early morning, evening and weekend appointments are available all year round, although they may be at a nearby practice and not necessarily your own. Residents can book these appointments by calling their GP practice or NHS 111 when their own practice is closed. 

These additional appointments have been helping patients to see a GP or nurse at a time more convenient to themselves. As well as improving patient experience it is also helping to reduce avoidable A&E visits and unscheduled hospital admissions.  

Patients who have used GP services in the evening and at weekends have told us how great they have found the service and how helpful it is to be able to make an appointment at a time that suits them. 

Dr Neville Purssell, Clinical Lead for primary care, North West London Collaboration of Clinical Commissioning Groups said: “Our aim is to ensure that individuals such as carers, parents and people with work commitments have faster access to a GP or nurse, more hours a day. Timely access to GP services is a top concern when people are asked about the NHS so we are really happy that patients are finding this service useful. These additional GP appointments are also helping to relieve pressure on hospital emergency departments and Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) as well as provide more convenient access to routine general practice for patients.”

For more information or to book an appointment with a GP or nurse please contact your local GP practice or call NHS 111. 

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. The North West (NW) London health and care partnership is made up of over 30 NHS and local authority organisations. Between us, we plan, buy and provide health and care services for more than two million local residents across eight boroughs, spending around £4 billion per year. There are 400 GP practices, ten hospitals and four mental health and community health trusts across the eight boroughs. Find out more: www.healthiernorthwestlondon.nhs.uk/ 
2. This work is one of the five priorities agreed and included in the NW London Sustainability and Transformation Plan published in October 2016. We are focused on increasing investment and support for GPs so that they are able to provide more access, proactive and coordinated care for their local communities. This is to ensure that individuals and carers get faster access to a GP or nurse, more hours a day.