OKEHAMPTON’S out-of-hours GP service is to be reconfigured, with the weekday overnight service being removed later this year as part of widespread changes to the service across Devon.

Service provider Devon Doctors Ltd, contracted by NHS Northern Eastern and Western Devon CCG to run the out-of-hours service, has confirmed that the treatment centre service in Okehampton is to now run at just weekends and bank holidays, with no weekday evening service from October.

The Okehampton treatment centre currently runs Monday to Friday, 7pm to 11pm and at weekends 8am to 11pm. It will remain open at weekends, but during weekday evenings the nearest treatment centre will be in Exeter.

A spokesperson for Devon Doctors said: ‘We appreciate people will be disappointed that, as of October 1, the Okehampton treatment centre will no longer be operational seven days a week. However, relatively few people visit the treatment centre on weekday evenings and faced with reconfiguring the service [according to new national guidelines for integrated urgent care] without exceeding the available budget demanded Devon Doctors explore all possibilities.

‘The treatment centre will continue to operate between 8am and 6pm on weekends and bank holidays and, in line with CCG stipulations, people living in the Okehampton area will always be within 3

0 minutes’ drive of a treatment centre in Exeter.

‘What is more, Devon Doctors believes it will benefit from a more efficient integrated urgent care service, which will make better use of the available resources while continuing to deliver safe and efficient care.’

The changes come as part of a newly integrated out-of-hours GP service and NHS 111 service in accordance with national guidelines.

NHS Northern, Eastern and Western Devon CCG said the new system was designed to be more efficient, with an increased number of doctors working in the out-of-hours treatment centres that remain open to ensure that there wouldn’t be long waiting times to see a GP outside of regular hours. Appointments at local treatment centres would be available, so patients won’t have to wait around when they get there. Home visiting capacity would be increased as part of this new service.

The new model also stipulates that the majority of people will not have to travel more than 30 minutes to get to a treatment centre.

People living in Okehampton who contact the out-of-hours GP through 111 during weekday evenings will be directed to use the Exeter treatment centre and they can get a booked appointment so they will not have to wait around upon arrival.

Across the county, only four treatment centres will completely keep their service. The rest will be scaled back except for Okehampton which will keep its weekend and bank holiday service. Tavistock is one of the county’s treatment centres to be scaled back.