CHANGES in the way patients can access GPs out of hours are in the pipeline for practices in the West Devon and South Hams district .
As part of a development aimed at modernising health services and recruiting high quality GPs to the profession, primary care trusts will shortly be responsible for arranging out of hours services for patients, rather than individual practices.
South Hams and West Devon PCT is due to take on this responsibility in October ? although some changes have already occurred to overnight and weekend working.
The organisation it has contracted to provide out of hours service is Devon Doctors on Call (DDOC). Lifton Surgery will continue to use Kernow Doc.
Sarah Ham, primary care lead, said: ?A smooth transition period is envisaged and rather than implement changes all at once, DDOC will phase in changes over the four existing shift patterns that cover the out of hours service.?
If a patients needs to contact a GP out of hours, they either call their surgery as normal and be redirected to DDOC, call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 and if necessary, be rerouted to DDOC or call DDOC direct on 01392 824600.
Local practitioner Dr Rob Wyatt said: ?We are confident of maintaining a high standard of service to patients but we feel it is important that everyone knows how we are modernising to ensure this.?
Dr Wyatt said patients with minor problems, such as cuts, sprains, minor burns or fractures could use the ?excellent? minor injuries unit at Tavistock Hospital, rather than call the out of hours service.
Lynne Paramor, spokesman for South Hams and West Devon PCT, said: ?Surgeries, hospitals and clinics will soon receive easy to read leaflets from our head office.
?These will be displayed in waiting rooms to ensure members of the public have the information they require on how best to use local health services.?