GP extended access appointments
Same day GP appointments now available for children 4 years and under
All GP practices in the west Hertfordshire area are making additional appointments available for children aged 4 years and under. From December 2019, for six months over the winter, parents and carers will be able to book these appointments on the same day that they need to seek medical advice.
These appointments are part of the evening and weekend pre-bookable ‘Extended Access' appointments already available for all patients registered with a GP practice across England.
If you think your child needs to see a doctor for something which cannot wait for a routine appointment, please contact your GP practice who will have access to these additional late afternoon or early evening appointments and will be able to book for the same day where these are available.
The appointment may not be at your own surgery, but it will still be local to where you live and the doctor or nurse will have full access to your child’s medical records.
We believe this represents an excellent additional option for parents or carers of young children if they need to seek same day medical advice for their child.
This new service is available in addition to the NHS111 service which is available for telephone and online advice 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
These appointments are available for 0 – 4 year old children in the west Hertfordshire area which includes Dacorum, St Albans and Harpenden, Watford and Three Rivers and Hertsmere.
This service is being run on a pilot basis from December for six months.
Talk to your GP practice to find out more.
Materials for GP practices to promote appointments are now available. Please download images for GP practice waiting room screens here:
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GP appointments at a time that suits you
Local GP practices in the west Hertfordshire area are working together to offer patients better access to GP appointments – that means you will be able to see a GP or practice nurse (or other health professional) at a time which may be most convenient for you.
To find out about booking an appointment, speak to your practice receptionist or member of the practice team.
Extended access appointments will be available at a local GP practice acting as a hub. This means you may be offered an appointment other than at your own GP practice or your own GP; however, with patient consent, full access to patient records will be available.
Face-to-face appointments will always be available if this is preferred, however, there are now a range of ways you can get advice from your GP or practice nurse, including over the telephone and online. This will enable faster access to health care consultations.
GPs are delighted to be able to offer these extended appointments with our other clinical colleagues such as pharmacists and nurses. Our GP Practices are now working together to improve the access for all patients in west Hertfordshire, following the success of the existing scheme in Watford.