Proposed Changes to Out of Hours GP Locations

The Norfolk and Waveney ICB has launched a public consultation into services such across Norfolk and Waveney. Part of this includes the GP out of hours services across the locality.

The nearest out of hours base for Halesworth is located at Beccles Hospital. This covers the majority of Waveney including Halesworth, Bungay, Beccles, Southwold, Reydon and all the villages inbetween.

The consultation seeks a view into three different options. All three include Beccles to be closed as an GP out of hours base.

What does this mean?

If you called 111 and needed to see a GP with an appointment out of working hours you would have to travel to likely Great Yarmouth or Norwich (Lowestoft in one option includes reduced hours on one option). It also means if a GP needed to see you or a loved one at home they ask you to make your own way there (possibly in the middle of the night) and or if they travel to the patient with a home visit excessive time is going to be lost by the GP and driver travelling to the patient. Limiting the number of appointments available and therefore how many patients the clinician can see.This will affect us all and especially parents with children and the elderly who may not require an emergency ambulance.

Halesworth is the furthest away from a district general hospital and this service serving our locality is crucial to helping people receive the care as close as they can without having to travel large distances.

https://improvinglivesnw.org.uk/changes-to-services-in-norfolk-and-waveney/

https://improvinglivesnw.org.uk/the-gp-out-of-hours-service/