What is Enhanced Access?
Enhanced Access offers appointments in the evenings, at weekends and on bank holidays. The Enhanced Access Service should be able to make it easier for you to get an appointment at a time that suits you. The service offers pre-bookable, routine primary care appointments with a range of clinicians including GPs, nurses and health care assistants. You MUST book an appointment through the reception team at your local GP practice as this is not a walk-in service.
Please contact your GP practice in the usual way to request an appointment. If there are no appointment’s available at your practice, they may offer you an appointment with the Enhanced Access Service, if this is right for you. This service does not include home visits.
Does this mean practices are opening seven days a week?
Individual practices are not open 7 days a week. This service is an extension of primary care and you will be seen at one of the four Extended Access hubs detailed below. Even though you have made your appointment through your own surgery, please don’t go there, you will be advised as to which hub to attend.
How do I cancel an appointment?
If you cannot attend an appointment you have booked at an Enhanced Access hub, you should contact your own practice in the normal way during their opening hours to cancel.
What can I be seen for?
This service is for routine appointments only, not for urgent or emergency care. A GP Enhanced Access appointment is exactly like an appointment at your own GP practice.
You will be seen by experienced GPs and nurses. If you would prefer to see your usual GP or practice nurse, please book an appointment with your usual practice during their normal opening hours.
Will the GP I see have access to my medical record during my appointment?
Healthcare professionals you see will have some access to your medical records as your own practice GPs and staff. That way, they can give you advice and treatment in the same way that your own practice would. All your information is held on a secure system and once you have had your appointment at the Enhanced Access hub your records will be updated and passed back to your own GP practice. The Enhanced Access hub no longer has access to your records once your appointment has been completed and your own GP practice has been informed of the advice or treatment that you received.
If you do not wish the healthcare professionals working in an Enhanced Access hub to have access to your medical record, they will unfortunately not be able to see you and you will not be given an appointment.
If I go to an Enhanced Access hub more than once, will I be seen by the same people each time?
There is no guarantee that you will be seen by the same healthcare professional on each visit.
Where will my appointment take place?
Appointments are available for patients registered with any of the practices who are part of the following 5 Primary Care Networks, Pennines, Heywood, Middleton, The Bridge and Rochdale North, with a range of clinicians.
Heywood (Phoenix Centre)
Mon-Friday 6:30-8 pm & Saturday 9 am -5 pm
Middleton (Peterloo Medical)
Mon-Friday 6:30-8 pm & Saturday 9 am -5 pm
Pennines (Littleborough Group Practice)
Mon-Friday 6:30-8 pm & Saturday 9 am -5 pm
Rochdale (Whitehall Street, 90 Whitehall Street)
Mon-Friday 6:30-8 pm & Saturday 9 am -5 pm
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