Improvement to GP appointment availability at Primary Care Centre

The Minister for Health and Care, Gemma Arias-Vasquez, has visited the Primary Care Centre to thank staff following a notable improvement in the availability of GP appointments since reforms were announced in February.

The introduction of a dedicated Sick Note Line and a new pre-appointment telephone reminder system has meant that GP appointments are now available later into the day on most days. These measures form part of a wider reform programme led by the PCC Taskforce, which was established and is chaired by Ms Arias-Vasquez, to address long-standing issues with access to GP services.
The Taskforce is now focusing on reducing telephone wait times when booking appointments, a priority raised by members of the public and call centre staff.

Ms Arias-Vasquez said: “I am really pleased to see that the changes we recently introduced are already making a difference. The fact that appointments are now routinely available later in the day is a step in the right direction and one which speaks to the hard work of the entire team at the PCC.”

“I would like to thank all staff at the Primary Care Centre, in particular, our call centre operators. They are the first voice our patients hear and they carry a great deal of the pressure in ensuring people can access their much-needed GP appointments.”

“I fully accept that not everything is perfect. There is still more to do and I remain absolutely committed to fixing the areas that are not yet working as they should. We are listening, we are acting and we will continue to improve the way the PCC serves our community.”