A PROJECT which it is hoped will make GP appointments and other healthcare services available to patients in Worcestershire seven days a week is moving ahead.

In March SW Healthcare – a federation of all 31 GP practices in south Worcestershire – was awarded a £2.8 million windfall by the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund, which the organisation is using to develop a number of projects to help patients have better access to health services and ease the pressure on the county’s hospitals.

Among these are an online portal and telephone number open between 8am and 9pm seven days a week, which will be staffed by GPs and nurses with access to patient’s medical records, as well as more evening and weekend GP appointments.

Speaking at a meeting of NHS South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group on Thursday, July 9, chief clinical officer Carl Ellson said work was continuing on the projects, but more needed to be done.

“A lot of work is being done to carry this forward,” he said. “It does have a very tight timescale.”

He added it was hoped the virtual hub would be up and running by the start of October.

Although health bosses in Worcestershire and around the country have repeatedly called on patients only to go to A&E in a genuine emergency, anecdotal evidence has shown this has had little effect, with many saying they felt they had no other option but to go to hospital, despite not being in urgent need of care.

The Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund is a £100 million pot of cash used for developing new ways of delivering public services.