This is a survey to consult with the public about plans to move where residents of Herefordshire can access Out of Hours GP care. This is the service you are referred to by NHS111 if you contact them when your surgery is closed and the call handler feels that your health concerns are urgent and best managed by General Practice. The service is run by Taurus Healthcare on behalf of Herefordshire General Practice, who are involved in deciding how the service is delivered.
If NHS 111 refer you to this service, you may be asked to come in for a face-to-face appointment. At the moment, this would be at the Station Medical Centre, (near the train station), in Hereford. However, there are plans to move this service to a new location from this autumn. This does not affect home visits or other health services run from Station Medical Centre delivered by Hereford Medical Group. The new location is the Nelson Building, which is on Whitecross Road in Hereford close to Sainsbury’s and Aldi supermarkets and on a major route into the city.
The building will be adapted so that it can provide exactly the same level of service currently offered at the Station Medical Centre. Access will be from the rear of the building and there will be dedicated car parking spaces, including designated disabled bays. It will be fully accessible for all patients, including those who have reduced mobility. We will also make sure that there are plenty of signs outside the building so you know where you need to go.
We are not expecting the move to cause any major difficulties to our patients and for many, this location could be an improvement. However, we want to hear your feedback on the plans so that we address any concerns.
It’s important to note that this change will not affect the routine evening and weekend appointments that we run. These will continue to be bookable via your usual GP practice and are located at 10 sites throughout the county.
Healthwatch Herefordshire will carry out the public consultation for these proposed changes to the service.