Shropshire GP practices to be open for longer over Easter weekend
GP practices in Shropshire will be open for extra hours over the Easter weekend to see patients.
Many practices will be open tomorrow morning to ease pressure on NHS services over the Easter weekend – often the busiest weekend for urgent care services in the year.
And health bosses are urging patients in Shropshire to make sure they are prepared for the Easter Bank Holiday.
They say by checking now people can avoid being caught out by health-related problems over the long Bank Holiday weekend when GP surgeries are not open for their normal hours. Anyone who relies on prescription medicines should make sure they have enough to last, or order a repeat prescription as soon as possible.
If anyone does require a repeat prescription over the weekend their first call should be to a local community pharmacy rather than the Shropdoc out-of-hours GP service.
Also instead of waiting at A&E with an urgent health problem, patients are urged to check if their practice is open and get an appointment there.
Some practices routinely open on Saturdays but over Easter many more patients will be able to access urgent healthcare from their local surgery.
GP surgeries which will open on Easter Saturday
April 4, 2015
| Albrighton Medical Practice | 01902 372301 | 8:30 am - 11:30 am |
| Bishops Castle Medical Practice | 01588 638285 | 8:00 am - 1:00 pm |
| Cleobury Mortimer Medical Practice | 01299 270209 | 8:00 am - 12:00 pm |
| Church Stretton Medical Practice | 01694 722127 | 8:00 am - 2:00 pm |
| Claremont Bank Surgery | 01743 248244 | 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm |
| Haughmond View Medical Practice | 01743 281950 | 9:00 am - 12:00 pm |
| Hodnet Medical Centre | 01630 685230 | 8.30am - 11.30am
2.30pm - 5.30pm |
| Marden Medical Practice | 01743 241313 | 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm |
| Portcullis Surgery, Ludlow | 01584 872939 | 8.30 am - 11.30 am |
| Riverside Medical Practice | 01743 352371 | 9:00 am - 3:00 pm |
| South Hermitage Surgery | 01743 343148 | 9:00 am - 12:00 pm |
| Station Drive Surgery | 01584 872461 | 7:00 am - 10:00 am |
Dr Bill Gowans of Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group said: "There is still plenty of NHS health support available over the bank holiday weekend, but it is always best to plan ahead and be prepared.
"The NHS 111 service is the best first call for anyone with health concerns. It is available 24 hours-a-day. There are also community pharmacies running a bank holiday rota, minor injuries units, and Shropdoc for anyone who really needs to see a GP.
"I would appeal to everyone to remember that 999 and A&E are for people who have real emergencies that require immediate treatment, especially as Bank Holiday weekends can lead to a rise in demand."
Marden Medical Practice, in Sutton Road, Shrewsbury, is just one of the surgeries which will be open on Easter Saturday.
The surgery was recently deemed "outstanding" for its excellent care and service.
It has been given the highest grade by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after an inspection carried out in October last year.
Dr Peter Bottomly, partner at Marden Medical Practice, said the result confirmed what he already knew.
He said: "We have an amazing team of people. The staff are highly trained and happy to be working in the conditions."
And Dr Bottomley said the surgery was opening on Easter Saturday for the first time at a weekend.
He said: "We have never opened on a Saturday before but as it is a long Bank Holiday we as GPs have become responsible to help drive down A&E figures."
