The Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group is currently seeking views from the public on primary care or G.P. service in the area.
The CCG has £20 million to invest in local GP services over the next 3 years.
A spokesman has already suggested that longer surgery opening hours and more urgent appointment slots are under consideration.
It is government policy to provide 7day a week GP access.
A perceived problem in some Sandwell surgeries is the time it takes to obtain non-urgent appointments. This may result from practices reserving appointment slots to cater for emergencies and meet targets.
A suggested purpose of the review is to achieve equality of provision by harmonising opening times and the services provided by surgeries. It seems anomalous that some practices will take blood samples others require their patients to attend hospital or walk in centres for this. The stated object of the review is to build on existing provision and public participation in the consultation is vital to ensure this.
The number of consultation meetings scheduled was far from elaborate. The second and remaining one in Sandwell is on 30th September at Tower Hill Surgery, Walsall Road, Perry Barr at the not very convenient time for working families of 10 a.m. Nor is the listening period extensive and ends on 9th October, so to make known your views complete the survey on the Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG website, write to them at Kingston House, 438 High Street West Bromwich B70 9LD or e-mail [email protected]