Harmoni said the changes to out-of-hours services will have a positive impact

A NEW system for out-of-hours GP services comes into force today – with three centres in Suffolk no longer being used.

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Harmoni – which has the
contract for the out-of-hours service in Suffolk, set up for people who need urgent GP attention – has reduced its service bases from 10 to eight across the county.

It means Wickham Market Resource Centre, Aldeburgh Hospital and Newmarket Hospital will no longer be used to see patients out-of-hours, but a new facility will be available at the Saxmundham Health clinic.

Harmoni said the move would see three more GPs in cars available to visit people at home and more staff to see patients. It said no one would face a drive of more than 30 minutes to see a GP.

But villagers in Wickham Market and Aldeburgh have expressed concern about the longer journeys they will face under the new system.

Harmoni has agreed to a request from Suffolk’s Health Scrutiny Committee to review the changes after a three-month trial period.

Last week, Suffolk MPs Therese Coffey, Matthew Hancock and Ben Gummer met Harmoni bosses to discuss the new set-up.

Dr Coffey said she understood that some constituents may be concerned at the move, but she recognised the changes were being made for the bases to be closer to the A12.

She said: “I will be looking closely at the result of the review including the customer satisfaction surveys and I am keen to hear about residents’ experiences.

“I have asked for signage to the new surgery in Saxmundham to be made as clear as possible as it can be difficult to find.”

The Health Scrutiny Committee could ask Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to review the move if it is unhappy with performance under the new set-up.

Committee chairman Anne Whybrow said members would be keeping “a watchful eye” on the situation.

NHS Suffolk said it would also be monitoring the new system.

Harmoni said the changes would mean there would be 13 GP cars across Suffolk at busy times, such as a Saturday morning, rather than the current 10, and the new shift patterns would be more attractive to staff, making it easier to fill rotas.

It said the current system meant centres “occasionally” had to close due to lack of available staff.