Fears allayed over out-of-hours GP services (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Fears allayed over out-of-hours GP services

COTSWOLD people have been reassured that changes to out-of-hours GP services will not hit their quality of care.

Cotswold and Vale Primary Care Trust will take on responsibility for out-of-hours care from November, after GPs decided to opt out of providing the service.

Sophie Campbell-Black, director of primary care at the trust, said: "In common with GPs across the country, all 33 of our GP practices have decided to relinquish their responsibility for out-of-hours care.

"We are, however, delighted that many individual GPs have chosen to work in the new service."

Leaflets have been delivered to surgeries throughout the Cotswolds detailing the changes. The new service will have a single telephone number, 08454 220220, that comes into use on the first day of December.

Under the new system staff working within Gloucestershire Ambulance Service will take all calls from patients to assess their needs.