Appointment system set to change at GP practice over summer

PATIENTS in Porthcawl will not be able to book GP appointments in advance this summer as their practice is taking on more than 1,000 extra patients.

Instead they will be limited to a book-onthe-day service as Porthcawl Group Practice, also known as the Portway Surgery, tries to recruit new doctors.

The change, which will apply throughout July and August, comes after Dr Tim Eales, who ran a single-handed practice on Victoria Avenue, in the town, resigned.

His practice closes on June 30 and the 1,900 patients are being dispersed between the Portway and North Cornelly Surgery.

But in a post on its Facebook page the Porthcawl Group Practice said it expects to take on 1,300 of those patients from July 1 and “we do not know exactly how this will affect our workload”.

It continued: “We are trying to recruit more doctors and though we have had some success we have not been able to appoint as many as we hoped to at this point in time.

“We are continuing to try and recruit, but as we do not have as many staff as we would like, we will continue to operate on a ‘Book on the day’ service for the first two months until we see how the transition goes.

“This is likely to be a difficult time for staff and patients alike and we would appreciate your patience and support.”

A spokeswoman for the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board said: “Both practices will be receiving transition funding from the health board to help them with the work required to register the new patients and to address transitional workforce requirements with the increased patient numbers.

“For example, the practice may feel the need to employ more reception, nursing / phlebotomy staff and GPs to help during this time.

“They will also be given further core funding on a continuous basis to cover the additional staff costs due to the increased number of patients.

“Our practice support and medicines management team are also providing direct support including GP sessions and medicine reviews by pharmacists.

“Portway Group practice – who are taking on the largest number of patients – are already actively recruiting additional doctors.

“While this is taking place, with our GP support and locum cover booked by the practice, during July and August Portway are aiming to have the equivalent of an extra GP to appropriately cover the increase in patients.”