Cornwall out of hours GP care
In Cornwall Serco provides out-of-hours GP services for more than half a million people. Our team consists of more than 180 doctors, 50 other clinicians and around 140 support staff including drivers and receptionists. The service is managed by a highly skilled call centre team based in Truro.
On a typical Saturday in the peak summer months we will handle up to 1,100 calls, see 340 patients in one of eleven clinics around the county, and make more than 120 home visits.
We provide this NHS service to the Cornwall and Scilly Isles Primary Care Trust. Steve Moore, Director of Commissioning of the Trust, said: "It's really good news for patients that our local urgent and emergency care services are working well together and that we have been placed among the best performers in the country overall."
Serco Health has been providing this service since April 2006 and following provision in the original contract, the option for a two-year extension has been agreed. Serco will continue to provide the service until March 2011 when a full contract tender process will be undertaken.
Speaking about the contract extension, Director of Primary Care for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, Dr Peter Knibbs, said: "Patients have been receiving consistently good care so we have been pleased to extend the contract for this vital service. Out of hours doctors play an important role in helping people with urgent medical needs. Alongside our efforts to extend GP opening hours and offer new primary care services, this extended contract is a sign of our commitment to good access and high quality patient care across the community."
And in a recent patient survey 89% of respondents considered the service provided to them to be either excellent or good.
Our service operates from 6.30pm to 8.00am Mondays to Fridays and 24 hours a day at weekends and on Bank Holidays.
To contact our service during these times please call Serco Health on 0845 2000227.