New On the Day Doctor system for Sidmouth patients

REQUESTS for urgent medical advice and same day appointments by patients in Sidmouth and the Sid Valley, will now be dealt with by an ‘on the day’ doctor.

To improve care offered to patients with urgent medical problems, and alleviate pressure on GP appointments, doctors at Sid Valley Practice – Blackmore Health Centre, Sidmouth, and Sidford Health Centre – began a new service last month called On the Day Doctor.

Practice manager Rob Spargo explained: “Every morning, anyone requesting urgent advice or an appointment will be called back by the ‘On the Day Doctor’.

“The ‘On the Day Doctor’ will be running a surgery dedicated to discussing urgent advice and appointment requests.

“The doctor will often be able to sort a problem out over the phone. However, if an appointment at the surgery is needed, the doctor will arrange this for you.”

Patients wishing a doctor’s appointment on the day they call should ring the surgery first, rather than attending in person.

If they do turn up to either surgery on the day, wanting an on the day appointment, they will be asked to provide details of their acute problem in order to decide the best treatment path to offer.

Requests for routine appointments will still be booked in the usual way.

Home visits, advice and ongoing problems will be passed to patients’ doctors to be dealt with in the usual way.

Mr Spargo said repeat prescriptions can now be ordered on-line at ww.siddoc.co.uk. Any other requests for forms to be completed should be directed to the health centre Enquiries department.