Boston Enhanced Access Appointments Engagement
As you may be aware, Parkside Medical Centre is part of a group of six GP practices known as Boston Primary Care Network (PCN), who all work together to improve the health and wellbeing of over 76,000 people living in Boston and the surrounding area.
Boston Primary Care Network (PCN) is made up of: Greyfriars Surgery, Kirton Medical Centre, Liquorpond Surgery, Parkside Medical Centre,The Sidings Medical Practice and Swineshead Medical Group.
Enhanced Access is a service provided by the PCN offering routine appointments Monday to Friday 6.30pm to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm. In addition, some of the practices can offer some appointments between 7am to 8am where there is a need.
As a patient of one of the above practices we are encouraging you to share your feedback on the PCN's proposal below.
The Service Proposal
Boston PCN currently offer some of their Enhanced Access appointments through an external provider outside of the PCN for which they have an agreement to use The Sidings Medical Practice to deliver their weekday evening and Saturday appointments from. The service is for use by patients registered at all practices listed above.
From Autumn, the proposal is to relocate the Enhanced Access weekday evening and Saturday appointments currently provided at The Sidings Medical Practice to Parkside Medical Centre, Tawney Street, Boston, PE21 6DF, and for the PCN to provide the service fully, instead of using an external provider. The service will be delivered by Parkside Medical Practice and Greyfriars Surgery staff.
Parkside Medical Centre has car parking facilities and is on a bus route.
By providing the full service as a PCN they can make better use of staff to support the Enhanced Access Service. It also will enable the PCN to make changes more easily to improve the experience of patients and help manage delivery challenges. Patients can be offered additional types of appointments, like cervical smears and childhood vaccines in the evenings and on weekends should encourage more people to use them, improving the health of the Boston population.
The Sidings Medical Practice currently offer appointments between 7am-8am provided by their own staff and the other current appointments offered at Swineshead Medical Group (Tuesday and Thursday 6.30pm-8pm and Saturday 9am-4pm) and Parkside Medical Centre (7.30am-8am) will both remain unaffected.
As part of the process, the NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, the statutory organisation responsible for bringing the NHS together locally to improve population health and establish shared strategic priorities within the NHS, have launched an Engagement Exercise to gather feedback from patients on the proposal. This will run until midnight on Monday 16th September 2024.
How to Share Your Feedback
Feedback can be provided in the following ways:
- Complete our survey
- Call 07734 231 365 to complete the survey over the phone.
- Paper copies available at Boston PCN practices.
Attend an Engagement Event
You are also invited to attend one of our engagement events at The Len Medlock Voluntary Centre, St Georges Rd, Boston PE21 8YB on Thursday, 29 August 2024:
- Event 1: 2pm – 3.30pm (drop-in any time)
- Event 2: 6pm – 7.30pm (drop-in any time)