Ref. 29161-129DOCTORS' surgeries across Swindon are changing their appointment procedures so that people can see a doctor more easily.

As a result of too many missed appointments and complaints that patients had to wait for weeks to see a GP, many surgeries are now preventing patients from booking too far in advance.

Some surgeries will only take bookings 48 hours ahead while others extend to two weeks.

By the end of 2004, any patient should have access to a GP within 48 hours of contacting the surgery and a nurse within 24 hours.

Since the beginning of February, Green Gables Surgery in Cricklade and Purton Surgery have altered their bookings procedure in line with Government targets.

Taw Hill Medical Practice in Queen Elizabeth Drive is also trying out a new system where patients can only make appointments 48 hours in advance.

Cricklade and Purton Surgery practice manager Linda Hoffen said: "The Government has said that all patients should be able to obtain appointments with the GP of their choice within 48 hours.

"We have now started moving towards this.

"Until recently we allowed people to make appointments up to three months in advance.

"This caused a number of problems. For example, if someone fell ill in the morning there might not have been any available appointments that day."

Cricklade and Purton surgeries also had problems with people forgetting long-term pre-booked appointments.

At Purton surgery, 400 appointments a year were missed roughly the equivalent of three weeks' work for a single doctor.

Mrs Hoffen said: "Now we only allow patients to make appointments up to one week at a time. From Thursday each week 50 per cent of the appointments for the following week will be available for pre-booking. The remainder will be available for booking on the day."

Mrs Hoffen added that the surgeries have been suffering some teething problems with this new system and some members of the public had taken out their frustrations on reception staff.

At Wootton Bassett surgery, practice manager Sue Thornton explained that the surgery has been bringing in the changes over the past 18 months.

She said: "The surgery still takes appointments up to four weeks in advance."

Nurses assess take patients' calls and assess what treatment is needed. They then divert them to a doctor or nurse depending upon the problem.

Wootton Bassett surgery has found this works well and believes that patients are better off.

At Eldene Surgery, practice manager Christine Mott said: "I have mixed feelings about these targets.

No-one has the right to turn away patients but access to GPs has long been a problem and this seems to be the only way to do it."

Eldene Surgery allows patients to book 24 hours ahead, unless they are booking minor surgery or a routine appointment.

Steven Curd of the Swindon Primary Care Trust said: "These guidelines are part of the Government's Advanced Access programme.

"At the moment, access to appointments is different across the board but everyone is working towards the common goal established for the end of 2004."

Mr Curd is part of the Swindon Primary Care group that has been looking at how to improve access to GPs.

He said: "The surgeries that have been most successful have really tried to find out what patients want and when, and then match their doctors' schedules to it."

The Hermitage Surgery, in Old Town, revamped its booking system last July as part of a pilot scheme.

Although some patients can still book appointments up to five weeks in advance, the surgery has increased the ratio of appointments made within 24 hours or 48 hours.

Practice manager Renee Wheeler said: "Since we made the changes patients seem to be happy with the service and we keep track of their views through questionnaires."

Emma-Kate Lidbury