1. Access to more healthcare professionals. This new service will be delivered by professionals including GPs, nurses, Advanced Nurse Practitioners and paramedics
2. More choice about the type of appointment you want. These include a mixture of in-person face-to-face appointments, and remote appointments like telephone, video, or online appointments.
3. Make it more convenient for you to travel to out-of-hours appointments. These appointments are being planned and delivered locally, so it is likely they will available closer to your home.

From Saturday 1 October 2022, out-of-hours appointments will be available from 6.30pm to 8pm on weekdays, and from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays. In Thurrock, appointments will also continue to be available on Sundays from 12pm to 3pm until Sunday 12 February 2023.

When we asked local people what you wanted from these appointments you told us you wanted enhanced access across the whole of the week and weekends. In response we have put up late night clinics from Monday to Friday (6:30pm till 8pm) and all day Saturday (9am – 5pm).

Out-of-hours appointments were previously planned by Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) on behalf of many GP practices in a bigger area. From Saturday 1 October 2022, this is now being planned and delivered locally by Primary Care Networks (PCNs) (apart from the additional Sunday appointments available until Sunday 12 February 2023).

An out-of-hours appointment might not be at your regular GP surgery. When you book an appointment, you will be told where the appointment will be.

These appointments will not be available as walk-in appointments. You will need to book them in advance.

To book an out-of-hours appointment, you should contact your regular GP practice in the usual way. They will advise you on the appointments which are available, and which healthcare professional is the right person to help you.

If you need medical help now but it’s not an emergency, you can also go to 111 online or call 111.

Page published: 15 December, 2022