Some south Bucks patients needing an out-of-hours GP appointments could soon be able to see a doctor nearer their home as a consultation into the service is launched.

Currently the out-of-hours service runs from 6.30pm until 8am on weekdays and from 6.30pm on Friday until 8am on Monday, with patients sent to Royal Berkshire Bracknell Clinic or the Herschel Medical Centre in Slough.

The service is accessed by calling 111 and is for patients who urgently need to see a GP – not routine appointments.

Doctors are now working with patients based at a number of south Bucks surgeries to provide a service “that meets their needs”, with a view to hold urgent appointments closer to their homes.

Clinical director of community urgent care, Dr Rebecca Mallard-Smith, said: “We want to provide a local service for our local communities and are working with patients and practices in the area to make sure that the out-of-hours service we provide can meet their needs.

“We would like to know views on the current out-of-hours service and also where people in south Buckinghamshire would prefer the out-of-hours GP appointment to be held.

“Members of the patient participation groups from the practices in the area have been involved in helping to shape our proposed options. We have tried to provide patients with a solution that is easy to find and where parking is available.”

Health chiefs are proposing that from March 1 patients who need to see a doctor urgently will be able to book an appointment at a south Bucks base from 6.30pm until 10pm Monday to Friday, 9am until 10pm on Saturday and 9am until 7pm on Sunday.

Any patients that will see a doctor overnight will need to travel to Amersham or Wycombe.

Patients at the following surgeries will use the new service:

• Burnham Health Centre, Burnham

• Southmead Surgery, Farnham Common

• Denham Medical Centre, Denham

• The Allan Practice, Chalfont St Peter

• The Hall Practice, Chalfont St Peter

• The Misbourne Practice, Chalfont St Peter

• The Ivers Practice, Iver

• Threeways Surgery, Stoke Poges

To fill in the survey visit https://www.letstalkhealthbucks.nhs.uk/consult.ti/SouthBucksOOH/consultationHome