Exploring the Out of Hours GP Service: A Visit to Croydon University Hospital

In February, Healthwatch board members and staff visited the Out of Hours GP service to find out more about the service they provide and how it integrates with other GP and urgent care services.

The team were given a tour of facilities and had good discussions with the clinical lead, Professor Henk Parmentier, service manager Wendy Parr and other key members of the team.  

The service is based upstairs within the same building as Accident and Emergency and Urgent Care at Croydon University Hospital. However, patients can only access the service through an NHS 111 call and are booked in an appointment. The service is equipped with a dedicated vehicle, enabling them to visit patients in their homes when necessary.

We learnt much about how the service is delivered, how it integrates with other services and also their commitment to recording patient experience and responding to it in improving their service. We are very much looking forward to meeting the teams in these departments again and collaborating on future joint projects. Find out more about Croydon University Hospital here.