NHS out-of-hours service dealt with ‘exceptionally high’ demand during GP surgery closures

The NHS Tayside out-of-hours service experienced a very busy festive public holiday period, receiving over 5,000 calls.

The out-of-hours service takes over patient care when GP surgeries are closed.

Dedicated teams of GPs, nurses, administration staff and drivers ensure that the service delivers safe and effective care to patients across Tayside.

Over the eight festive days staff working in the out-of-hours service dealt with 5,537 patients, an increase of more than a third on last year.

Clinicians carried out 1,147 home visits and saw 3,383 patients who attended for appointments at centres in Arbroath, Perth and Dundee as well as at Minor Illness and Injury Units in Perthshire and Angus.

Dr Jane Bruce, medical director of the out-of-hours service, said: “The festive public holiday period proved an extremely busy time for Tayside’s out-of-hours service and the teams in each locality, with support from colleagues across NHS Tayside, coped with the huge challenges of dealing with an exceptionally high volume of sick patients.”

The service is open from 6pm to 8am weekdays and 24 hours at weekends by appointment only by calling NHS 24 on 111.