With effect from 1st April 2015 onwards there is a requirement, under the General Practice Contract, for all patients registered with a GP practice to be allocated a named accountable GP.
What does ‘accountable’ mean?
The named accountable GP is responsible for the co-ordination of all appropriate services required under the contract and ensure they are delivered to each patient where required. However, this does not mean that they will be the only GP or clinician who will provide care to that patient. These responsibilities will be carried out within the opening hours of the Practice and do not change the way you currently access care outside these hours.
Will GP practices write to patients to inform them of their named GP?
Patients registered with us before 1st April 2015 and were aged over 75 or were included in the Unplanned Emergency Admissions service provision will have already been allocated a named accountable GP and notified in writing. This named GP will remain the same and will not change.
We do not intend to write to all our patients but we will inform patients of their named GP on request or at the first available opportunity.
Can patients choose their own named GP?
The Practice will allocate a named GP for each patient. However, if a patient requests a different named GP, reasonable effort will be made to accommodate their preference. Please write to the Practice Manager requesting the change.
Do patients have to see their named GP when they book an appointment?
No. Patients can, and should, feel free to choose to see any GP or nurse in the practice in line with current arrangements. As all patients have an electronic medical record this ensures that all clinicians in the Practice have access to the most accurate and up to date information. If you request an urgent appointment, this will be with any of the doctors who have available appointments.
All patients registered at Woodview Medical Centre have been allocated a named accountable GP.
Please be aware that this does not affect your ability to make an appointment with any of the GPs in the practice of your choosing