Evening and weekend access to GP practices in Lincolnshire will be extended from October so that more appointments can be offered outside of normal working hours.
Patients have been able to book routine primary medical appointments outside of normal opening hours (Monday to Friday 8am-6.30pm) with a GP, practice nurse, or other health professional for a number of years. This has been done either through a local GP access ‘hub’, their own practice, or one nearby, and is referred to as Extended Hours and Extended Access.
From October 1, 2022, access at evenings and weekends will be combined to a single model of Enhanced Access. This will be available 6.30pm-8pm Monday to Friday and during 9am-5pm on a Saturday across the county.
The new Enhanced Access changes will mean that patients will be able to make pre-bookable and same-day GP service appointments with a range of clinical professionals.
This may be delivered at a different location to your own practice, or at a hub in the Primary Care Networks (PCN) geographical footprint, and may also be over the phone or online if appropriate.
The NHS in Lincolnshire is currently working on the best way to develop and improve access to local GP services. Some of this work includes the best way patients can be offered General Practice appointments outside of normal working hours (8am-6.30pm on week days).
The contract states that these appointments should be delivered Monday to Friday (6.30pm-8pm) and on Saturdays (9am-5pm). However, a proportion of these extra appointments could also be provided outside of this times, where it can be evidenced by the PCN that different appointment times would better meet the needs of its patient population.
GP practices are now gathering feedback from patients regarding access to primary medical services.
Each Primary Care Network (PCN) will provide surveys to patients over the coming weeks. The patients will be encouraged to respond via the link on their GP practice website, or speak to a member of the surgery team, once the survey is available.
Alongside practice data, the feedback from the surveys will be used to help shape your local practice and PCN plans on delivering these extra appointments.
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The annual Woodhall Spa 1940s Festival takes place this weekend to celebrate life on the Home Front with a variety of themed events across the village.
The 2022 festival, which is run by a volunteer team of local residents, will take place on Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10 and entrance to the event is free.
Although entry to the main event and a lot of the entertainment and displays will be free, there are various ticketed concerts and dances that do incur a cost – see more information here.
Thousands usually gather at the Woodhall Spa 1940s festival. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Among the highlights at the festival will be flypasts from The Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), including a Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane – see more information here.
Temporary Traffic Measures will be in place During the Woodhall Spa 1940s Festival on July 9 and 10, 2022.
There will be numerous road closures and traffic management measures put in place over the festival weekend – see more information here.
There will also be a Festival market and charity stands, including at Jubilee Park, and people can bring dogs but their pets are not permitted on the ‘Park and Ride’ buses.
It is expected to be a sunny weekend, with temperatures reaching as high as 25°C in the picturesque Lincolnshire village.
Skegness and Boston are to welcome the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay on Monday, July 11 2022.
The Queen’s Baton Relay is a tradition that celebrates, connects and excites communities from across the Commonwealth during the build-up to the Games.
Travelling via land, air and sea, more than 180 communities in England are experiencing the Queen’s Baton on a route spanning 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometres) which started earlier this week in the South West on a 25-day tour of the region.
The baton will arrive in Lincoln on Sunday, July 10 before making its way to Skegness on Monday, July 11. After leaving Skegness, the baton will travel to Boston and then to Grantham before leaving the county.
Skegness will kick off the relay with the baton expected to be at Compass Gardens at 8am. The baton will then be taken on Magna Vitae’s Altitude44 high ropes before leaving Skegness at around 8.16am.
The Boston leg of the relay is expected to commence at 9.21am and end at 9.26am. The route starts in the Market Place, onto Church Street taking in the backdrop of the Stump and returning to the Market Place via Church Street.
The baton bearers for Skegness are Paul Dixon and Geoffrey Wilson. For Boston they are Peter Ward and Linda Baxter.
Paul Dixon, who was medically discharged from the Army in 2004, is a familiar face in the town. He is chairman of a local business chamber, chairman of the Skegness branch of The Royal British Legion, and a Lincolnshire Committee member. He is also the County Community Support Coordinator for Lincolnshire on behalf of the RBL.
Geoffrey Wilson is one of Magna Vitae’s longest serving members. He served in the RAF for 31 years and since 1989 he has been attending the area’s leisure facilities, including the old popular outdoor swimming pool at Skegness. He is possibly Magna Vitae’s oldest climber on Altitude 44 when he visited last year.
Peter Ward from Boston gives time to the local triathlon club to coach young children to improve swimming to enable them to take part in triathlons. At the age of 69 he qualified for the GB Age Group World and European Duathlon Age Group Championships and at the age of 71 finished for a couple of years.
Linda Baxter is the head coach of Evolution Martial Arts in Boston. Her main aim over the past 14 years has been to give youngsters and adults a positive goal in life. In that time, she has also produced Kickboxing World, European and British champions.
Cllr Steve Kirk, Portfolio holder for the Coastal Economy at East Lindsey District Council said: “It is a great honour for Skegness to be chosen to host the Queen’s Baton Relay. This will be an exciting time for the resort and a memorable day, particularly for the baton bearers who are well known in the community.
“It is great Skegness is playing its part in this national event in the run up to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and I look forward to welcoming the baton on Monday.”
Cllr Nigel Welton, Deputy Leader for Boston Borough Council said: “It is a privilege to welcome the Queen’s Baton relay into Boston and to showcase it around the iconic landmark of Boston Stump.
“The baton bearers both work hard to help the young people of the town achieve sporting and personal success. I would like to thank them for their commitment to helping young people and hope they enjoy their special day.”
Following the England tour, the baton relay will conclude at the Opening Ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on July 28, 2022.
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