Patients in South Gloucestershire can now book evening and weekend appointments through their GP practice.

GP practices are working together to offer patients better access to primary care services.

This means people will be able to see a GP, practice nurse or other health professionals at a time which is most convenient for them, seven days a week through the winter months.

Dr Jonathan Hayes, local GP and Clinical Chair of Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “We are delighted to be able to offer evening and weekend GP and nurse appointments to our patients.

“We understand some patients struggle to get appointments during normal opening hours due to work and other constraints, so we want to be able to help with this and offer appointments out of hours.

“We’re hoping that by offering more GP and nurse appointments, we can also help to relieve pressure on the health system.”

Under the improved access scheme, patients may not be offered appointments with their own named GP or practice, but will have access to a GP in their area outside normal opening hours.