School Lane Surgery in Thetford rolls out new same-day appointment system

This month at School Lane Surgery, we are making important changes to how GP appointments are booked with a renewed focus on same-day access to improve patient care and streamline services.

From Monday 30th June, all GP appointments will be available on the day only, rather than booked in advance. This decision follows feedback from patients, staff, and others, many of whom raised concerns about long wait times, limited availability, and the challenges of advance booking.

What’s Changing?

• From 30th June, all GP appointment requests will be reviewed and managed on the day you contact us.
• The online booking form, previously popular with patients, will return, offering a quick and convenient way to request an appointment.
• Phone and in-person requests will still be accepted, and all appointment requests will be treated equally, ensuring fair access regardless of how you get in touch.

Appointments with nurses, healthcare assistants, phlebotomists and other healthcare professionals remain unchanged.

Why the Change?
Between January and May this year, over 250 GP appointments were missed, the majority of which were pre-booked and not cancelled. These missed slots cost the NHS more than £19,000 in lost resources and created a huge amount of wasted appointment that could have been used by others. By moving to a same-day system, we hope to reduce missed appointments and better align capacity with demand.

This change is designed to benefit all patients not only by improving access but also by ensuring each request is reviewed promptly and directed to the most appropriate healthcare professional. No system is ever going to be perfect or suit everyone. However, our aim in returning to a same-day model is to better match available resources with patient demand, as effectively and fairly as we can.

For more details about the new system and how to use it, please visit: www.schoollanesurgery.co.uk

Marc Rolph, Business Manager
School Lane Surgery