A Bolton GP surgery has changed its answering service and is recruiting more staff to get patients the services they need more quickly.

Mangers at Kearsley Medical Centre hope that a new phone answering machine will mean patients will not have to wait as long for information while the hiring of a new practice nurse and three new members of the urgent care team will also improve response times.

These changes were reported after Cllr Debbie Newell, Cllr Paul Heslop and Cllr Tracey Wilkinson’s most recent visit to the practice last week.

Cllr Newall said: “The main reason for the visits is just because its such an important part of people’s lives, the doctors’ surgery and it’s the only one in Kearsley.

“Its part of our role really, to act as a bridge between our residents and their services.”

The Bolton News: Kearsley Medical Centre on Jackson StreetKearsley Medical Centre on Jackson Street (Image: Google Maps)

She added: “We took on board a lot of the things we’ve been told about the surgery so we can take it to the practice.

“I’m very pleased that we’ve got this rapport and this channel of communication and long may it continue.”

This comes after Cllr Newall says she found on a previous visit in July that an average of nearly 100 appointments had been missed in the three weeks previously.

But now the new answering machine and staff, who should all be in post by the end on November, should be able to provide care more quickly and efficiently and cater to as many patients as possible.

The answering machine will make getting through to the practice much quicker by only giving callers information relevant to the choices they have made, which has already drawn positive feedback from patients and receptionists.

The new practice nurse is qualified to provide a wide range of advice while the urgent care team will ensure patients are seen to more quickly. 

Patients booking in for mental health reviews will benefit from Farnworth and Kearsley Primary Care Network now working with Manchester MIND to help patients on the severe mental illness register.

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Kearsley Medical Centre is also set to offer Covid jabs over the coming months and will be working to vaccinate all the care homes in Farnworth and Kearsley.

Doctors and nurses are set to provide vaccinations at clinics held on Wednesday afternoons throughout this month.

Cllr Newall said: “We’ve all been through a terrible time with Covid so for residents its good for them to know that they’ve got this bridge through us to know how their essential services are getting on.”

The Councillors are planning to next visit the practice in December.