Guernsey’s Out-of-Hours GP Service Confirms Festive Availability

Guernsey’s out-of-hours general practitioner (GP) service is reminding the public that it will be operational throughout the festive period for routine medical inquiries, at a time when other surgeries are closed. This initiative is part of an effort to prevent the Emergency Department from becoming overwhelmed during the holidays. For the out-of-hours service, calls are redirected from the standard surgery telephone numbers to an on-call system. This system is provided by the island’s three Primary Care Practices and is located at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital. Dr. Silvana McCaffrey, the clinical lead for out-of-hours primary care, stated: “We’re here. If your surgery is closed, we are open.” She further advised: “If it’s something you call your GP about, call us.” The service operates year-round, from 18:00 to 08:00 the following morning on weekdays, and from midday on Saturday until 08:00 on Monday. It also provides coverage on Bank Holidays. A telephone line is staffed by Emergency Department Receptionists, who divert calls from a patient’s usual surgery. Costs for consultations range from £25 for all individuals under 18, to £282 for a home visit conducted between 23:00 and 08:00. The types of appointments available are: Dr. McCaffrey shared insights into the experience of working on Christmas Day, noting: “Generally speaking, the atmosphere in the hospital is always very good at Christmas.” She added: “We may be having a bit of toast in the kitchen in between things… but it’s always an important time to be there.” She emphasized the importance of recognizing the work being done. The department has also advised islanders to prepare for the holiday season by: Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.