AROUND 500 patients have now made the switch from the Okement Surgery, which is due to close in April, to Okehampton Medical Centre.

In November, NHS England revealed the GP surgery based at the town hospital is to close in April, leaving 1,700 patients looking for a new GP. So far around 500 patients have transferred to Okehampton Medical Centre from the Okement Surgery.

The medical centre used a recent open day to engage with its many new patients as the closure of the Okement Surgery at the community hospital gets closer.

Doctors, nurses, dispensers, staff and the patient group representatives were on hand to welcome members of the public to the Medical Centre open day on Saturday, February 13. The open day was set up to provide a chance for new and existing patients alike to talk to staff and have a look around the medical centre.

The day was set up following the public meeting about the decision to close Okement Surgery.

The patients that braved the rain to attend were offered a tour of the surgery with members of the surgery team. They were also treated to a presentation on the automated check screens and online medication ordering by members of the medical centre’s patient group.

The automated patient check in screens are already helping to reduce queuing at reception and the online ordering of repeat medication has made a significant difference to the efficiency and stress levels of the dispensary team.

Dr Kathryn Vile said: ‘Showing patients round, outside surgery hours has provided an occasion for patients to ask about the things that are really concerning them. Not least how they access services.

‘We were also able to tell people about the medical centre’s recruitment programme, including new doctors and a minor injury nurse.

‘The announcement of the closure of Okement Surgery caught us by surprise, but once we became aware we provided the staff with the information to answer the hundreds of enquiries we received. After a few mixed messages and a lot of work behind the scenes we are getting to grips with the influx of patients.’

Okehampton Medical Centre was rated as a good practice by the Care Quality Commission last December. The medical centre received a ‘good rating’ in all areas — responsiveness, safety, effectiveness, care and leadership.

The centre has also recently managed to fill all the GP, nurse, dispensary and administrative team vacancies to cope with the increasing patient numbers.