Lancashire GPs now offering evening and weekend appointments in a bid to ease winter pressure

The extended access - available at all practices and through designated local NHS services - means patients will be able to see a doctor, nurse or other member of the practice team at a time convenient to them.

It is thought the service will provide an estimated nine million extra appointments per year.

Dr Kieran Murphy, NHS England Lancashire and South Cumbria medical director said: “As well as offering convenience and choice to patients, it will help to reduce some of the pressure on general practice and A&Es and ease some of the wider system pressures we saw last winter.

On top of the extended access services, at least £3.5 billion more is to be invested in primary medical and community services, which will improve access to weekday ‘in hours’ services.

Dr Murphy added, “GPs across the region are going above and beyond to ensure we can deliver good, safe care for our patients under intense resource and workforce pressures.

“All practices in Lancashire and South Cumbria now offer some form of extended access to routine GP services, and they will have tailored these to the needs of their local population.”