A SERVICE helping to triage GP patients in two practices in Dumfries and Galloway is being temporarily suspended – as resources are redirected to address the coronavirus.
GP Triage is a national system operated by NHS24, and the decision will mean that in the interim it will no longer be available at Upper Nithsdale Group Practice and at Lockerbie Medical Practice.
Dr Grecy Bell is Deputy Medical Director in Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership, and she said: “Coronavirus has meant a lot of changes to the work being undertaken across the whole of health and social care” – both locally and nationally.
“COVID-19 represents a major challenge to our systems, and so measures are being taken to ensure that we are in as robust a position as possible to address what lies ahead.
“One of the measures agreed by NHS24 is to temporarily suspend the GP Triage system so as to allow resources to be focused on addressing COVID-19 related queries, and this is something we fully support.
“During this period, patients will continue to contact their GP surgeries in the usual manner, but with the entirety of enquiries being handled by the local surgery teams.”
A notification will be issued when the GP Triage system is once again running at the two practices in Dumfries and Galloway.
