Paramedics will cover for GPs in East Lincolnshire

Paramedics in East Lincolnshire will take over the role when new GP contracts are rolled out.

The East Lincolnshire PCT said its plan is part of an overall shake-up of the way the health authority works.

Last month Lincolnshire South West Teaching Primary Car Trust (PCT) said specially-trained nurses would answer out-of-hours calls.

The changes are being made because of new contracts that allow GPs to opt out of out-of-hours care.

I think the issue is about why the PCTs haven't integrated their approach Richard Parker, Unison Patients denied GP out-of-hours

Despite losing nearly �6,000 in NHS payments, many have done so, transferring responsibility for out-of-hours care to the local health authority.

Patients in East Lincolnshire will be sent an ambulance, given advice on the phone or referred to an emergency care centre, under the change instead of seeing a doctor regardless of the emergency.

Jane Dawson from East Lincolnshire PCT said extra paramedics are being recruited for the home visits and denied it would put pressure on the ambulance service.

"Certainly this will not be the case," she said.

System change

They would be recruiting and training staff to increase the number of skilled people, said Ms Dawson.

"It is part of looking at the whole system, not just GP out-of-hours."

It is a different system than the one adopted by Lincs South West Teaching PCT which is a concern for ambulance workers.

Richard Parker, from the union Unison which represents ambulance staff, said: "We do have three PCTs. I think the issue is about why the PCTs haven't integrated their approach.

"Of course this does cause problems for the ambulance service in how to respond where you are.