North-east call centre helps local residents with out-of-hours care

Date: 21/09/2011

Some 03 numbers could be required for a service in the north-east that provides out-of-hours care to local residents.

Northern Doctors Urgent Care is a non-profit organisation operating in Northumberland, Newcastle and North and South Tyneside, the Evening Chronicle reports.

The group has a call centre in Gosforth at which a team of workers answer queries received out of standard GP surgery hours, such as evenings, weekend and bank holidays.

Doctors and nurses can then offer advice down the phone, while in more serious cases they will visit individuals in their home.

Doctor and clinical executive Mike Harrison explained: "The clinicians will discuss their condition over the phone and decide what course of action is needed for the next stage of their treatment."

On the other side of the country, work is continuing on a new health facility in Wigan that may require local phone numbers.

The £1.5 million Standish Medical Centre will be completely furnished by the beginning of next year and will span two floors, Wigan Today reported.