Important Information About GP Appointments During August 2026

Accessing Your GP Services at Poplar Grove

Dear Patients,

During August, several members of our GP team, including our regular locum doctors, will be taking planned annual leave. This means we will have reduced GP capacity for a short period.

To ensure we can continue to provide safe care for patients who need us most, we will be making a temporary change to how GP appointments are arranged throughout August.

What is changing?

From 1 August until 31 August 2026, we will temporarily suspend advance booking of routine GP appointments.

If you need medical advice or believe you need an appointment, please continue to contact the practice in the usual way by submitting an eConsult or telephoning reception if you are unable to use our online services.

Every request will be reviewed by a clinician. Following clinical assessment, we will ensure you receive the most appropriate care.

This may include:

• Advice or self-care guidance.
• An appointment on the day if your condition is clinically urgent.
• An appointment with another suitably qualified healthcare professional.
• A routine GP appointment at the earliest clinically appropriate opportunity, which may be during September if your condition can safely wait.
• Signposting to another NHS service where appropriate.

This temporary arrangement enables us to prioritise patients with urgent clinical needs while maintaining a safe and sustainable service throughout the summer period.

We appreciate this may mean waiting longer than usual for routine GP care, and we sincerely thank you for your patience and understanding. We expect our normal appointment availability to resume from September 2026.