Patients at Thorpewood Medical Group will not be able to book routine GP appointments for a full week starting Monday, 8 June, as the Thorpe St Andrew practice overhauls its appointment system. From 8 to 14 June, only same-day urgent appointments will be available, and these must be secured by calling the surgery at 0800 each morning. Routine bookings will be taken again from 15 June.
The practice has told patients not to attend the surgery to book any appointment during the transition. The temporary suspension is part of a wider reorganisation triggered by patient feedback. A survey found that waiting 28 days to see a GP was considered unacceptably long, and from July the maximum wait will be cut to 21 days. That limit could be reduced further to 14 days if the initial change works well.
Thorpewood Medical Group said the new system aligns with national NHS directives that support online access and prioritise patients with the greatest need. Anyone needing urgent care during the suspension week should phone at 0800 for an on-the-day slot, while those with routine needs will have to wait until bookings reopen on 15 June. The practice has previously faced regulatory scrutiny, with a CQC inspection report published in September 2025 rating it as “Requires improvement” and a warning notice served in April 2025 over governance failings.
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