Improved service for out of hours medical help

Patients who call the SEADOC number, which is left on the answer phones of surgeries who take part in the scheme, will now get four possible outcomes from their call.

They will be given the relevant advice from the call handler or transferred to a specially trained and experienced NHS Direct Nurse.

Depending on the circumstances the nurse will:

*Advise the patient on how to handle the situation or to make an appointment with their GP

*arrange for the patient to talk to, or be seen by, an on-call doctor

*advise the patient to go to their nearest hospital casualty department

*arrange for an ambulance to be sent directly to the patient if urgent medical attention is needed.

The new arrangements are supported by Bexhill and Rother Primary Care Trust.

Bexhill Gp Dr Peter Dewhurst, who is also the PCT's medical director and medical manager for SEADOC said: "This new scheme will help patients get the right advice and treatment they need at the right time.

"SEADOC and NHS Direct will be working in tandem to ensure calls from people with urgent medical problems which cannot wait until their surgery re-opens are dealt with in the most appropriate way."

Alan Burchette, SEADOC's manager, said: "SEADOC has been working successfully with NHS Direct in other parts of its area since May.

"The new arrangements in Bexhill and Rother should benefit local patients and local family doctors."