ELECTRONIC prescriptions, e-referrals and evening and weekend GP appointments are to be rolled out across Blackburn with Darwen this year.

The borough Clinical Commissioning Group chief clinical officer, Dr Penny Morris, is to update members on changes to GP practices over the next year. All GPs are to use digital tools to help patients get quicker and easier access to family doctors and specialists.

Actions agreed include completing the roll-out of electronic prescriptions services and allowing prescriptions to be sent direct to a pharmacist saving GP appointment times and making it more convenient for patients.

A further £10 million will be invested in practices to support full implementation of the e-referral service to make this available at every practice by October this year.

By autumn of this year, all parts of the country will offer evening and weekend GP appointments, with local practices working together to ensure this is available in each area.

Dr Morris said: “A new general practice contract, agreed by NHS England, the government and the British Medical Association’s GPs Committee took effect from April 1, 2018.

“It will see an investment of £256.3 million going into the contract for 2018-19 - a 3.4 per cent increase overall. This includes £60m to be paid to GP practices to help cover the increased costs of indemnity inflation from 2017-18.

“All GPs in England will use digital tools to help patients get quicker and easier access to family doctors and specialists as part of the announced changes. NHS England and GP practices up and down the country are continuing to make it easier and more convenient to get an appointment.

“The contract agreement also makes clear that practices must not advertise private GP services where that service should be provided free of charge on the NHS.”

Dr Morris added the NHS 111 scheme will be expanded, directly booking GP appointments at practices in the borough that want to participate.

The CCG governing body is to meet at Blackburn Library today.