Updated 30 January 2018
Wolverhampton Doctors On Call (WDOC) is registered with the Care Quality Commission as an urgent care centre. Wolverhampton Doctors On Call is a private limited company. The service holds service level agreements with 12 local Wolverhampton GP practices to provide general medical services to their patients ( approximately 76,000 patients) when the practices are closed on a Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. WDOC also provides a message handling service for practices that close throughout the day. The message handling service informs patients of the opening times of registered GP practice or contacts the on-call GP for the practice and passes on the information received from the patient. WDOC provides services to one of the more deprived areas of the West Midlands. People living in more deprived areas tend to have a greater need for health services.
WDOC is located at East Park Medical Practice, Wolverhampton WV1 2LW. WDOC holds a service level agreement with East Park Medical Practice. The agreement outlines a clear reference to service ownership, accountability, policies and procedures, clinical support roles and/or responsibilities and how WDOC will be supported by these. The service is staffed by two salaried GPs (one for each afternoon) and the clinicians are supported by a receptionist. The GP director for East Park Medical Practice is also the director of Wolverhampton Doctors On Call and has oversight of the service.
WDOC is open two afternoons a week, Wednesday and Thursday between the hours of 1pm and 6.30pm for patients who wish to see a GP during the afternoons when their registered GP practice is closed. Wolverhampton Doctors On Call do not provide an out of hours service. All services are provided from one location. A message on the patients GP answerphone advises of the telephone contact details for WDOC. Following contact with the service and an initial assessment, patients could be given an appointment to see the GP working for WDOC at the East Park Practice, receive a home visit or receive advice over the telephone.