The island’s GPs will not be in their surgeries on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 24.
Instead they will have a training session, which follows similar meetings in December and March.
GP surgeries will still be open and able to deal with simple queries, book routine appointments and deal with requests for repeat prescriptions. Practice nurses will also be available.
The Department of Health will provide GP cover based from surgeries in Douglas, Castletown and Peel to deal with urgent problems which cannot wait until the next day. Patients are asked to contact their own surgery, but may be phoned back by a GP from another area. Urgent appointments and home visits will still be available but in the event of a life-threatening illness it is recommended that the emergency services are contacted by dialling 999.
GPs have been working over the last few years with the Department of Health to provide a primary care service which is accessible and affordable. During this educational afternoon GPs will have presentations about trying to cut the need for A&E attendance, common shoulder injuries and their management, nutritional issues in elderly people and updates on the management of heart failure and diabetes.
GPs have been working with their consultant colleagues to try to reduce hospital waiting lists by developing more skills in primary care.
Dr Alex Allinson, chair GP subcommittee, said: ‘We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused by this meeting, but trust that patients on the Isle of Man recognise the need for on-going GP training and development of services provided by their local surgery.’