A PIONEERING new ‘on demand’ private GP appointment service, is now available in Witley.

The Witley Surgery, in Wheeler Lane, is the first in the area to offer people 15-minute, face-to-face GP appointments at a time to suit them through ‘Doctaly’.

By offering slots during normal working hours, out-of-hours and at weekends, Doctaly can help people fit their GP appointment around work, school and family commitments.

Doctaly is the UK’s first online platform that enables NHS doctors to see private patients around their contracted NHS core hours.

Following a successful pilot in London and an injection of more than £900,000 from a successful CrowdCube investment, which ended in January, Doctaly is expanding nationally.

Witley Surgery is one of the first regional sites to offer the service.

Importantly, NHS patients already registered with the practice will not be affected as the private Doctaly appointments will be fitted in around the contracted NHS hours.

Dr David Triska, GP partner at Witley Surgery, said: “Doctaly offers a high-quality, user-friendly service for patients who are finding it difficult or Ourinconvenient to access their GP.

“It’s a win-win, as we can direct that income directly back into our NHS care with everyone getting a better service as a result.”

Typical situations where Dr Triska expects people to book a Doctaly appointment at his practice include those who work near his surgery and would find it easier to see a GP close to work, rather than take time off waiting for an NHS appointment closer to home.

Other beneficiaries could be people who are visiting family and friends locally, who need to see a GP quickly, and people from other surgeries in the area, who need to see a GP urgently but cannot wait for an NHS appointment with their usual doctor.

Doctaly appointments cost from £39.99, depending on the day and time of the slot booked.

DPatients at the Witley Surgery are not eligible to use the Doctaly service at the surgery as their appointment requests will be fulfilled on the NHS system.

Co-founder and chief executive Ben Teichman said: “Every Doctaly patient is one less person in the NHS queue.

“Our London pilot proved that both GPs and patients welcome the convenience of our service.

“The new wave of telephone and Skype-type GP services attempting to fulfil appointments are proving to have serious limitations when it comes to diagnosis and there is nothing better than seeing a GP in person.

“We are very pleased to be offering Doctaly appointments at the Witley Surgery for people who find this practice accessible and convenient.”

•For more information go to www.doctaly.com