Ellon GP pulls econsult service four months early due to recruitment issues

The practice says an additional phone line will be available at peak times to help manage any increase in calls.

By Lauren Taylor

April 24 2023, 5:03 pm

Ellon Medical Group. Image: Kenny Elrick / DC Thomson.

An Ellon GP is permanently stopping its online consultation service next week – four months early.

NHS Grampian made the decision to pull the additional service from GP practices across the region from September this year.

However, the Ellon Medical Practice announced it will stop the service next Tuesday due to recruitment issues.

In an online statement, the practice based on Schoolhill, explained fewer clinicians have been working in the GP for “quite some time” and it has become an “increasing issue”.

The statement read: “Due to difficulties in recruitment, we have been working with less clinicians than we would like for quite some time, similarly to many GP practices in Grampian.

“This is an increasing issue and in order to maintain services for the most unwell patients, this additional service will be withdrawn from May 2.”

Please note; Ellon Group Practice have decided to permanently discontinue the econsult service as of Tuesday 2nd May…

Posted by Ellon Medical Practice on Monday, 24 April 2023

The practice reassured that an additional telephone line will be available at peak times to help manage any increase in phone calls.

What is an econsult with a GP?

Econsult enables NHS based GP practices to offer online consultations to their patients.

It allows patients to submit their symptoms or requests to their own GP electronically, and offers around the clock NHS self-help information, signposting to services, and a symptom checker.