A process to secure a new contract for the GP out-of-hours service has been launched.

NHS Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin said the process to find a new provider for the service, which provides urgent medical care outside of core hours, is now live.

A county-wide engagement exercise was launched as part of the procurement process in August, asking residents to share their views on the service and how improvements could be made.

The engagement received nearly 600 survey responses from county residents, and a focus group session was held to explore the feedback in more detail.

All the feedback has been considered in developing the final service specification, and commissioners have produced a publicly available engagement report of the feedback received, alongside some frequently asked questions (FAQs) to provide further information.

Gemma Smith, director of commissioning at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said: "I would like to thank everyone who contributed to our engagement and involvement exercise as it is so important to hear the views of the people who are using our health and care services.

"The experiences and suggestions from residents and patients are helpful to our work as it assists us in really understanding where some of the challenges are and how we can work to improve them.

"It is vital to the work that we do in designing a service that meets the needs of local people.

"A competitive procurement process is now underway to understand what potential providers can offer and how well they can meet the needs of our patients and residents.

"Our intention remains to ensure that we secure the best service possible and that we remain committed to ensuring continued good access for our patients."

To view the engagement report and FAQs for the GP Out of Hours Service procurement process, visit https://www.shropshiretelfordandwrekin.nhs.uk/get-involved/current-and-recent-work/general-practice-gp-out-of-hours-service/.