PATIENTS accessing out-of-hours medical care will see major changes in July following a new contract which allows GPs to opt out of the 'red-eye' shift.

From 1 July Andover people will no longer be able to contact their GPs between 11pm and 8am but a plan is being put together to cover the gap.

According to that plan patients will have to call Prime Care in Birmingham.

The new contract came into force nationally last week as part of an initiative by the Department of Health, which takes into account the EU's working time directive.

As expected all GPs in the Andover area have decided to opt out of providing medical care between 11pm and 8am, which places the responsibility of medical cover during these hours onto the Mid Hampshire Primary Care Trust (PCT).

A spokeswoman for the PCT said this week that the initial call to Prime Care in Birmingham would be assessed and a local ambulance dispatched if necessary - although patients will still be able to dial 999 direct.

If the call is not an emergency and it cannot be resolved by Prime Care, it will be patched down to the 'central communications hub' in Southampton.

The caller will then speak to a clinician - either a doctor or a nurse - who will be able to give advice over the phone. But if the patient needs to see a doctor or nurse out of hours they will be booked in to see someone at a care centre in Andover - possibly at the hospital - if they can make their own way there. The centre will be staffed by clinicians employed specially for the purpose by the PCT.

If patients cannot make it in themselves - either because of the nature of the problem or transport difficulties - then, depending on what the patient needs, a doctor, nurse or paramedic will be sent out to the home.

The spokeswoman said: "If there is a delay then they will keep calling the patient back to make sure they are OK." And she added: "It's going to improve the out-of-hours system so that we get the right person to see you at the right time in the right place."

She said there would be a major publicity campaign before the system was launched.

"There's nothing to worry about, the medical cover will be there," she said.