Evening and Weekend appointments are now available for patients of both Arlesey and Larksfield medical centres under an Extended Hours agreement. They are not currently available online, but can be booked over the phone with your normal surgery, and will take place at either Shefford Medical Centre or the Ivel Medical Centre in Biggleswade. You will not necessarily be able to see your usual doctor or nurse, but your full medical records will be available to practitioners and your own surgery will be kept informed of the visits.

In addition, there is now a walk-in centre at Bedford South Wing Hospital for the treatment of minor injures and illnesses. This is already proving popular, with 250 people attending in the first week. It is open from 11am to 11pm seven days a week, with both GPs and nurses in attendance.

It is hoped that both these moves will help to take the pressure off local surgeries and that the walk-in centre at Bedford South Wing Hospital will also divert some patients from the A&E department.