HEALTH chiefs have warned that new out-of-hours healthcare arrangements for north Hampshire are not designed for people to ask for repeat prescriptions or test results.

At the start of the month, responsibility for out-of-hours healthcare in north Hampshire passed from GPs to the North Hampshire Primary Care Trust.

Bosses say that people who need urgent medical advice or treatment in the evening, at weekends or on bank holidays should contact their local GP practice, which will give them the number to call for the out-of-hours service.

On that number, a call handler will answer and take some personal details and basic information about the problem.

A healthcare professional will then assess the symptoms and issue advice.

Patients in the borough may be asked to attend Basingstoke hospital, be seen at home or advised to call an ambulance.

Chineham GP Dr Keith Ollerhead, a member of the care trust board, said: "The out-of-hours service is designed to provide responsive care for those patients needing urgent medical advice or treatment outside of their local GP practice opening times.

"It is not designed for the request or collection of repeat prescriptions, or for test results, as the service cannot access GP systems and therefore cannot process such requests."

Patients who are unsure of how urgent their health problem is and need some expert help and advice before contacting the service are advised to call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.