Dear Editor,

Thank you for your article highlighting the pressure on GP appointments.

In the same issue was a letter about how to access blue badges for disabled parking, but in fact there is no need to involve your GP or practice nurse, as applications go directly to Herefordshire Council, either via the council website or on 01432 260433.

This provides a good opportunity to introduce the care navigation system that surgeries across Herefordshire are implementing. Many of the queries GP practices receive are not actually medical, so reception staff have been trained to take more details, allowing them to direct patients to the right source of advice, in turn freeing up our clinical staff to concentrate on medical issues.

It helps us enormously if patients tell our receptionists more about the problem, so we can ensure queries are dealt with efficiently.

Dr Simon Lennane

Alton Street Surgery,

Ross-on-WyeA spokesperson for Herefordshire Council has asked the Ross Gazette to clarify some of this information. Applications cannot be made via telephone and whilst you can obtain information from the Council's website, you actually apply via the government’s website https://www.gov.uk/apply-blue-badge