A NEW headache clinic has been launched at surgeries in north Essex.
The weekly clinic will alternate between the Ranworth Surgery in Clacton and the West Bergholt Clinic The clinic, which will see patients referred by GPs, means patients could be seen within a couple of weeks, rather than the current 11-week wait to see a consultant at hospital.
It has been funded by NHS North East Essex and will be run by Dr Samia Qurban.
Dr Qurban said: “I have worked closely for the past six months with Dr Mohammed Sharief, a consultant neurologist at Colchester Hospital, and we have looked at the cases referred by GPs.
“The feeling is a good number of referrals could be dealt with in a community setting.
“The clinic is now in its third week and the number of people I am seeing is increasing week on week.
“Many of them are migraine sufferers whose condition can be looked after, mostly via prescribing medication, without the need to go to hospital.
It is hoped the new scheme will save the NHS about £60,000 a year by ensuring hospital consultants can focus on patients who need their help most.
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