Routine GP appointments will not be available from on Thursday afternoon as GPs attend their latest education session.

Anyone who needs to see a doctor urgently on the specified day should ring their surgery for an appointment with the on-call GP.

Practices will remain open during the afternoon for patients to collect test results, make future appointments and order repeat prescriptions as normal.

Annmarie Cubbon, Manx Care’s general manager of integrated primary and community care, said: ’We understand the importance of both training and service transformation for our GPs.

’This latest session will include an update on diabetes services from the consultant in diabetes management.’

The education sessions were established in 2012 to give GPs the opportunity to discuss developments in medical care and best practice, and to examine ways to enhance care for patients in the Isle of Man at a session away from their surgeries.