Practices in Leeds have been asked to “proactively” visit their patients over the winter by their local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).
Three CCGs are planning to commission extra services from GPs and out of hours services over the winter to ease pressure on A&E departments.
Leeds North CCG, Leeds South and East CCG and Leeds West CCG expect practices to provide thousands more appointments over Christmas and the New Year.
Leeds South and East have asked practices to open on the Saturday between Christmas and New Year for the urgent care needs of registered patients and local patients registered with other GP practices.
Member practices have been asked to identify patients at risk of hospital admission to put in place emergency care plans to support carers and relatives, by Leeds North CCG.
Leeds West CCG say its scheme to offer an enhanced service incentivising practices to plan and manage demand from 1 December to 28 February has been ‘well received’.
A CCG spokesperson told Pulse: “We estimate that the scheme will generate an additional 8,513 appointments in the three months from 1 December 2013 to 28 February 2014. Appointments, which will either be with a GP or practice nurse, will consist of pre-bookable and on-the-day appointments as well as proactive visits to support vulnerable patients both housebound or in care homes. The cost to the CCG equates to 50p per patient.”
