North Sedgemoor PCN was facing high and increasing demand for same day care but had insufficient staff to meet their needs with recruitment and retention challenges.

The national CLEAR team were asked to support the PCN to increase access and equity for all patients – their recommendations included the integration of a triage hub, new ways of working and centralisation of a same-day hub as well as the development of specialist musculoskeletal, mental health, women’s health and skin lesion hubs alongside increased use of existing pathways in pharmacy and ophthalmology. The new measures were estimated to release 43,000 GP consultations. Recommendations also included optimising ARRS roles introducing physician associates, nursing associates and first contact practitioners.

In this session, the PCN’s Clinical Director talked about its challenges and planned changes following the CLEAR project.

Speakers:

Kyle Hepburn, Clinical Director, and Lead Clinical Pharmacist, North Sedgemoor Primary Care Network

Dr. Eve Corner MBE,  CLEAR Same Day Primary Care Project Clinical Lead