GPs plan to triple on-day ‘hub’ appointments

A system-wide GP provider collaborative will significantly expand on-the-day centralised “hubs” as part of its plan to transform general practice, it has announced.

A draft plan for the future of general practice in Cornwall has been developed by its General Practice Collaborative Board, including the county’s primary care network clinical directors, Kernow Local Medical Committee, and GP federation Kernow Health.

A big part of its draft plan is to substantially develop segmentation of patients. Under this, growing numbers of people would be sent to centralised “hubs” for non-complex but urgent appointments.

The registered population would be assigned to red, amber or green categories in the GP IT system. Around half of practice appointments would be protected for amber and red patients – the most vulnerable, with ongoing conditions – while green patients, who are generally well, would more often be sent to hubs.

This kind of approach has proven controversial in some areas in recent years, particularly integrated care board proposals in north west London; although many areas have adopted some form of urgent care hubs. 

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Source: HSJ, 4 November 2024