Hundreds of thousands of vulnerable patients in England are to receive extra support from their GP as part of a £40m drive aimed at keeping them out of hospital this winter.
As the NHS gears up for the pressures of the coming months, family doctors will offer 300,000 people with frailty and long-term conditions health checks, medication reviews and respiratory tests designed to prevent avoidable hospital admissions.
Funded by cash reallocated from existing GP budgets for 2026-27, the scheme will allow surgeries to identify and provide extra care to the patients they believe are most at risk of becoming seriously unwell in the winter. Groups of GP practices can use £126 for every eligible patient supported.
The prime minister said the scheme would be targeted at patients with heart disease, frailty and lung conditions such as emphysema and other types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Andy Burnham said he was “not going to pretend this winter will be easy” but the programme would help keep people well at home and avoid unnecessary trips to hospital.
“If we want to take the pressure off our hospitals this winter, we’ve got to keep people well at home. So we’re backing GPs to reach the most vulnerable people early, before a small problem turns into a trip to A&E,” he said.
“People deserve the right care in the right place. And our NHS staff, who work so hard, deserve the right tools to provide it. I’m not going to pretend this winter will be easy. But with new technology, upgrades for hospitals and more care available closer to home, we’ll make sure the NHS is there for everyone when they need it.”
Source: The Guardian, 8 November 2026
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