The Enhanced Primary Care (EHPC) service is a successful partnership between University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) NHS Trust and North Staffordshire GP Federation. Located adjacent to the Royal Stoke University Hospital Emergency Department, the service is designed to ensure patients receive timely and appropriate care in the most suitable clinical setting.
Patients who attend the Emergency Department are initially assessed and, where appropriate and in line with agreed clinical criteria, are redirected to the EHPC service for treatment within a primary care environment. This enables patients to receive the care they need more quickly while helping to reduce pressure on emergency services.
The service operates 365 days a year, from 8:00am to 1:00am, and is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of GPs and Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs), with a GP always present on site. Clinicians have access to patients’ primary care records, allowing them to deliver a service comparable to that provided by a patient’s own GP practice. Electronic prescribing is available, alongside access to selected urgent referral pathways and diagnostic blood testing, reducing the need for patients to remain within the main Emergency Department.
EHPC typically sees between 80 and 100 patients each day, with most patients being assessed within an hour of arrival. By providing an alternative pathway for patients with primary care needs, the service improves patient flow through the hospital, supports shorter waiting times within the Emergency Department, and ensures patients receive care in the most appropriate setting.
As a highly valued service across the local healthcare system, EHPC demonstrates the benefits of strong collaboration between primary and secondary care, delivering improved outcomes and experiences for patients while supporting the wider urgent and emergency care pathway.