Under long-standing arrangements, historically, a number of GP practices across North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent closed on Thursday afternoons. Changes to the GP Contract have since removed this option, and many practices have sub-contracted North Staffordshire GP Federation to provide continued patient services during this time.
Through these arrangements, the Federation delivers a comprehensive support service on behalf of participating practices. This includes managing incoming telephone calls, providing GP and Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) appointments for patients requiring same-day assessment, and offering appointment capacity for patients identified through practices’ review of online consultations. In addition, we provide a dedicated GP-led home visiting service across the practices we support, primarily for palliative care patients and others requiring urgent clinical assessment at home. This model has been operating successfully for several years and continues to provide reliable, high-quality patient care.
Alongside this service, the Integrated Care Board (ICB) has commissioned the Federation to provide additional clinical cover during Protected Learning Time (PLT) sessions. These sessions take place ten times each year, typically on Thursday afternoons, and focus on delivering education and training to clinicians on key clinical topics.
To support practices during PLT events, we expand our existing Thursday afternoon provision by offering additional GP and ANP appointments across six extra locations. This ensures patients continue to have timely access to care, with convenient geographical coverage across North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.