For the past five years, North Staffordshire GP Federation has been commissioned to deliver the Winter Access Hub, a service designed to provide additional primary care capacity during the period of highest seasonal demand. Operating annually from mid-November through to the end of March, the service has become an established and valued part of the local healthcare system and is expected to continue in future years.
The Winter Access Hub provides additional GP and Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) appointments that can be booked directly by member practices, helping to increase appointment availability during the busy winter months. While previous iterations of the service focused on specific patient groups, such as children or those with respiratory conditions, the service has, for the last two years, been available for patients requiring same-day or next-day access for any clinical condition.
Each winter, the service delivers more than 5,000 appointments and operates as an extension of a patient’s registered GP practice. Clinicians are able to request diagnostic tests, issue prescriptions and make referrals where appropriate, ensuring patients receive comprehensive care without unnecessary delays. The workforce is made up predominantly of locally employed clinicians and experienced local locum staff, helping to maintain continuity and understanding of local healthcare pathways.
During the 2025/26 winter period, appointments were delivered from more than ten locations across North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, providing convenient and accessible care for patients throughout the area. The impact of the service has been significant. Patient survey results from 2025/26 showed that 71% of patients would otherwise have waited to secure an appointment at their own practice, potentially contributing to longer waiting times and delayed access to care. A further 10% reported that they would have attended Accident & Emergency or called 999 had the service not been available, equating to an estimated 500 emergency department attendances avoided. The remaining patients indicated they would have contacted NHS 111, helping to demonstrate the wider system benefits delivered by the service.
In addition to the core Winter Access Hub provision, the Federation is frequently asked to provide further support to the local health and care system during periods of exceptional winter pressure. This has included: supplying GP support to the Acute Visiting Service; prioritising care for nursing home residents and frail elderly patients; providing senior clinical decision-making expertise within the Integrated Care Coordination Centre (ICC); and supporting earlier discharge from hospital by ensuring appropriate clinical oversight and follow-up arrangements are in place.
The Winter Access Hub is a strong example of how collaborative, flexible primary care services can improve patient access, reduce pressure on urgent and emergency care, and support the resilience of the wider healthcare system during the most demanding time of year.