Cash boost will help improve GP services in Mansfield and Ashfield, say health chiefs

The news comes as an NHS survey revealed that more than 27,000 people in Ashfield and Mansfield have had to wait more than a week to see a GP in the past year.

Amanda Sullivan, chief operating officer for NHS Mansfield and Ashfield Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We are working with our GP practices to develop new services and ways of working that will help meet the growing demand for appointments.

“We are fortunately able to use our Prime Minister’s Primary Care Challenge funding to test new ideas and approaches.

“A range of initiatives will be trialled later this year and we will confirm successful bids from practices in September.”

She said people could play their part by using services such as NHS 111 for non life threatening problems and pharmacies for self care advice.

As part of NHS England’s ‘Improving General Practice – A Call to Action’ initiative, several pilot schemes will shortly run at a number of GP practices in Nottinghamshire where extended access will be offered to patients. Some practices will be offering seven-day services through local collaborative arrangements as part of the scheme, and others will test greater use of IT and technology to increase and improve access to services for patients. Further investment would develop integrated health and social care services, give patients improved access to GP services to fit round work and family life.