With the goal to create more appointments for people in Calderdale with respiratory concerns, Pennine GP Alliance has grown its Acute Respiratory Infection Hub service from three to five Hubs, enabling GP practices to refer more patients to same day or next day appointments as close to home as possible.
Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) Hubs operate typically between 1pm and 7pm and are set up so that people with respiratory conditions can receive the treatment they need without having to go to A&E or wait for a GP appointment. This takes pressure of individual GP practices and ensures patients have access to care as soon as possible.
The ARI Hubs were first set up in September 2023 and have since created just over 8,400 additional appointments and had a successful 86% utilisation rate across the 20 GP practices in Calderdale. They are currently running at a 98% utilisation rate.
Since the expansion in December 2023, an ARI Hub now resides in each of the five Primary Care Networks in Calderdale covering Central Halifax, North Halifax, the Lower Calder Valley, Upper Calder Valley and Calder and Ryburn areas.
The addition of two new ARI Hubs has increased the number of daily appointments across Calderdale by 68%, with 106 appointments now available Monday-Friday for people who contact their GP practice with any of the below new symptoms:
- Acute cough
- Cold/flu/COVID like symptoms
- Breathlessness and/or wheeze
- Exacerbation/flare ups of Ashma or COPD
- Sinus infection
- Sore Throat
- Earache/infections with fever or discharge
- Chest tightness – only once checked with a GP
Expanding the service was a response to the successful utilisation of the already existing 3 ARI Hubs which were set up in September 2023, combined with supporting the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board’s strategic priority to manage winter pressures in Calderdale – which local healthcare services face every year.
Funding for the expansion came partly from the Urgent and Emergency Care Board who saw the value of the ARI hubs operated in the previous winter, this investment was enhanced by an additional monies provided from Pennine GP Alliance’s own funds to be able to mobilise the additional hubs by 18th December – this evidences how efficient Pennine GP Alliance were to confirm new premises, update clinical systems, communicate with GP practices and ensure full staffing rotas for two new sites within a two-working day timeframe. It is also a demonstration of General Practices’ contribution to assisting with pressures across the Calderdale health system as we dealt with demand over a period of industrial action.
GP practices are thrilled with the expansion of the respiratory service and continue to fully support and utilise their local ARI Hub whilst witnessing first-hand the benefit it has for patients and busy GP workload.
“The Acute Respiratory Hubs provided by Pennine GP Alliance have been supporting our GP Practices Since September 2023, providing additional capacity over the winter period for us to be able to see and treat patients with respiratory concerns.”
“Reception teams can identify the appropriate symptoms when a patient contacts the surgery and book them directly into an ARI Hub appointment without the need for further triage or assessment. This saves time for both the surgery and the patient.”
“The majority of our patients at Spring Hall have been happy to attend an appointment with a GP at their local Hub, as it has meant they can be seen the same day. This is a huge win for GP Practices as we face increasing demand for same day appointments.”
Dr Nadeem Akhtar, GP at Spring Hall Group Practice
“Patients who come to the Acute Respiratory Hubs across Calderdale commonly have a cough or a sore throat. After assessment they can either be easily reassured or treated with appropriate medications.
“It’s an excellent service that I enjoy working for, knowing that I’m supporting with GP practice workload across the Primary Care Network and providing patients with the opportunity to be seen on the day in the community rather than having to wait for an appointment in their own surgery or unnecessarily visiting A&E.”
“Across Calderdale, patient feedback indicates that 90% of people were ‘very inclined’ to suggest the service.”
Dr Fawad Azam, ARI Hub GP for Pennine GP Alliance
“The Acute Respiratory Infection hubs are a great representation of what Pennine GP Alliance stand for – which is keeping general practice services in the heart of communities. As an organisation we are here to identify where we can best support GP Practices and mobilise additional services that positively impact their capacity and patient care.”
“We also know from patient feedback that if a same day appointment was not available for their respiratory concerns, 86% of patients would call the NHS Helpline or go to A&E instead – further evidence to suggest we are providing a much-needed service that avoids putting pressures elsewhere.”
Will Menzies, CEO Pennine GP Alliance
Funding for the 5 Acute Respiratory Infection Hubs continues until 28 March 2024 (the start of Easter) and Pennine GP Alliance hope to attract year around provision building on this significant and successful extra capacity.
Visit Pennine GP Alliance online to find out more about their Acute Respiratory Infections Hubs and the other services they manage which support Primary Care Networks and patients in Calderdale: www.penninegpa.co.uk/our-services