- Thousands more people are being treated quicker by community-based services rather than waiting for hospital care thanks to increased use of GP guidance
- GPs are getting early expert advice to help direct patients to the care they need quicker including services like dietitians, physiotherapists and sexual health experts
- Part of the Plan for Change to rebuild the NHS, the common sense approach means patients get seen quicker and unnecessary pressure is reduced on hospital services
Over 113,000 more people got appropriate care quicker in April thanks to the common sense ‘Advice and Guidance’ scheme that enables GP to lean on specialists straight after seeing patients rather than sending them to wait for a hospital appointment.
GPs can quickly consult clinicians who advise if patients need to be treated in hospital or not – referring them to wider services instead, like dietitians, physiotherapists and sexual health experts.
This means patients can start more appropriate treatment sooner, stopping thousands waiting weeks unnecessarily for a hospital appointment, only to be referred back.
With 99% of general practices now signed up since incentives were announced in April, this has allowed thousands more patients to receive care for conditions months sooner, avoiding an average 13-week wait to begin treatment.
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said:
Through our Plan for Change, we’re taking a common sense approach that’s tapping into existing expertise in the system, making use of wider services, and getting patients the right care faster.
Over 100,000 people have avoided unnecessary hospital queues because GPs are bypassing waiting lists and going direct to specialists for expert advice. It means quicker care for patients closer to home, less pressure on hospitals and more time for doctors to focus on those who need them most.
It’s a win-win to deliver care closer to home, and create a more efficient, joined-up NHS that’s improving patient outcomes.
The scheme has been backed by £80 million by this government, with GP surgeries benefiting from £20 for each referral made under the system.
The number of patients bypassing waiting lists through this system and benefiting from earlier specialist input via Advice and Guidance increased by 14% in 2024/25 compared with the previous financial year – with the new financial incentives set to supercharge this.
Thanks to this government’s focus on Advice and Guidance, waits for first outpatient appoints fell by 10 weeks at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, for patients with liver, stomach and bowel conditions are now waiting 10 weeks less for treatment. Over 3,100 advice requests were processed in April, resulting in more than 1,000 patients being diverted away from elective waiting lists.
One example of how the scheme works would be for a GP to quickly consult a hospital specialist digitally after seeing a patient presenting with gastrointestinal issues. They would give advice on whether to refer the patient to them, or to out of hospital services, such as a dietitian, to receive more appropriate care.
As well as meaning faster care for patients, this has saved them both time and money – thanks to avoiding the need to travel up to 80 miles for a potentially unnecessary hospital appointments.
Dr Matt Warren and Dr Richard Thomson, consultant gastroenterologists at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said:
We are proud and delighted the work we have been doing with our GPs is reflected in the trust performance.
We have made the most of digital health records and modern diagnostics to get specialist opinions to GPs more quickly. This means patients are getting faster, personalised, and effective care.
Putting patients first is our guiding principle and this new way of collaborating feels professionally rewarding. We are committed to continuing to learn and improve the services for our patients.
Since the government announced the boost for the scheme in April, there has been a widespread increase in GPs using the scheme across the country compared to April last year – with 21% more patients benefitting in the South West, an 8% increase in the North East and Yorkshire and an 8% increase in London.
It supports the government’s 10 Year Health Plan to move more care from hospital to community and is progress towards its target of increasing diversions from elective waiting lists to up to two million by the end of 2025-26.
The Advice and Guidance programme forms part of the government’s Plan for Change, which sets out how mission-led government will get patients seen quicker and make the NHS fit for the future.
