NHS announces major changes coming to GPs affecting millions

The NHS has announced major changes for GPs as part of a 'radical new plan' set to affect millions of people across the country.

Hundreds of thousands of patients will be able to get directly referred and booked in for tests, checks and scans by their GP as part of the plan set to be launched by the NHS and the government next week. People with conditions such as breathlessness, asthma in children and young people, and post-menopausal bleeding have been promised a faster service, with patients no longer needing to see a consultant first.

Under the upgraded services, patients could receive their diagnosis weeks earlier with NHS chiefs vowing to boost patient experience and end the cycle of people getting stuck waiting between GP referrals and hospital appointments. As part of the Elective Reform Plan, millions of people will receive quicker diagnosis and treatment to deliver routine care to nine in ten patients within 18 weeks, the NHS says.

The 'ambitious' new blueprint will see more patients receiving a same day service – with a follow up consultation on the same day as their diagnostic test or scan. Under the reforms, thousands more patients will receive a diagnosis and treatment date within a single day, providing people with 'peace of mind or a clear way forward for their treatment'.

Acceleration of diagnosis times for patients will also come alongside a major expansion of ring-fenced elective capacity in both hospitals and the community – allowing routine care to be protected from winter pressures and future pandemics. The plan for patients will also ensure that people are as fit and prepared as possible for treatment while they wait for an operation, the NHS says.

This will not only boost post-op outcomes and speed