Tom Baker, Practice Manager at Leyland Medical Centre in Bradford, shares how the practice transformed the way patients access care, improved preventative healthcare and created a more efficient service for both patients and staff.

At Leyland Medical Centre, we had been thinking for some time about how we could improve access for patients while making better use of our workforce. Like many practices, we were seeing increasing demand and wanted to ensure patients received the right care from the right professional at the right time.

Over the past year, we have introduced a triage-first approach that has transformed how we manage patient requests. Alongside this, we have strengthened our focus on prevention, screening and inclusion to help ensure patients receive support as early as possible.  As a result of the changes we have made, we achieved an outstanding rating in our recent CQC assessment.

Starting with the right care

The principle behind our approach is simple. We wanted to understand a patient’s needs at the earliest opportunity and direct them to the most appropriate service or clinician.

Requests initially come through our reception team, who use care navigation to identify patients who may be better supported by services such as community pharmacy, physiotherapy or other members of our multidisciplinary team. More complex requests are then reviewed by our GP team. We found that experienced clinicians are often best placed to make these decisions, helping patients reach the right service more quickly.

Rather than relying on a single clinician, we developed a team-based approach to triage. GPs work together, share learning and support each other with decision-making. This has created greater consistency and reduced the risk of individuals feeling overwhelmed by demand.

Using technology to support staff

A key part of our success has been making better use of technology and improving our internal systems. We worked hard to remove unnecessary steps and streamline workflows so clinicians could focus on patient care rather than administration.

The improvements have also given us better visibility of demand across the practice. By understanding why patients are contacting us, we can make more informed decisions about workforce planning and ensure patients are directed to the professionals best placed to help them. This has helped us make better use of our multidisciplinary team, which includes GPs, pharmacists, physiotherapists, mental health workers and social prescribers.

Bringing staff and patients with us

Introducing a new model of care was a big change for both staff and patients.

We invested time in supporting colleagues through practice-wide learning events and team-specific training sessions. We also listened carefully to feedback and refined the system as it developed. This helped build confidence and a sense of shared ownership across the practice.

Patient engagement was just as important. We communicated regularly with patients, shared updates and held tutorials to help people understand how to use the new systems and access care in different ways.

Improving access for patients

The new system has significantly improved access to care. Patients submitting an online request now typically receive a clinical triage decision within around 30 minutes. Where a same-day appointment is needed, this can often be arranged within a couple of hours.

Patients are no longer simply joining a queue for the next available appointment. Instead, they are assessed quickly and directed to the clinician or service best suited to their needs, ensuring they receive the right support at the right time.

We have also seen fewer complaints and fewer frustrations directed at reception staff, reflecting improvements in the overall patient experience. Patient feedback has been one of the strongest indicators that the changes are making a real and positive difference. By making it easier to get help and reducing waiting times, we have built confidence in the new way of working and strengthened relationships with our patients.

Making every patient contact count

Alongside improving access, we wanted to make every patient contact count.

We encouraged staff to look at patients more holistically by checking for outstanding screening, immunisations and long-term condition reviews which create an opportunity for patients to interact with the practice. To support this, we developed digital tools that make relevant information easily accessible to staff.

This more proactive approach has led to improvements in screening and immunisation uptake and helped us identify patients who may have previously missed opportunities for preventative care. We have also streamlined our work around high blood pressure, helping identify people with undiagnosed hypertension and ensuring they receive appropriate follow-up and support.

Tackling inequalities through partnership working

Improving access also means making sure our services reach everyone. Working with our Primary Care Network and local partners, we have supported vaccination and screening campaigns through schools, school nurses, new parent groups and learning disability services. By collaborating with community organisations and partner services, we have been able to reach patients who can sometimes be harder to engage and improve access to preventative care.

For example, we implemented a targeted programme to improve cervical screening uptake, expanding nurse capacity and introducing a new recall system. As a result, completed cervical screening procedures have increased by 44% within six months, significantly improving access to potentially life-saving screening for women across the local community

We also redesigned how results from NHS health checks were provided to our patients, to make it easier for them to understand. They now get the information direct to their mobile phones.

Looking towards neighbourhood health

Like many areas, we are developing neighbourhood-based ways of working. Through our Primary Care Network, we are exploring how services can better support vulnerable groups, including care home residents and housebound patients. We see significant opportunities to work even more closely with community services, voluntary organisations and other partners to help people receive more care closer to home.

Advice for other practices

Our journey was supported by the General Practice Improvement Programme (GPIP), which provided the time and space needed to plan for change and turn ideas into action.

For practices considering similar changes, my advice would be to invest time in planning, engage with staff from the outset and make the best possible use of the technology already available to you. Change can feel daunting at first, but involving people throughout the process makes a huge difference.

Most importantly, successful transformation is about people as much as processes. By listening to staff, responding to feedback and continually refining our approach, we have improved access, made better use of our workforce and created a more responsive service for our patients.