The NHS in the North West is providing targeted care for vulnerable groups, improving ambulance handover times and investing in new emergency care facilities as it strengthens its plans to winter-proof the health service.

Local teams are being asked to identify patients who are most vulnerable to winter viruses and at risk of a hospital admission, to provide targeted care and ensure they have the appropriate vaccinations.

During the 12 months up to July this year, more than 100,000 people needing medical help for issues including heart failure, respiratory conditions and mobility problems were referred into urgent community response services across the region, enabling them to be assessed and treated at home or in the community.

NHS teams in the North West are also able to provide hospital-level care at home for up to 1,700 people at any one time through the virtual ward service, freeing up hospital services for those who need them most.

NHS leaders in the North West and throughout England have been testing the robustness of their winter plans by taking part in scenario exercises such as staff shortages, rapid increase in demand and multiple virus outbreaks.

Dr Michael Gregory, Regional Medical Director for NHS England in the North West, said: “Winter is always a time of increased pressures for the NHS and the past two winters have been particularly challenging, but we’re determined through the hard work and preparations that are ongoing with health, social care and community services that this winter will be better.

“We’re doing more to assess and treat people in the community rather than in hospital and get people back home after a hospital stay to give patients the best possible experience and outcomes, while helping to ensure flow through our hospitals in times of increased pressure.

“I’d like to thank NHS staff across the North West, who continue to work exceptionally hard, regularly going above and beyond the call of duty, to ensure their patients are well cared for.”

The health service is predicting another pressured winter with 2025 currently on track to be the busiest on record for A&Es and ambulance services.

NHS teams across the region are also working hard to ensure ambulance handovers are completed within a maximum 45 minutes, and last month the number of ambulance handovers taking over 45 minutes was halved compared with July, saving an estimated 2,000 hours of ambulance time to respond to other emergencies.

In the North West, investment in new and updated urgent and emergency care facilities includes a new £34m ‘Emergency and Urgent Care Campus’ at Stepping Hill Hospital, which opened ahead of winter; work to develop a new paediatric admissions unit and same day emergency care unit at Alder Hey’s emergency department by early 2026; Cheshire and Wirral Partnership’s (CWP) new £3.5 million Integrated Urgent Response Centre, due to open next year in Chester to provide improved support to people experiencing a mental health crisis; and four new electric ambulances to expand North West Ambulance Service’s fleet ahead of winter.

CWP’s new urgent mental health response centre will work alongside the Countess of Chester Hospital, North West Ambulance Service and Cheshire Police, reducing the need for people experiencing a mental health crisis to attend A&E.

Suzanne Edwards, CWP deputy CEO and director of operations, said: “Our new centre has a dual purpose in providing a specially designed, safe and calm assessment space for people when they are often at their most vulnerable, and reducing demand on our local emergency department. We know from listening to our patients and carers that if you are experiencing a mental health crisis, a loud and busy A&E department can’t always provide the best patient experience – we hope to change this.”

The winter vaccination programme is already underway in the North West, where NHS teams have started giving flu vaccination to 2 and 3-year-olds and school aged children, and offering vaccinations for flu, RSV and whooping cough to pregnant women. Flu and Covid vaccines will be further rolled out to older adults and other eligible groups from 1 October.

The NHS is also ramping up staff vaccination programmes with the aim of increasing uptake of the flu vaccine for frontline staff by at least five percentage points ahead of winter. It will be easier than ever for staff to get vaccinated with onsite bookable and walk-in appointments.

Dr Merav Kliner, Regional Deputy Director – North West at UK Health Security Agency, said: “Our new winter marketing campaign has a clear message: ‘Stay Strong. Get Vaccinated’.

“If you’re pregnant or have a long-term health condition, you are at greater risk from serious flu complications.  Vaccination protects you and your family. If you’re pregnant it also protects your baby, both in the womb and for the first few months of life.

“Don’t wait, if you are eligible, please come forward – it could be the most important appointment you make this winter, helping to keep you out of hospital.”