What is Enhanced Access?
Daytime appointments don’t work for everyone, which is why each practice in Leeds, as part of their contractual requirements is required to deliver appointments outside of general core hours. This is Enhanced Access (formerly Extended Access).
Enhanced Access is one of the services offered to Primary Care Networks (PCNs) by Leeds GP Confederation (the Confed). We deliver services on behalf of the practices within those PCNs that choose to outsource their Enhanced Access contract to us.
The Access Service Delivery Manager working within the Confed, along with the full Operational Team, works with PCN leads to ensure we are delivering models to really benefit the patient populations.
As a team we work together, constantly reviewing the model to ensure we are supporting practices as much as possible and offering additional capacity in the areas it is most needed.
What Does the Service Include?
We currently deliver Enhanced Access services across 16 hub locations across Leeds. This includes appointments delivered by:
- GPs
- Practice Nurses
- Healthcare Assistants
- Advanced Nurse Practitioners
On top of this we also offer a wider range of services that include:
Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC)
We offer LARC appointments in certain Enhanced Access hubs, which includes the contraceptive coil and implant.
Musculoskeletal (MSK)
The Enhanced Access First Contact Physiotherapy service allows people with MSK conditions to access MSK physiotherapy expertise as the first point of contact in primary care without the need to see a GP first.
Pharmacy
Over 50 pharmacists cover an array of remote clinics for PCNs across Leeds. All our pharmacists are independent prescribers and have extensive primary care and general practice experience. Our team offer phone calls to patients to enable them to make the most from their medicines. This can mean effective deprescribing of medicines as well as dose changes and prescribing of new medicines where appropriate.
Healthy Minds
We offer Healthy Minds appointments in specific Enhanced Access hubs across the city. The purpose of Healthy Minds is to support patients who are experiencing temporary or long term, low level, mental health difficulties. We use two providers, Enhance and North Point, who both deliver services on behalf of Enhanced Access.
When is the Service Available?
Enhanced Access is delivered Monday to Friday 6.30pm -8pm, Saturdays 9am -5pm. In some location we offer Sundays too!
Anyone registered at a Leeds-based GP practice can book into the Enhanced Access service via their own GP practice.
What Happens at an Appointment?
Your practice receptionist will let you know if your appointment is a telephone or face to face appointment.
During the consultation, the clinician can arrange a prescription if needed and request tests or referrals, this is all done on patient’s own local practice record.
Our Achievements
In December 2023, the CQC announced our overall rating as ‘Outstanding’, as well as awarding us ‘Outstanding’ in both in both effective and well-led categories, reporting that the organisation showed a ‘culture of high-quality sustainable care’. Read more about our CQC rating here.
In 2024 we delivered 218,393 booked appointments to the city of Leeds! Have a look at the below infographic to see the breakdown of this.
The Operational Team
An enormous amount of work goes into delivering these appointments at scale and we have a brilliant, committed team ensuring this happens. The Operational Team are all completely invested and passionate about ensuring these are quality services and meet practice needs.
The Operational Team is made up of:
Access Service Delivery Manger
Our Access Service Delivery Manager has oversight of the service and all its elements, as well as supporting all external and internal relationships to make sure that Enhanced Access is actively helping to build a resilient general practice in Leeds.
Operational Team Leaders
The first point of contact for PCNs and GP practices, working closely to review services, build on and develop what different areas of the city need. An Operational Team Leader also supports the external workforce.
Deputy Operational Team Leaders
Our Deputy Operational Team Leaders work on call during Enhanced Access hours to support staff and services.
Admin and Rota Co-Ordinator’s
Our Admin staff work to complete all rotas behind the scenes so that GP practices can book into appointments timely and have the right booking information to hand. They are also the first point of contact for our workforce, allocating sessions and managing queries.
Alongside the Operational Team, additional team members contribute to the running of Enhanced Access services, including the Confed’s Chief Operating Officer, various clinical leads and finance support officers.
Communicating with our Workforce and GP Practices
There are currently over 450 people in our Enhanced Access workforce. Each member of staff is communicated with on a regular basis and we pride ourselves on making sure all staff are trained and are have up to date appraisals and forums are offered to all members of staff quarterly as a minimum.
The Operational Team all showcase exceptional communication skills and communicate effectively with a large number of staff, often under stressful conditions. They are confident and capable of quickly assessing problems that could arise and offering solutions, knowing the right people to contact for assistance. They are familiar with the needs of the 450+ staff members and the systems they rely on. There is a deep understanding of the operational requirements of the team, the resources available, and the critical processes that must be maintained.
Operational Team Leaders regularly reviews the appointment utilisation rates at a practice level. They look at data to identify patterns, such as times of day, days of the week, or certain services that are not being fully utilised. Based on the data, they provide insights and actionable recommendations to optimise appointment allocation. This is fed back weekly and support to practices is always available.
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For support or further information, please contact us here. For regular updates on our services, including Enhanced Access, sign up for our newsletter here.