EVERY person over-75 in Burnley and Padiham looks set to receive a health MOT — and easier access to their GP — under £368,0000 plans drawn up by surgery bosses.

Fifteen-minute appointments would be set aside at surgeries, with everyone who is not housebound or a resident in a care or nursing homes, qualifying.

Under the plans residents could call for a same day appointment and undergo a range of routine of health checks such as blood pressure monitoring.

The bid would work to not only improve the general health of senior citizens but prevent avoidable admissions to hospital.

Cllr Gordon Birtwistle, Lib Dem group leader on Burnley Council, said: “I think that this is a great idea but at 72 I’m going to have to wait three years.

“Preventative medicine is the way to go and will save the NHS millions in the long run.”

The proposals have been drawn up by Michelle Hartley and Sue Carr, practice managers at Yorkshire Street and Parkside surgeries, and locality manager Jayne Tebbey, and will be presented to the CCG’s primary care committee.

Two specialist nurses have already been recruited and two more will begin work this week.

It comes after the CCG provided £5 per head in funding last year, aimed at transforming health services for the over-75s, of which £368,000 remained unspent.

Ms Hartley said: “This funding provided practices an opportunity to influence local health care so that patients are provided with better integrated care and support.

“Burnley practices opted to work collaboratively and use this funding to maximise the primary care resource and to deliver sustainable improvements to the care of those aged 75 or older.

“Implementing these changes was aimed at improving patients’ lives, empowering patients, carers and other health professionals and delivering better outcomes for people in terms of their health and wellbeing.”

Under the plans some of the larger practices, like Padiham, Parkside Surgery and St Nicholas, would be allocated £47,896, £36,631 and £34,136 respectively.

An additional £875 is being sought to provide administrative support and £300 for a training lunch.

Extra training would also be offered to improve how health workers treat elderly patients at the end of their lives, under the proposals set to be considered by East Lancs Clinical Commissioning Group on Monday.

If the scheme is given the go-ahead it will begin on October 1 and run through to the end of March next year. Once the results of the exercise have been collated, a review report will be presented to a local steering group for evaluation.

Speaking last night, Ms Carr said: “At this point we are waiting to hear back from the primary care committee to see whether we were successful.”

Further work would focus on reducing the risk of urinary tract infection, and the need for related medication, the interpretation of resuscitation notes and improving palliative care.