A CASH injection is being provided to encourage more surgeries across East Lancashire to open regularly until 6pm on weekdays before next April.

Just under £122,000 has been earmarked for specialist assistance for medical practices across Hyndburn, Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale and Ribble Valley by East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

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Recent studies have found that up to 30 per cent of admissions at the Royal Blackburn Hospital’s accident and emergency department could have been diverted via other channels, which is the rationale behind the CCG’s primary care committee’s initiative.

Russ McLean, chairman of East Lancashire Patients Voice Group, said he supported the principle of making GP services more accessible but questioned whether what level of impact the funding would have.

He said: “Broadly speaking we would be supportive of this work, but we would need to see the finer detail and we have invited the commissioners to come and explain their intentions.

“Anything which would address the needs of patients, like bringing care closer to home, would be beneficial. But the question is whether local surgeries can deliver this.”

An East Lancashire CCG spokesman said: “The aims of this are to improve access to general practice for people of East Lancashire by ensuring all East practices are open during the core hours of 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, by April 2017.”

Another key component will be working closely with ‘vulnerable’ patients, such as those with complex physical or mental health needs, who may be at a higher risk of hospital admission or readmission.

Under the scheme, the bulk of the funding, around £72,300, will support monthly practice meetings to review unplanned hospital admissions, readmissions and attendance data from either the Blackburn A&E, urgent care centre at Burnley General Hospital or minor injuries unit at Accrington Victoria.

Another £14,850 will be deployed so practices can draw up an action plan to promote 8.30am to 6pm opening, and a further £34,800 will fund attendance at a one-off improvement workshop hosted by the CCG.

Blackburn with Darwen CCG is already more advanced with its work on improved access to GPs, with services around three hubs and also including appointments at weekends.

East Lancashire is also considering proposals to offer ‘hubs’, one in each borough, where late and weekend appointments can be offered.