New 24/7 health teams, faster GP appointments, and community hubs: Barnsley’s urgent care shake-up begins

The programme, led by the Barnsley Place Partnership, includes six major projects focused on improving same-day GP access, supporting high-frequency users of emergency services, expanding community-based care options, and streamlining hospital admissions and discharges.

The overhaul comes as the local health system faces rising demand. Over the past year, emergency department attendances have increased by more than five per cent, with Mondays seeing more than 300 patients on almost every week of the year.

Ambulance handover times at Barnsley Hospital currently average nearly 22 minutes, exceeding the 15-minute national target. Meanwhile, the hospital continues to struggle to consistently meet the four-hour wait time standard for A&E patients — a key national benchmark for urgent care performance. At the same time, GPs across the borough are delivering more appointments than ever before.

A report to Barnsley Council’s overview and scrutiny committee, which will be discussed next week, states that much of the pressure stems from people living longer with more complex health needs, a rise in mental health crises, and delays in accessing earlier care — problems made worse by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health leaders also point to a pattern of patients using emergency services out of confusion or frustration with accessing alternatives, rather than due to true clinical emergencies.

To address these issues, the programme features six projects that aim to reduce avoidable hospital visits, improve outcomes, and connect people to more appropriate care options — whether in a GP surgery, community service, or through digital and telephone-based support.

One major focus will be improving same-day access to GPs. The report states that the project will work with local practices to improve how urgent appointments are offered, adjust staffing models to include more roles like pharmacists and care coordinators, and modernise booking systems. At the same time, a borough-wide campaign will encourage people to call their GP before turning to A&E.

Another key strand of the programme will focus on those who use emergency services most frequently, particularly people living in Barnsley’s most deprived neighbourhoods. These individuals often face overlapping social and health challenges. By connecting them more effectively to local community groups and voluntary services, the aim is to address the root causes of their health issues and reduce their reliance on emergency care.

A new Clinical Assessment Service will also be launched, operating 24/7 and bringing together GPs, paramedics, social workers, and mental health professionals to make swift decisions about the best care pathway for each patient. This collaborative approach, tested successfully in recent pilots, is expected to divert many patients away from hospital, saving valuable ambulance hours and ensuring faster, more appropriate care.

At Barnsley Hospital itself, a transfer of care hub will be set up at the entrance to the Emergency Department. A multi-disciplinary team will assess patients as they arrive and, where suitable, redirect them to services that can better meet their needs. The goal is to ease overcrowding and improve patients’ understanding of how to access care in the future.

The hospital will also see internal improvements aimed at increasing flow. Teams will review how and why patients are admitted, strengthen early discharge planning, and involve social care from the outset. These changes aim to reduce unnecessary admissions and shorten hospital stays, helping patients recover in more appropriate settings and easing pressure on beds.

These projects aim to shift how urgent care is delivered in Barnsley — moving away from crisis-driven hospital care and toward a more joined-up, preventative approach.

A recent audit showed that many ED attendances could have been avoided if patients had received the right support earlier. Previous attempts to ease pressure on A&E by adding new services at the hospital were shelved due to funding concerns, but the lessons learned have directly shaped this wider system change.

The projects are set to begin rolling out from April 2025 and will span a minimum two-year period.