THE North-East has been chosen to receive a share of a £200 million fund aimed at improving urgent NHS care.
The North-East Urgent Care Network (NEUCN) will oversee changes to the way urgent and emergency care is delivered in the region.
It will see GPs, pharmacists, community teams, ambulance services and others working together to deliver urgent care in a more joined-up way.
The network will also aim to break down boundaries between physical and mental health to improve the quality of care and experience for patients.
The initiative is part of the NHS Vanguard Programme which saw local trusts apply to become a ‘vanguard site’ for new care models to be rolled out.
NHS England’s chief executive, Simon Stevens said: “Starting today (Friday July 24), the NHS will begin joining up the often confusing array of A&E, GP out of hours, minor injuries clinics, ambulance services and 111 so that patients know where they can get urgent help easily and effortlessly, seven days a week.
“That’s why we’re backing our frontline nurses, doctors and other staff, in partnership with local communities, to radically redesign our urgent and emergency services."
The North-East initiative is supported by the region’s ten NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups and ten NHS Foundation Trusts, as well as a range of organisations including the North East Ambulance Service, local authorities and the voluntary sector.
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