Vulnerable Patients to Receive Additional GP Care Through £40m Winter Scheme

Up to 300,000 people at greater risk of becoming seriously unwell will receive additional support from GP teams this winter under a £40 million programme in England.

Practices will proactively identify patients who could benefit, particularly those living with frailty, heart disease, emphysema or other forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Support may include health checks, medication reviews, home assessments and nurse-led respiratory clinics.

The aim is to identify changes in people’s health before they reach crisis point, helping them remain safely at home and reducing avoidable hospital admissions. Primary Care Networks will be able to claim £126 for each eligible patient they support.

The funding is ring-fenced for the programme but is being reallocated from existing GP budgets for 2026–27 rather than provided as wholly new investment. GP leaders have welcomed the emphasis on prevention while warning that short-term schemes cannot replace sustained investment in care for people with complex and long-term needs.

Homecare providers and family carers may see greater involvement from GP practices and community teams where somebody they support is selected. Sharing changes such as worsening breathlessness, reduced mobility, confusion, falls or difficulties taking medication could help clinical teams respond before hospital treatment becomes necessary.

Patients do not appear to need to apply directly. GP practices will use their knowledge of local populations to identify those considered most vulnerable and decide what additional support is appropriate for each person.

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