GPs to target 300,000 patients with home visits, health checks and medication reviews this winter in £40m bid to keep them out of hospital

Published: 17:30 EDT, 8 November 2026 | Updated: 17:30 EDT, 8 November 2026 Up to 300,000 vulnerable patients will receive extra support from their GP this winter under a £40million government scheme designed to keep people out of hospital.The initiative will target those most at risk of becoming seriously ill, including patients with heart disease, frailty and lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).GP practices will be given funding to proactively identify vulnerable patients and provide additional care before their health deteriorates.The extra support could include medication reviews, health checks, home assessments and nurse-led respiratory clinics.Ministers hope the move will reduce pressure on overcrowded hospitals and A&E departments during what is expected to be another challenging winter for the NHS.Announcing the programme, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: 'If we want to take the pressure off our hospitals this winter, we've got to keep people well at home.'We're backing GPs to reach the most vulnerable people early, before a small problem turns into a trip to A&E.‘I'm not going to pretend this winter will be easy. But with new technology, upgrades for hospitals and more care available closer to home, we'll make sure the NHS is there for everyone when they need it.’ The extra support could include medication reviews, health checks, home assessments and nurse-led respiratory clinics (stock image)Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the scheme would help local teams provide more support for the frailest patients and keep them well through the winter months.'That is better for patients and means they are also less likely to need hospital care,' she said.Under the programme, Primary Care Networks will be able to claim £126 for every eligible patient they support.The funding comes as the Government steps up preparations for winter after a difficult year for the health service.Since July 2024, more than 2,800 additional GPs have been recruited, taking the total number of fully qualified full-time equivalent family doctors to more than 30,500, the highest figure for over a decade.The NHS says patients are also benefiting from improved access to services, with more than 400 million appointments delivered over the past year – around 24 million more than during the equivalent period before the current government's reforms.Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS England's national director for primary care and community services, said GP teams were 'perfectly placed to spot patients at greatest risk of becoming very unwell'.She added: 'By offering more support to our most vulnerable patients such as home assessments to prevent falls, we will help keep them well and prevent them ending up in hospital this winter.'The £40million initiative forms part of a wider package of measures aimed at helping the NHS cope with winter pressures, including extra urgent care capacity, a major flu vaccination campaign and investment in ambulances, scanners and new emergency treatment centres.