“GPs are continuing to work extremely hard this winter to get people the care they need at this most challenging time for health services,” says Dr Nicola Jones, Wandsworth GP and clinical director in south west London (below).
“GP hub appointments mean more people are able to see a GP, even on bank holidays, helping keep people well and take pressure off emergency departments.”
More than 740,000 GP appointments took place this year in south west London, over half of them same-day appointments. Alongside improved phone and booking systems and a wider range of clinicians in local surgeries, GP hubs in each borough mean more people can be seen in the right place at the right time.
GP hub appointments mean more people are able to see a GP, even on bank holidays, helping keep people well and take pressure off emergency departments.”
GP hubs offer year-round local access to appointments during evenings, weekends and bank holidays. But over winter, extra investment is boosting their capacity to treat more people at this busy time of year and keep them out of hospital.
During the festive period, NHS south west London funded extra appointments – including on bank holidays – for same-day urgent care, where people couldn’t wait until practices reopened. The services available varied by borough, depending on local priorities, but all had some clinics each day for people who needed to be seen.
Hubs across south west London
Merton
“Hubs are a great example of GP practices working together at scale to support people in ways an individual practice may struggle to do on its own.”
Dr Sayanthan Ganesaratnam (main photo) is a Merton GP and the borough’s clinical lead. He explained how the hubs work: “In Merton hubs provide a seven-day service, from 5pm to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 8pm at weekends.
“They offer same-day appointments for people who are unwell and need to be seen, as well as dressing clinics, immunisations and cervical screening appointments, delivered by primary care nurses. We also have clinical pharmacist appointments.
Hubs are a great example of GP practices working together at scale to support people in ways an individual practice may struggle to do on its own.”
“It is a really good service as it supports practices and the wider emergency care system as well. St George’s Hospital emergency department has a single phone number for our service manager. If someone comes in who would be better off seeing a GP than waiting in the emergency department, that person can be booked into an access hub appointment closer to home. GP practices can also book people in through their IT system as can NHS 111.
“We have weekend hubs in the east and the west of the borough – that’s important from an equality perspective as we want to ensure that there are services available to people who need them.”
“It is a really locally-focused service,” he added. “The hubs have full access to patient records – so it’s like seeing your own GP in that regard.”
Wandsworth
Wandsworth’s access hubs provide a GP service from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week. Appointments are available on the day and must be booked via GP practices or NHS 111. This winter, an additional 170 hub appointments per week were available between 9 December 2024 and 11 January 2025. Additional GP slots are also available in practices across Wandsworth until the end of March via the borough’s nine primary care networks.
This supports the wider system reducing the demand on hospitals and providing a better patient journey.”
Mark Steed, director of operations for Wandsworth GP Federation said: “This additional capacity during winter supports primary care and the Wandsworth population with access to a GP or similar health care professional. This then supports the wider system reducing the demand on hospitals and providing a better patient journey.”
Richmond
Richmond GP Dr Justin Woolley, explained how the hubs work in his borough. “We’ve got two hubs, one on each side of the patch staffed by GPs and nurses and healthcare assistants. The main thing is that they’re offering normal GP services at the weekend and out of hours.
“The hubs are ideal for less complex issues and we can increase capacity when there are surges in demand.
“The most common things at this time of year are viral illnesses – parents wanting their child to be seen because they’ve got a temperature and are a bit more unwell, and adults with coughs, possibly chest infections.
The hubs are ideal for less complex issues and we can increase capacity when there are surges in demand.”
“NHS 111 can book directly into the hubs and people get to see an experienced doctor who is often the right person to treat those conditions.”
Aside from winter, one of the benefits of the hubs is the flexibility they offer. “I think the timing can be really useful for working people who like the convenience.
“For example, we’ve done drives on cervical screening and catch-up immunisation sessions. We’ve got a measles surge in London so we’re doing catch-up MMRs. For working parents, the ability to access those services at the weekend works well.”
Find out more
People can access GP hubs via their practice or NHS 111.
There are 100s of things the NHS and social care organisations in south West London are doing to help people stay well this winter – we’re sharing 10 points from the winter plan.