Norfolk Primary Care Quality Account 1 st April 2025 to 31 st March 2026
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CONTENTS Quality Account: Scope, Structure, and Overview of Key to Success.............................................. 3 Norfolk Primary Care: Organisational Overview............................................................................... 6 Section 1: Statement from James Leeming, Chief Executive & Dr Peter Lawson, Chair ......10 Section 2: An Overview of Norfolk Primary Care - Quality & Safety Performance in 2025/2026 ...................................................................................................................................... 13 2.1 Our Clinical Services – An overview of Norfolk Primary Care ....................................... 14 2.2 Our Support Services .................................................................................................... 26 2.3 Norfolk Primary Care Events ......................................................................................... 32 Section 3: Clinical Quality & Safety Assurances ...................................................................... 36 3.1 Data Security & Protection Toolkit (DSPT) .................................................................... 36 3.2 Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) ....................................................................... 36 3.3 Audit - Clinical and Administrative ................................................................................. 37 3.4 Safeguarding ................................................................................................................. 38 3.5 Incident Reporting and Learning ................................................................................... 39 3.6 Central Alerts System: CAS Reporting .......................................................................... 43 3.7 Management of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidance ... 43 3.8 Learning from Complaints & PALS Concerns ............................................................... 43 3.9 Service Feedback – Patient and Service Users Experience Survey and Appreciations 48 Section 4: Our Key Quality Improvement Priorities.................................................................. 58 4.1 Review of Key Priorities for Quality Improvements for 2025/26 – “We Did” .................. 58 4.2 CQC “We” Statements – Evidence of Quality (2025/26) ............................................... 61 4.3 Strategic Key Quality Improvement Priorities 2026/27 .................................................. 63 Acknowledgement .......................................................................................................................... 68 Annexe 1: Stakeholder Statement – Norfolk & Suffolk Integrated Care Board .............................. 69
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Quality Account: Scope, Structure, and Overview of Key to Success Scope and structure A Quality Account is an annual report produced by healthcare organisations to provide information to patients, the public, and stakeholders about the quality of NHS-commissioned services they deliver. It demonstrates transparency and accountability, and highlights how organisations monitor, maintain, and improve the quality of care provided. This Quality Account provides an overview of how Norfolk Primary Care continues to work with practices and partners across Norfolk and Waveney to support the delivery of safe, effective, and patient-centred primary care. It outlines our approach to quality improvement, reflects on performance and learning across the three domains of quality, and sets out our priorities for the year ahead. Through collaboration, neighbourhood-based working, and a continued focus on supporting general practice, we remain committed to our organisational values striving to improve outcomes for patients and communities.
Overview of Success Quality Domain
Key To Success
Success in patient safety is achieved through a strong organisational culture that prioritises learning, openness, and continuous improvement. This includes robust clinical governance arrangements, proactive risk identification and management, effective incident reporting and learning, and adherence to evidence-based policies and standards. Ongoing staff training, clear communication, and engagement with patients and partners further support the delivery of safe care and the prevention of avoidable harm. Success in patient safety is achieved through a strong organisational culture that prioritises learning, openness, and continuous improvement. This includes robust clinical governance arrangements, proactive risk identification and management, effective incident reporting and learning, and adherence to evidence-based policies and standards. Ongoing staff training, clear communication, and engagement with patients and partners further support the delivery of safe care and the prevention of avoidable harm.
Patient Safety
Clinical Effectiveness
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Success in patient experience is achieved by placing patients at the centre of care and actively listening to their views, experiences, and feedback. This includes using a range of feedback mechanisms, responding openly to concerns and complaints, and demonstrating learning and improvement based on what patients tell us. Positive patient experience is further supported through compassionate communication, involvement of patients in decisions about their care, and working collaboratively with carers and families to ensure care is responsive, respectful, and meets individual needs.
Patient Experience
NPC Core Values
COLLABORATION
INTEGRITY
CARE
CORE VALUES
TEAMWORK
ACCESSIBILITY
LEADERSHIP
Care: Delivering high-quality, patient-focused, holistic healthcare within the local community and beyond Integrity: Upholding ethical standards and maintaining accountability in all that we do
Collaboration: Building strong partnerships to enhance the delivery of quality healthcare services
Leadership: Pioneering change, fostering trust, and driving efficiency
Accessibility: Ensuring inclusivity and openness to all
Teamwork: Embedding our shared values within our team, fostering mutual appreciation and respect to create a safe and positive work environment
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This Quality Account is presented in four sections:
Section 1. Statement on Quality from the Chair and Chief Executive This section provides a statement of the organisation’s approach to quality and outlines key achievements and progress made during the reporting period. Section 2. Our Clinical Services – An overview of Norfolk Primary Care A review of the services delivered during the year, including an assessment of performance against the domains of quality, with reference to patient safety and clinical effectiveness. Section 3. Clinical Quality and Safety Assurances This section describes the systems and processes in place to monitor and improve quality, including review of patient and staff experience, clinical audit activity, analysis of complaints and incidents, and delivery of education and training. Section 4. Priorities for Quality Improvement – Progress against 2025/26 priorities and Future Priorities for 2026/27 A summary of performance against the 2025/26 quality priorities and an outline of the agreed quality priorities and improvement objectives for 2026/27. If you or someone you know needs help understanding this report, or would like the information in another format, such as large print, easy read, audio or Braille, or in another language, please contact our Chief Clinical Officer by calling 01603 576091 or emailing emma.smith@norfolkprimarycare.com
Quality Account 2025/26
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Norfolk Primary Care: Organisational Overview Formerly known as North Norfolk Primary Care Ltd (NNPC), the organisation was incorporated in 2017 and successfully rebranded as Norfolk Primary Care (NPC) following its formal launch in April 2024. The rebrand reflected an expanded organisational vision and a strengthened commitment to supporting primary care services across a wider geographic footprint within Norfolk and Waveney. This change marked a new phase in the organisation’s development, reinforcing its focus on community-centred care and establishing NPC’s role as a key enabler within the local healthcare system. Central to NPC’s vision is its commitment to the neighbourhood model of care delivery, supporting collaborative, place-based working between primary care, community services, and system partners. This approach enables care to be delivered closer to home, tailored to local population needs, and aligned with Integrated Care System (ICS) priorities to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes. In August 2024, NPC transitioned to Community Interest Company (C.I.C) status. This move further strengthened the organisation’s social purpose and ensured that the benefits of its work are reinvested to support communities and primary care delivery across the region. The C.I.C model, alongside the organisation’s rebranding, reflects NPC’s mission to support an expanded network of member-provider practices and to play a leading role in the delivery of integrated, population-based primary care services for residents across the Norfolk and Waveney system. Looking ahead to 2026/27 and beyond, NPC will continue to work in close partnership across the Norfolk & Waveney healthcare system. It will support neighbourhood-based models of care through collaboration, innovation, and supporting ongoing service development with the Primary Care Networks. By identifying and pursuing new opportunities for primary care within the ICS, NPC aims to improve patient outcomes, strengthen the sustainability of general practice, and contribute to the delivery of safe, high-quality, and effective care for local communities. NPC is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to provide the following regulated services:
• Treatment of disease, disorder, and injury • Diagnostic and Screening procedures • Maternity and Midwifery Services • Family Planning • Surgical Procedures
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The CQC Registered Manager is James Leeming, CEO.
The nominated individual for regulated activities is Emma Smith, Chief Clinical Officer.
In June 2021, the organisation - then known as NNPC - underwent a targeted inspection. As a result of this, we received a rating of ‘Good’ in the areas of safety, effectiveness, and leadership. NPC has an overall CQC rating of ‘Good’. The Care Quality Commission has not taken enforcement action against NPC nor has NPC participated in any special reviews or investigations by the CQC during any reporting period since the organisation formed.
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The closing 2025/26 Position – Norfolk Primary Care (NPC) Membership Coverage & Primary Care Network (PCN) Support: The Norfolk & Waveney Region NPC Members 72 Practice members Only two PCNs without NPC members (x 8 Practices)
A further 11 practices that are not members in various PCNs across N&W Majority coverage in 17 of 20 current PCN footprints 3 Practices we can’t accept as members due to their Plc status
PCN Support
7 of 12 in Central Norfolk 2 of 4 in Great Yarmouth & Waveney Over £24m of practice ‘pass through’ funding administered via the organisation on an annual basis Our internal team is supporting practices and PCNs with a wide range of projects that are benefitting patients in their local areas
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Section 1
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Section 1: Statement from James Leeming, Chief Executive & Dr Peter Lawson, Chair Our organisation was formed nine years ago by a group of general practices in North Norfolk, driven by a shared ambition to improve quality, sustainability, and influence through collaboration while retaining practice independence. It was founded on a clear principle: that working together enables general practice to achieve improvements in care delivery, resilience, and system engagement that are not always possible in isolation. Over the past year, NPC has continued to evolve in response to the changing NHS landscape and the needs of practices and communities across the Norfolk and Waveney region. Engagement has expanded significantly beyond our founding geography, with practices, Primary Care Networks, and partners contributing to the organisation’s development and direction. This growth has been purposeful and values-led, focused on strengthening capability, sharing learning and innovation, and enabling general practice to contribute more effectively at neighbourhood, place, and system level. Our approach is firmly aligned with national and local priorities for integrated, neighbourhood-based models of care. NPC is committed to supporting practices to work collaboratively with community, mental health, secondary care, social care and voluntary sector partners to improve population health outcomes, reduce inequalities, and deliver safe, effective, and person-centred care closer to home. We believe that strong neighbourhood working is fundamental to improving quality and ensuring the long-term sustainability of primary care services. As a Community Interest Company (C.I.C), we reinforce our commitment to public benefit, transparency, and collective ownership. NPC exists to support and act on behalf of its member practices, with any surplus reinvested to benefit patient care and local communities. During the reporting year of 2025/26, membership has continued to grow, with 70+ practices (up to 31 March 2026) either signed or actively progressing membership, alongside our founding practices. This marks an important step towards becoming a genuinely representative, membership-owned organisation for general practice across the Norfolk and Waveney System. NPC supports practices by providing governance, operational, financial, and organisational infrastructure that enables general practice to operate effectively at scale where appropriate, while maintaining local autonomy. Our role is not to replace the core work of practices, but to complement and strengthen it, allowing practices to focus on delivering high-quality care for their patients.
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Throughout 2025/26, we have listened carefully to feedback from practices and colleagues. We recognise the significant pressures facing general practice, including rising demand, workforce challenges, and financial uncertainty. Despite these pressures, practices continue to deliver high levels of care and maintain their position as the front door of the NHS. This Quality Account reflects both that ongoing commitment and the system-level changes required to better support quality improvement in primary care. Looking ahead to 2026/27 and beyond, NPC remains committed to working in partnership across the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System, including working with the Integrated Care Board, Local Medical Committee, Healthwatch, and provider partners. As Integrated Neighbourhood Teams and Primary Care Provider Collaboratives continue to develop, NPC’s focus will be on supporting general practice to engage, be influential, and supported to play a central role in shaping and delivering system transformational change. Quality improvement remains central to our purpose. This Quality Account sets out our performance and learning across patient safety, clinical effectiveness, and patient experience, and highlights our priorities for the year ahead. By continuing to work collaboratively, transparently, and at pace, we believe there is a significant opportunity to strengthen general practice, improve outcomes for patients, and contribute positively to the delivery of integrated, high-quality care across Norfolk and Waveney. This Quality Account has been prepared by our Chief Clinical Officer and is fully endorsed by the Board. To the best of our knowledge, the information contained within is accurate and is an accurate representation of the quality of our work and achievements during the 2025/26 period.
James Leeming
Dr Peter Lawson
Chief Executive
Chair
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Section 2
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Section 2: An Overview of Norfolk Primary Care - Quality & Safety Performance in 2025/2026 Overall, NPC services have delivered 186,070 face-to-face and telephone appointments over the 2025/26 period.
113,647 of those appointments were within our key face-to-face ‘same day’ services which supports the Urgent & Emergency Care system across the Norfolk & Waveney Region, which equates to 61% of all appointments delivered by NPC in the 2025/26 period. From our SMS patient feedback survey : We had a total of 12,661 responses with an average of 83.5% of them rating the service as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’ and an average of 96.5% for the Friends & Family Test. There was an overall 13% response rate to our SMS patient feedback surveys. Furthermore, a total of 1,073 specific compliments were received across all of our services.
We had an average of 380+ members of staff who worked for us on a permanent, bank, or locum basis across our services in the 2025/26 period (variable throughout this period).
From our staff survey: 85% of our staff believe that high quality patient care is of NPC’s top priority and 89% of them would be happy that their family or friends were treated in one of our services.
In the 2025/26 period, our complaints to patient contact ratio was 0.11% and our patient safety incidents to patient contact ratio was 0.22%
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2.1 Our Clinical Services – An overview of Norfolk Primary Care 2.11 Asylum Seeker Service & Vulnerable Adults Service (VAS) I. Asylum Seeker Service
Norfolk Primary Care (NPC) delivers the Asylum Seeker Community Healthcare Team (ASCHT) in collaboration with Norfolk County Council’s People from Abroad Team (PfAT). The service supports asylum seekers residing within the Greater Norwich area to access appropriate health and care services. It provides a coordinated and integrated approach to addressing both the health and wider social needs of asylum seekers, migrants, and refugees. ASCHT operates as part of NPC’s wider Vulnerable Adults Model and contributes to the delivery of Norfolk’s Inclusion Health Service. The team adopts a proactive, case-managed outreach model, designed to respond to the complex and often unmet needs of this population. Support is tailored to individual circumstances and focuses on improving access, engagement, and health outcomes. The multidisciplinary team comprises both clinical and administrative staff, enabling the delivery of coordinated care, effective case management, and strong system navigation support. The ASCHT primarily supports individuals seeking asylum who are: • Residing in contingency hotel accommodation or dispersal housing across Norfolk • Referred via accommodation providers (e.g. SERCO) for an initial health assessment, following registration with a GP practice The service ensures that patients receive timely health assessments, appropriate signposting, and ongoing support, while working closely with primary care and partner organisations to promote continuity of care and reduce health inequalities. What did the patients say about what could improve the Vulnerable Adults & Asylum Seeker services?
“Man patinka ir taip kaip yra (I like it just the way it is)” Service User, Vulnerable Adults & Asylum Seeker Service
“Truthfully speaking i cant ask for more, the service is ample” Service User, Vulnerable Adults & Asylum Seeker Service
“I feel safer there than any other doctors service I have been to. And feeling safe is what vulnerable need to feel” Service User, Vulnerable Adults & Asylum Seeker Service
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II. Vulnerable Adults Service (VAS) The Vulnerable Adults Service (VAS) provides GP registration and targeted healthcare support to individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, as well as sex workers, people transitioning from custody, and Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities. The service aims to stabilise patients’ health and address immediate healthcare needs over a defined period, typically within six months. During the 2025/26 reporting period, the service supported a monthly average of 109 registered patients. The VAS team works collaboratively with Norwich-based Inclusion Health practices to enable timely transfer of care into mainstream primary care services. This ensures continuity of care and supports the effective, longer-term management of each patient’s health needs. Care transfer from the Vulnerable Adults Service (VAS) into mainstream primary care is a planned and coordinated process designed to ensure continuity, safety, and stability of care. Once a patient’s immediate health and social needs have been stabilised, the VAS team works collaboratively with local Inclusion Health GP practices to identify a suitable long-term practice for registration. This process includes confirming the patient’s engagement, location, and any ongoing support needs. Prior to transfer, the VAS team ensures that a comprehensive clinical handover is completed. This includes up-to-date medical records, current treatment plans, identified risks, and any safeguarding considerations. Where appropriate, care plans are developed to support ongoing management of long-term conditions, mental health needs, or substance misuse. Patients are supported throughout the transition, including assistance with registration, clear communication about their new practice, and signposting to relevant services. In some cases, joint working or phased handover arrangements are used to provide additional support during the transition period. Following transfer, the receiving GP practice assumes clinical responsibility for the patient’s care, ensuring continuity and integration into mainstream primary care services. This approach supports sustained health improvements and reduces the risk of patients disengaging from services. The VAS and the ASCHT completed a combined 3,387 patient consultations in the 2025/26 period.
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2.12 Enhanced Access (EA) Service
NPC’s delivery of Enhanced Access (EA) services supports improved access equity by ensuring that patients can access primary care services at times that better reflect differing needs, circumstances, and lifestyles. By providing appointments outside of core hours, including evenings and weekends, the service reduces barriers for individuals who may face challenges attending during traditional working hours, such as those in employment, carers, or people with complex social circumstances.
The model also supports more equitable access across PCN populations by offering care through a hub-based approach, enabling resources to be distributed efficiently and consistently across practices. This helps to reduce variation in access between practices and ensures that patients, regardless of their registered GP, can benefit from additional appointment capacity. NPC works with PCNs to tailor Enhanced Access delivery to local population needs, including consideration of deprivation, demographic profiles, and known health inequalities. This targeted and flexible approach helps to ensure that underserved or higher-risk groups can access care more easily, supporting earlier intervention and reducing the risk of unmet need. Over the course of 2025/26, NPC has delivered 10,748 EA Service appointments in 12 individual hubs in the PCNs it supports across the Norfolk & Waveney region. In addition, the provision of a multi-disciplinary workforce within Enhanced Access services supports patients in accessing the most appropriate clinician for their needs, improving both timeliness and quality of care. This contributes to a more efficient, responsive system that promotes equitable outcomes. Overall, Enhanced Access services play a key role in reducing inequalities in access to primary care, supporting system-wide priorities to deliver inclusive, responsive, and patient-centred services.
What did the patients say about the Enhanced Access Service?
“I work full time and unable to attend many appointments during the day, so this was perfect.” Patient from the EA Service
“Excellent service, and great that it’s a Saturday as well. Well done and thank you for the service.” Patient from the EA Service
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2.13 General Practice at the Front Door (GPFD) Service delivered across the regions Acute Trusts – The James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (JPUH), Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust (QEHKL) and Norfolk and Norwich
University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH) NPC commenced delivery of the GP Front Door (GPFD) service across Norfolk and Waveney in 2021. It was introduced at JPUH in September 2021, followed by QEH in January 2022 and NNUH in July 2023. The service offers patients timely access to general practice appointments while helping emergency departments manage rising urgent and emergency care demand. GPFD supports ED teams by improving patient flow, reducing pressure, and ensuring patients receive the most appropriate care.
The service operates seven days a week, 365 days a year, between 09:00 hours and 21:00 hours. However, during 2025/26, increasing demand for urgent and emergency care was recognised across the system. In response, GPFD Service teams worked in partnership with JPUH and QEH to pilot an extended operating hours service. This collaborative and responsive approach supported improved Emergency Department performance, while also enhancing patient pathways and overall experience of care.
The overall number of patients seen in the GPFD services for the 2025/26 period were:
Trust
Total number of patients seen
16,332
JPUH
14,827
QEH
17,081
NNUH
48,240
Total Patients seen
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The GP at the Front Door Service team collaborates closely with the Emergency Department (ED) teams to support and uphold the shared commitment to delivering high-quality care for patients deemed suitable for the General Practice at the Front Door Service pathway. Overall, the GPFD service plays a critical role in supporting ED performance by safely diverting appropriate patients to primary care, reducing pressure on the emergency department, and enabling ED teams to focus on delivering high-quality care to the most acutely unwell patients. What did the patients say about the GPFD services?
“ The service was first class and couldn’t be bettered .” Patient from the QEH GPFD Service
“ first class service this evening, super professional staff, they were really helpful and looked after me. ” Patient from the JPUH GPFD Service
“ I felt listened to and was given some really good advice and actions to put into place. Thank you .” Patient from the NNUH GPFD Service
2.14 Home Visiting Service
The NPC Home Visiting Service (HVS) has been in operation since April 2024 and continues to support 17 practices across three central Norwich Primary Care Networks (PCNs). The service is directly commissioned by these practices to deliver essential same-day home visits for housebound patients, ensuring that those most vulnerable can access timely care in their own homes. In addition to urgent care provision, the service also supports aspects of long-term condition management, providing a more holistic and coordinated approach to patient care.
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The HVS operates Monday to Friday between 09:00 hours and 17:00 hours, working in close collaboration with GP practices to prioritise and respond to patient needs. This partnership approach ensures that patients receive care in the most appropriate setting, reducing the need for unnecessary travel and supporting equity of access for those who are unable to attend appointments.
During the 2025/26 period, the HVS team completed 7,663 home visits, demonstrating a significant level of activity and demand. Through effective clinical triage and timely home- based interventions, the service has facilitated early identification and management of health issues, helping to prevent deterioration and reduce the risk of crisis presentations.
Clinical assessments undertaken by the service consider not only immediate medical needs, but also functional and social factors, enabling a comprehensive and person-centred approach to care. By initiating treatment within the community, coordinating follow-up with GP practices, and linking with wider community and social care services where required, the HVS plays a key role in supporting continuity of care. This integrated model has contributed to a reduction in avoidable hospital attendances and admissions, helping to ease pressure on acute services while improving patient outcomes and experience.
What did the patients say about the Norwich Home Visiting service?
“ I felt she actually listened to me as the backstory was as important as the issue in hand unlike A&E where I felt rushed only wanting to hear about issues that brought me there! ”
“ Delighted with the very professional and friendly demeanour of the nurse who called to assess my physical condition. Thank you. ”
“I arranged this on behalf of my mother as I'm 140 miles away. Impressed this was arranged so quickly. My mother and step-father were happy with the service. ” Patient relative on the Home Visiting Service
Patient from the Home Visiting Service
Patient from the Home Visiting Service
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2.15 The Lower Gastrointestinal Support Service (LGISS) on behalf of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust (QEHKL) The Lower GI Support Service was initially introduced as a three-month pilot in May 2022. During the period between 2022 and 2024, the service underwent multiple phases of decommissioning and recommissioning. It subsequently expanded from supporting the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) to delivering services across all three acute Trusts, following recommissioning from May 2024 to March 2025. The service was originally commissioned by the Cancer Alliance and was later commissioned by Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) on behalf of the three acute Trusts in the region. Most recently, the service was reintroduced to support the QEHKL for a further three-month period, commencing in February 2026. The aim of the service was to reduce waiting times for patients with a high risk of colorectal cancer by working with the Lower Gastrointestinal (GI) Teams at the Trust to stream suitable Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) negative and low risk patients into a primary care-led rapid diagnostic service. Symptomatic patients could then receive expert review and relevant diagnostic tests through specialist primary care triage, whilst increasing capacity within secondary care for managing those higher risk patients on a 2 week wait cancer pathway.
What did the patients say about the LGISS?
“Excellent care made me feel that I was worthy and that my health mattered. Very reassuring.” Patient from the LGISS
“The Dr was very polite and informative and is a credit to the profession … Top person” Patient from the LGISS
2.16 Millwood Medical Practice Norfolk Primary Care (NPC) is pleased to report that on 22 December 2025, Millwood Medical Practice formally joined NPC through the novation of its General Medical Services (GMS) contract. This transition represents a positive step in supporting the long-term resilience of general practice services and ensuring the continued delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care to a population of approximately 20,000 patients. Since the transition to NPC, the Millwood Medical Practice team has seen 15,867 patients up to 31 March 2026.
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The integration of Millwood Practice into NPC’s Community Interest Company (CIC) model supports a locally owned, not-for-profit approach to healthcare delivery.
This model ensures that:
• Decision-making remains clinically led • Services are shaped around the needs of the local population • Financial surpluses are reinvested into patient care Importantly, this transition does not represent a change in the patient-facing identity of the practice. Patients continue to receive care from familiar clinicians and staff, ensuring continuity and stability. The CIC model ensures that the practice remains locally accountable and clinically led, distinguishing it from external or commercial provider models. The integration of Millwood Medical Practice into NPC represents a proactive and collaborative approach to addressing the challenges facing general practice. It demonstrates: • A commitment to service sustainability • A focus on supporting clinicians and staff • A clear emphasis on maintaining high-quality patient care
By strengthening organisational resilience while preserving local identity and clinical leadership, this transition provides a strong foundation for the future of primary care services in Gorleston and contributes positively to the wider Norfolk and Waveney health system.
What do the patients say about the Millwood Medical Practice services?
“The nurse could not have been any better. She was so lovely and made me feel very comfortable. I would love to have her at any future appointments” Patient of Millwood Medical Practice
“As usual a good professional service and also usual reassuring manner throughout appointment.” Patient of Millwood Medical Practice
“Excellent service as always” Patient of Millwood Medical Practice
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2.17 Norwich Health Centre (NHC) Since December 2023, NPC has continued to deliver general practice services at Norwich Health Centre, providing consistent, accessible care to the local population. During the 2025/26 period, the practice delivered 41,958 appointments, reflecting sustained demand and a high level of activity. Throughout this period, the practice maintained a stable and growing patient list, with an average monthly registered population of 11,161 patients, demonstrating continued confidence in the service. A range of quality improvement initiatives have been implemented to enhance both access and patient experience. These have included measures to improve appointment availability and flexibility, alongside the introduction of drop-in sessions designed to support patients with a wide range of health and social care needs. These sessions have enabled a more proactive and inclusive approach to care, particularly for individuals who may face barriers to accessing traditional appointment systems. Significant improvements have also been made to patient accessibility within the practice environment. This has included the installation of a hearing loop system, as well as the provision of alternative communication formats, such as multilingual resources and braille, to ensure services are inclusive and responsive to the needs of the diverse local community. In addition, the practice has actively engaged with local schools, supporting the creation and display of multicultural artwork, helping to foster a welcoming, inclusive, and community-focused environment. These initiatives have been delivered alongside ongoing investment in staff development and wellbeing, recognising the importance of a supported and engaged workforce in delivering high- quality care. Collectively, these improvements have contributed to enhancing patient access, experience, and inclusivity, while supporting the continued delivery of safe and effective primary care services at Norwich Health Centre.
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What did the patients say about the Norwich Health Centre services?
“She said she is so thankful for being seen……she really felt heard and listened to, and was really happy with how the consultation went and asked me to let (the GP) know” Patient of Norwich Health Centre
“I would like to compliment one of your staff who work on reception…..I have been fortunate enough on 3 occasions to have had her answer my calls. My concerns have been regarding my elderly Mother, each and every time she has gone above & beyond her duty to find the information I require, with courtesy and reassurance.” Relative of a Patient of Norwich Health Centre
“I have been very impressed with Norwich Health Centre; everyone I have spoken to have been really helpful and got back to me.” Patient of Norwich Health Centre
2.18 Norwich Walk-In Centre (WiC) Service The Norwich Walk-In Centre operates seven days a week, including Bank Holidays, between 07:00 hours and 19:00 hours. The WiC is a nurse-led service, and during the 2025/26 period, staff treated a total of 57,744 patients. Access to the service is for individuals registered with a UK GP and provides care for patients with minor illnesses and minor injuries.
The WiC team remains committed to delivering high-quality patient care, with patient safety embedded at every stage of the patient journey, from initial clinical triage through to discharge. Continuous efforts have been made to review and strengthen key processes, ensuring they are efficient, effective, and patient-centred. This includes refining triage systems to prioritise clinical need, improving communication throughout the patient pathway, and enhancing decision-making to support timely and appropriate care. By embedding these improvements, the team aims to ensure that all patients attending the service receive the right level of care, delivered promptly, and that their presenting condition is managed safely and comprehensively to a satisfactory outcome.
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What did the patients say about the Norwich Walk-In (WiC) Centre service?
“the clinician was amazing! So kind so good and thorough I can give enough praise for how nice she was to us!! She was a real credit to the whole team!” Patient who attended the Norwich Walk-In Centre
“I wish to thank all the staff for their professional and kind care when I visited…….I would especially like to thank
“There is NOTHING that I can think of to improve the service except maybe the chairs in the waiting area. But then, my problem was with my ribs/back!” Patient who attended the Norwich Walk-In Centre
(the nurse) for her brilliant help and
exceptional kindness.” Patient who attended the Norwich Walk-In Centre
2.19 Rapid Diagnostic Service (RDS) The RDS provided essential support to general practice, community pharmacists, or hospital emergency departments with an essential urgent suspect cancer pathway referral for those patients who had serious but non-specific symptoms. It was decommissioned in September 2025. During the period of April 2025 until the end of September 2025, the team saw 324 patients. The outcomes of which were: April – September 2025 Number of patients % Number of patients discharged with a cancer diagnosis 26 8% Number of patients discharged with a non- cancer diagnosis 206 64%
92
Number of patients discharged with no diagnosis
28%
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What did the patients say about the RDS?
staff for their “The service I received was exceptional. The Doctor was outstanding. Caring sympathetic and is doing her very best to sort my problem out. I cannot thank the wonderful service I’ve been given and still having. My sincere thanks.” Patient who attended the Rapid Diagnostic Service
“ A very competent, kind professional. Made me feel at ease and I could discuss very personal information without embarrassment. I was given plenty of time and consideration and explanation throughout consultation. A big thank you. ” Patient who attended the Rapid Diagnostic Service
“Service was excellent, friendly & reassuring.” Patient who attended the Rapid Diagnostic Service
2.20 Referral Validation - Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (QEH), and the James Paget University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (JPUH) From February 2026, a three-month programme of referral validation support was delivered at both QEH and JPUH, with a strong emphasis on improving patient safety, clinical appropriateness, and the overall quality of care pathways. This work involved proactively reviewing patients awaiting outpatient appointments to confirm whether specialist input remained clinically necessary. Where an appointment was no longer required, patients were safely removed from waiting lists, and their registered GP was informed to ensure continuity of care. This approach supported safer, more responsive services by ensuring that patients only remain on waiting lists where there is a clear clinical need, thereby reducing the risk of unnecessary appointments and improving access for those requiring timely intervention. Support was provided across a number of specialties, including Pain Management, general surgery, Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT), and Urology, contributing to more efficient use of clinical capacity and shorter waits for patients in genuine need of specialist care. Examples of this support work includes: Pain Management (QEH) : 469 patients were reviewed and contacted. Of these, 24 were safely removed from the waiting list following clinical validation, with a further 114 patients identified for removal and formally notified by QEH.
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ENT (QEH) : The referral validation exercise has been completed, with 966 patients reviewed. This resulted in 186 patients ( 19.3% ) being safely removed from the waiting list, ensuring that capacity is prioritised for those with ongoing clinical need. Overall, this work demonstrates a proactive, patient-centred approach to managing waiting lists, improving both safety and quality by aligning care more closely with current patient needs. 2.2 Our Support Services 2.21 Business Intelligence (BI) A key component of the Head of Business Intelligence (BI) role function is the development of Primary Care Network (PCN) information packs, designed to make data more accessible, meaningful, and actionable for PCNs and GP practices. These packs bring together data from a range of established sources, including the ICB’s Power BI reporting suite, Strata Atlas, NHS Fingertips, Eclipse (NHS Pathways), and the GP Patient Survey, into a single, user-friendly resource. The packs provide a comprehensive overview of areas critical to primary care, including patient demographics, prevalence of long-term conditions, cancer screening uptake, secondary care utilisation, urgent and emergency care activity (including care home-related activity), workforce data, and patient experience. Each element clearly references its source and includes links where available, ensuring transparency and enabling users to explore the data further. Presenting complex data in a clear and structured format supports PCNs and practices to identify variation, target improvement activity, and enhance service delivery.
In addition, the Head of BI provides broader analytical support to PCNs and GP practices, responding to both routine and ad hoc information requests. This includes extracting, transforming, and modelling data from multiple systems using tools such as Structured Query Language (SQL), and producing clear, tailored outputs to support operational and strategic decision-making. Support is also provided to help colleagues interpret data and maximise the use of existing analytical tools, including Eclipse/NHS Pathways.
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Together, these functions strengthen data-driven decision-making across primary care, enabling PCNs and practices to better understand their populations, address variation, and prioritise quality improvement initiatives. Using data, clinicians and operational teams can identify variation in care delivery, highlight areas of unmet need, and prioritise targeted interventions. For example, analysis of long-term condition prevalence, screening uptake, or urgent care usage can inform resource allocation, service design, and preventative approaches to care. Data also supports performance monitoring and quality improvement by enabling services to track progress against key indicators, benchmark against local and national comparators, and evaluate the impact of changes over time. This ensures that decisions are not only responsive but also measurable and outcome focused. In addition, providing accessible and interpretable data empowers teams at all levels to engage with information, ask informed questions, and take ownership of improvement activity. This fosters a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous learning. 2.22 Health & Safety (H&S) / Infection Prevention & Control (IPAC) Support Service NPC’s Health & Safety Manager provides invaluable support to member practices in meeting health and safety compliance with regulations and laws.
Our Health and Safety Compliance support aims to:
Provide practices with a comprehensive audit and gap analysis of their Health and Safety Framework Support the practices in updating Health & Safety policies to ensure they are compliant with current legislation Review risk assessments periodically to ensure they appropriately mitigate the risk of harm or injury Produce new task specific risk assessment where changes in processes or procedures could result in public harm
Our provision of Health and Safety services includes:
• Comprehensive Infection Prevention Control (IPC) audits, compliance with CQC standards • Infection and prevention control support for the practice’s IPAC leads • Provide practices with employee specific display screen / workstation assessments to meet the standards of the DSE Regulations
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• Provide guidance and water safety audits in accordance with the Approved Code of Practice and Guidance, L8 ‘The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems • Electrical Safety and PAT testing compliance (may incur additional costs)
Our provision of Fire Safety services includes:
• Comprehensive Fire Risk Assessments completed for individual practices, as required by the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005 and the Fire Safety Act 2023 • Building fire safety audits • Bespoke fire marshal training to Standards • Face to face fire safety training to support mandatory practice training
In the 2025/26 period we provided support in:
147 fire risk assessments completed 387 fire marshals trained across the practices, improving general practice fire safety In the 2026/27 period, we intend to grow and expand the health & safety capabilities / offering by continuing to listen and adapt to ensure that Health & Safety works with general practice. Our Health & Safety Manager will work towards acquiring a DEC (Display Energy Certificate) accreditation so that NPC can also offer this service to practices.
2.23 Learning, Education & Research Support As one of the central pillars of NPC’s five-year Business Strategy, we remain committed to strengthening our position as a leader in Primary Care education, training, and research. For 2025/26, we continue to prioritise the integration of these elements into everyday service delivery, recognising their critical role in improving patient outcomes and supporting sustainable workforce development. Embedding education and research within Primary Care settings ensures that clinical practice remains evidence-based, innovative, and responsive to the evolving needs of our population. It also provides staff with ongoing opportunities for professional development, enabling them to maintain high standards of care and adapt to increasing service demands. Through this approach, NPC continues to support the development of a skilled, confident, and resilient workforce, while fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. This
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commitment underpins our ambition to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care and to contribute meaningfully to the future of Primary Care locally and across the wider health system.
I. Corporate Training Sessions We began our Corporate Training journey in early 2025, and since then our programmes have supported colleagues right across primary care. Courses have covered a wide range of topics, including medical terminology, mental health awareness, chaperone training, safeguarding, and more. This offer was designed with accessibility in mind, giving practices the flexibility to book one or two team members onto high-quality training at a lower cost. Building on this success, we’re really pleased to now offer a range of online training options, making it even easier for teams to take part.
II. Learning Organisation Status – GPFD Services at JPUH & QEH NPC continues to actively support the delivery of learning and education for General Practitioner (GP) trainees within the General Practitioner at the Front Door (GPFD) services at both James Paget University Hospital (JPUH) and Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH). This ongoing commitment reflects our strong focus on fostering high-quality educational environments within acute care settings, ensuring that trainees gain meaningful, well-structured clinical experience. Through sustained engagement in training placements, NPC provides GP trainees with valuable opportunities to develop and enhance their clinical skills, decision-making capabilities, and understanding of integrated care pathways. The GPFD model offers a unique interface between primary and secondary care, enabling trainees to manage a diverse case mix while working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams. The continuation of this educational support reinforces our role as a recognised learning organisation, contributing to the development of a competent and confident future primary care workforce. Furthermore, it demonstrates our alignment with wider healthcare education priorities, supporting workforce sustainability and the ongoing improvement of patient care across the health system.
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