England's NHS expands primary care capacity with new family support service and extra GP appointments

A new Family Focus service, run by Barnardo's in partnership with Modality Partnership, places wellbeing workers in GP practices across Birmingham and Smethwick. The scheme offers practical, emotional and non‑clinical support for families dealing with issues such as domestic violence, housing problems and special educational needs, aiming to reduce the number of repeat GP appointments for social concerns. Aimee McGuinness, a wellbeing worker on the service, said clinicians have welcomed the help and that pressure on doctors has eased.

In Lincolnshire, a £1.2 million investment from the Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund has upgraded 28 GP practices, adding consulting rooms and increasing capacity to deliver about 330,000 extra appointments each year. The upgrades are part of an £18 million Midlands funding package and the UK government's 10‑year capital plan, which pledges billions to modernise NHS facilities and bring care closer to patients' homes.