People across Sheffield are being invited to have their say on proposed changes to improve urgent care – treatment for minor injuries and illnesses that are urgent but not life threatening.

NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group wants to make the changes to make it simpler for people to get the care they need and guarantee everyone who needs it an urgent appointment within 24 hours.

Over the past two years the CCG has been speaking to people across the city about the service. The feedback from thousands of service users showed that overwhelmingly they find the current system confusing and hard to access quickly.

People are not always sure where to go to get the care they need and some end up having to be redirected to different services, further delaying their treatment.

And many have told the CCG that they sometimes resort to A&E or other services because they cannot get a GP appointment quickly enough.

Health professionals have worked together with the CCG to use the feedback to help them develop options for change that would improve access to urgent care, make it easier for patients and close to home wherever possible.

Dr Tim Moorhead, Chair of NHS Sheffield CCG,  said: “This consultation is about improving access to urgent health care for people across the city – that’s for minor injuries and illnesses that need dealing with quickly.

“It is not about A&E departments - but sensibly we believe the options will take the pressure of these departments so they can concentrate their efforts and resources on people with life-threatening conditions.”

Under the options, people will always get to the right place first if they contact their GP or NHS 111 first - and will still be able to access walk-in appointments.

The CCG is proposing to:

• Change the way people get urgent GP appointments

Groups of GP practices will work together to offer urgent appointments within 24 hours. People will be assessed to decide if they need to see their own GP or can be seen by at a different GP practice in their local area.

• Change where people would go for minor illness and injuries

Currently, there is a walk-in centre in the city centre which treats minor illnesses and a minor injuries unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital that deals with adult minor injuries, while children with minor injuries are seen at the emergency department at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. These would be replaced with two urgent treatment centres at Northern General Hospital and Sheffield Children’s Hospital which would treat both minor illness and injuries and offer booked appointments as well as walk-in appointments.

• Change where people go for urgent eye care

Currently adults needing either urgent or emergency eye care are seen at the Emergency eye clinic at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. In the future, urgent appointments would be offered at opticians and other clinics across the city with extended opening times making it easier for people to get care closer to where they live. Emergency eye care (sight-threatening conditions) would continue to be provided at the Hallamshire.

• Improve the way people access services

These changes would be supported by an improved system where people can contact their practice or 111 and be assessed over the phone. They will then be booked an appointment or signposted to the right place for the care they need.

There are three options for how the urgent treatment centres (UTC) could work for adults and children, which are set out in the consultation. The CCG wants to know people’s view on the proposed changes and which option people in Sheffield prefer.

Dr Moorhead said: “We have looked at what patients have told us, listened to our colleagues in health and taken on board national requirements.

“By improving access to urgent appointments with GPs and other health professionals in the community, people will be able to get the care they need as close to home as possible, which is what they have told us they want.

“At the moment there is a lot of confusion around which service to use, and lots of people having to be redirected to different services which can cause additional stress and inconvenience for people when they are unwell. Replacing the walk-in centre and minor injuries unit with treatment centres that are open longer will make it simpler for people to get the care they need quickly. The urgent treatment centres will offer booked appointments, although people will still be able to walk in and wait if they prefer.

“There are also obvious benefits of locating urgent treatment centres on the same sites as A&E, if people do present with injuries or illnesses that do need emergency care.”

The consultation runs from Tuesday 26 September to Monday 18 December and everyone across Sheffield is urged to have their say.

You can read the full consultation document, with details on all the options, here.