Over 100k get faster health help

MORE than 100,000 patients have accessed NHS care faster thanks to a scheme that allows GPs to go direct to specialists for advice, according to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

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Health Secretary Wes Streeting said too many people are “stuck on hospital waiting lists” when they should be cared for in the community.

The initiative, known as Advice and Guidance, allows family doctors to seek advice from specialists on the phone or online, who tell them if a patient needs to be treated in hospital or if they should be referred to other services such as dietitians and physiotherapists. The aim is to help people avoid unnecessary hospital appointments and start treatment sooner.