Hampshire GPs work with vulnerable patients to help A&Es
A team of six newly qualified Hampshire GPs is to work with vulnerable patients in the hope of cutting pressures on A&E services.
The GPs will use computer-modelling to identify the 50 most at-risk patients in their practice area - mainly the frail and elderly.
They will work with district nurses, community hospitals and acute hospitals to improve care in the community.
It is hoped the pilot will prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.
For example, patients at risk of falling may be offered physiotherapy and better design in their homes to prevent a hospital visit after suffering a broken limb.
Those who do end up in hospital will be given more help to return to their homes.
Matt Roberts, one of the GPs in the programme, said the pilot would be "trying to anticipate problems before they occur".
At present the pilot programme, run by Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, is operating in Romsey, Totton, Waterside and Eastleigh.
If successful, it could be a model rolled out to the wider NHS.
The Royal College of General Practitioners said it was not aware of any of other schemes being run by GPs using the same model.