Same Day Urgent Care

Fast, responsive care when patients need it most

DDHF’s Same Day Urgent Care Service provides rapid access to GP-led primary care appointments for patients requiring urgent, same-day support.

Operating 365 days a year, the service helps patients access the right care quickly while reducing pressure on GP practices and emergency departments.

Delivered through our hubs in Bishop Auckland General Hospital and University Hospital North Durham, the service combines urgent primary care access, extended access appointments, and emergency department streaming to ensure patients receive timely, appropriate care in the right setting.

Accessible Care Beyond Traditional GP Hours Healthcare doesn’t stop at 6.30 pm - and neither do we.

Our Same Day Urgent Care Service Operates:

Weekdays: 8am - 8pm

Weekends & Bank Holidays: 8am - 8pm

365 days a year

Appointments can be booked directly by GP practices, NHS 111 or streamed from A&E to help manage same-day demand and support practice capacity across Durham Dales.

This coordinated approach ensures patients can continue to access urgent primary care support outside of traditional surgery opening times.

The service is led by experienced GPs with Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) and multidisciplinary clinical teams.

This collaborative model allows patients to receive safe, high-quality urgent care while also supporting professional development and clinical leadership within the workforce.

Not every patient requires a GP appointment. Our highly skilled clinical teams ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate healthcare professional for their needs.

Supporting Emergency Departments Through A&E Streaming

As part of the service, DDHF also provides primary care streaming support from Accident & Emergency departments for patients whose needs are more appropriate for urgent primary care rather than hospital treatment. This allows patients to receive faster care in the right setting while helping reduce unnecessary pressure on emergency services.

During 2024/25

patients were streamed directly from A&E

0 %

of patients were successfully managed within Primary Care

This demonstrates the vital role the service plays in helping patients avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and emergency department waits.

Delivering Impact Across Durham Dales

0 +

patient contacts with 93% remaining with Primary Care

Hubs

Services delivered across Bishop Auckland and Durham hubs

ICB+DES

Integrated delivery supporting both ICB Commissioned Services and Primary Care Network DES requirements

The service continues to play a critical role in supporting urgent access across local healthcare systems while improving patient experience and reducing pressure across the wider NHS.

Extended Access for Greater Flexibility

DDHF’s Extended Access model was developed in response to growing demand for flexible appointment availability across primary care.

Rather than individual practices attempting to provide additional evening and weekend appointments independently, DDHF delivers a coordinated service on behalf of all 12 member GP practices across Durham Dales.

This larger-scale model allows:

Greater efficiency across practices
Improved workforce sustainability
Better access for patients
Reduced pressure on routine GP appointments

Patients can access appointments through their own GP practice or via NHS 111 when practices are closed.

Getting Patients to the Right Care, First Time

Our clinical navigation and triage processes ensure patients receive the most appropriate support as quickly as possible.

Depending on clinical need, patients may:

Receive a same-day GP appointment
Be seen by an Advanced Nurse Practitioner
Be directed to community pharmacy services
Receive self-care advice and support

This approach improves patient flow, supports safer care, and reduces unnecessary attendance at emergency departments.

Working Together for Better Urgent Care

DDHF’s Same Day Urgent Care Service is built on collaboration across primary care, urgent care, and wider NHS partners.

By integrating urgent appointments, extended access, and emergency department streaming into one coordinated model, we are helping create a more responsive, sustainable, and patient-focused healthcare system for local communities.