The public have until the end of the month to share their views on the draft Primary Care Strategy proposed by the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board.

The development aims to shape the future of essential healthcare services like general practice, community pharmacy, optometry, and dentistry across the region.

This strategic planning is underpinned by the care board’s Five-Year Joint Forward Plan from 2023, targeting a more integrated approach combining primary care with community services across the board.

The objectives are to improve access so that patients get effective support promptly, developing proactive care for patients with complex health needs in the community, and using data to prevent illness and understand the needs of local communities better.

To advance these priorities, the proposal includes developing non-complex same-day care to manage patients requiring immediate assistance, integrated neighbourhood teams to provide personalised comprehensive care, and prevention initiatives focusing initially on cardiovascular disease.

The non-complex same-day care service will triage patients, connecting them to the necessary healthcare professionals promptly.

This method aims to allow GPs to concentrate more on patients with complex needs.

Integrated neighbourhood teams will employ multi-disciplinary community teams manned by hospital consultants, community nurses, physiotherapists, social care, and the voluntary sector, working closely with GPs to care for patients with multiple health issues.

Primary care will also collaborate with health and care partners to reduce the risk of patients developing cardiovascular disease – one of the most common causes of ongoing ill-health in the region.

Dr Abid Irfan, director of primary care at Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board, said: "Our draft strategy outlines solutions to tackle the challenges we face in primary care, including increased demand and the need to improve access with limited resources to support us.

"Our vision is to transform primary care across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West by integrating these services and ensure they work more closely with our health and care partners across our communities to provide better patient care.

“To achieve this we have developed three priorities.

"In addition, we will need to make better use of digital tools and premises to allow us to work differently.

"And we need to have measures in place to recruit and retain a skilled workforce.

“We thank people for sharing their views and experiences about primary care services since we launched our engagement last November."

Residents are invited to submit feedback on the proposed strategy via an online survey available on the care board's website or request a printed copy before February 29.