Earlier this year, NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has confirmed that the Northamptonshire Rural East & South (NRES) area had been selected as one of the first pilot neighbourhoods to launch the county’s new Neighbourhood Care and New Models of Care (NMoC) Programme, beginning 1st April 2026.
This programme marks a significant shift in how primary care, community services and voluntary partners work together locally to help people stay well for longer.
Neighbourhoods bring together GPs, nurses, social care, mental health teams, community organisations and others to provide joined‑up, responsive support based on the needs of local communities.
Dr Simon Ellis from Towcester Medical Centre said: “Working formally as a neighbourhood allows us to respond more quickly to patients with urgent needs. The new Same Day Access model gives us the flexibility to share appointments and clinical skills, while keeping the patient’s usual GP practice at the heart of their care.”
Eileen Doyle, Chief Delivery Officer added: “NRES is helping shape Northamptonshire’s new approach to neighbourhood-based care. By creating more additional same day capacity and freeing up time for long-term condition management, this pilot is an exciting step forward in creating a sustainable, patient‑centred system.”
From 1st April 2026, NRES practices will begin operating a shared Neighbourhood Access Service — an integrated Same Day Access (SDA) model designed to improve how patients with urgent needs are seen.
The practices are:
- Springfield Surgery
- Towcester Medical Centre & Paulerspury Surgery
- Brackley Medical Centre
- The Parks Medical Practice, Grange Park, Hanslope Surgery & Roade Medical Centre
- Denton Village Surgery
- Bugbrooke Surgery
- The Brook Health Centre, Towcester & Silverstone Surgery
What this means for patients
There will be no change to how patients contact their GP practice. Patients continue to phone, use online access, or walk in just as they do now.
If someone needs urgent same‑day care, they may receive an appointment:
- at their own GP practice, or
- at another practice within the Neighbourhood hub, depending on clinician availability.
Pooling capacity across practices will support:
- more same‑day appointment availability
- faster access to clinical care
- a wider range of skills and clinicians
- better responsiveness during busy times
This multi practice model is available to all patients living in the neighbourhood.
The Neighbourhood Access Service will be delivered by GPs, Advanced Nurse Practitioners and other trained clinicians, ensuring patients are still seen by highly skilled professionals.
Patients will also be encouraged to continue:
- using pharmacies for minor conditions
- following self-care advice
- accessing NHS 111 for urgent-but-not-emergency needs
This ensures GP time is protected for those who need clinical assessment.
The additional same day access is the foundation to allow the practices to introduce the Complex Care and Long-Term Conditions Service.
This service is designed for people who need:
- frequent support for serious long-term conditions
- enhanced continuity of care
- more holistic, proactive management close to home
By managing urgent demand more efficiently, clinicians will gain more protected time to support patients with long-term or complex needs.
This reflects the ambition set out in the NHS 10‑year plan and emerging Neighbourhood Health Framework, with practices now working formally as a neighbourhood to deliver improved continuity, capacity and coordinated care.