A minor illness clinic

Minor illness matters. It matters to patients, who attend 57 million GP consultations a year for minor illness.¹ This is despite minor illnesses being commonly defined as a wide range of self-limiting conditions, normally managed through self-care.²

Therefore, minor illness matters to general practice. If not handled well, workloads can be unmanageable and affect the reputation of the practice.³

In turn, minor illness matters to the whole NHS. The lack of same-day appointments for urgent care in general practice impacts the rest of the system, by driving people towards A&E departments and avoidable hospital admissions.³

GP shortages, an increased demand from patients due to an ageing population, rising patient expectations and the shift of care from hospitals to the community mean nurse-led minor illness clinics can play a key role in managing demand for same-day appointments.⁴