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GP appointment backlogs ease in several northern trusts
Same-week slots improve, but evening cover remains patchy for working carers.
Primary-care boards in parts of northern England reported shorter waits for routine GP appointments after winter staffing boosts and shared triage hubs with neighbouring practices.
Patient groups welcomed the trend but said evening and weekend capacity still falls short for shift workers and unpaid carers.
What clinics changed
Several trusts pooled admin teams and diverted minor ailments to pharmacy-first pathways, freeing GPs for complex cases.
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