£40 Million Programme to Support Vulnerable Patients This Winter

The UK government has announced a £40 million programme to provide additional support to vulnerable patients this winter. The initiative, set out by the Prime Minister and the Health and Social Care Secretary, aims to keep people well at home and prevent avoidable hospital admissions as the NHS prepares for winter pressures.

Patients with conditions like heart disease, frailty, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will receive tailored support from their GP, designed to help them avoid reaching a crisis point and needing to go to hospital. The programme is part of the government’s work to rebuild the NHS and ensure people get the right treatment where and when they need it.

Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that the plan will help GPs and local teams provide more support for the frailest patients in the community, keeping them well through the winter months. She also noted that this is better for patients and means they are also less likely to need hospital care.

The ring-fenced funding will support GP practices to proactively identify and provide additional care for the patients they consider most at risk of becoming seriously unwell this winter. Primary care networks (PCNs) will be able to receive £126 for each eligible patient supported. The extra support could include medication reviews, health checks, and nurse-led respiratory clinics for up to 300,000 people across the country.

In addition to this funding, the government has also invested in upgrades for the ambulance fleet, new scanners, and cutting-edge AI technology. A further £190 million was allocated in the Budget to manage winter pressures, alongside £140 million for 14 new urgent care schemes. By 1 November 2026, more than 13.6 million people in England had received their flu vaccine, and 2.4 million school-aged children had been vaccinated.