This winter, Gloucestershire’s health and care system took an early, planned and coordinated approach to managing seasonal pressures.
Partners across the Integrated Care System began planning well ahead of winter, working together to prepare for increased demand, strengthen resilience and keep patients safe throughout the busiest months.
The winter plan followed national priorities but was shaped locally, drawing on learning from previous years and reflecting the specific needs of Gloucestershire’s population. Pre‑winter stress testing helped identify risks early and put mitigations in place before pressures peaked.
A strong focus on shared responsibility and joint decision‑making meant organisations were aligned and able to respond quickly as demand increased.
Using up-to-date data helped with both planning and day-to-day decisions over the winter. This made it easier to prepare for expected winter illnesses like flu and norovirus, and to manage the impact of staff sickness. Looking ahead meant services could plan staffing and capacity earlier, while regular data checks during the winter helped teams spot pressures quickly and adjust their response as needed.
As a result, health and care organisations worked together as a single system, coordinating responses across primary, community, hospital and emergency care services and supporting patient flow during periods of sustained pressure.
One example of this system working can be seen in urgent care services. During the Christmas and New Year period, demand for NHS 111 and out of hours GP services was exceptionally high, with call volumes exceeding forecast levels.
At its peak, around 1,500 calls were handled in a single day compared with a typical 900, and more than 20,000 calls were received across December. The system responded by strengthening staffing levels, opening additional beds and working flexibly across services to manage levels of need and support people to receive care in the most appropriate setting.