The NHS in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) is making it easier for people to get help quickly, when they need it, by offering a variety of appointments for people when they need to be seen on the same day and more appointments in some locations.
As part of this ongoing work to support people to use the right health services, the ICB is also asking people in the city and county for their views on the services available, particularly those who will access the new services. The feedback will then be used by the local NHS to shape ongoing improvements.
In addition to appointments already available at GP practices, more appointments will be available through the Pharmacy First service, to treat seven common conditions without a GP prescription.
Changes are also being made to evening, weekend and bank holiday appointments in Leicester, to replace services currently available through the healthcare hubs. The new variety of appointments in different healthcare settings most suited to patients’ needs, will enable more people to receive the right care in the right place on the same day quickly.
Dr Nil Sanganee, Medical Director at the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (LLR ICB) said: “We know it can be hard to get an appointment quickly, and that is why we are offering more appointments in pharmacies. Currently, more than 210,000 appointments are available annually, through community pharmacies across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
“We are also asking everyone who has an immediate health need, who hasn’t been able to look after the problem themselves, to contact their GP practice or NHS 111. This will enable us to understand their symptoms and offer them an appointment with the right service for their particular medical problem, avoiding long waits or trips to walk-in services that might not be suitable.”
Changes to same day appointments in Leicester city
From October 2025, the following changes will be made to urgent care services to benefit patients in Leicester city:
- more locations across Leicester where same-day GP appointments are available in the evenings and at weekends.
- appointment times will be 5 minutes longer, so people can get the care they need in one visit
- all appointments will be face to face and with a GP, rather than a mix of different professionals
Getting NHS Help Fast
The LLR ICB has launched a campaign to raise awareness of two simple steps for getting help when their need help quickly, but it isn’t life-threatening.
- Step 1: Try to manage the problem yourself or get help from a local pharmacy, NHS 111 online, or the NHS App.
- Step 2: If that doesn’t work, or the problem is more serious, contact your GP practice or NHS 111 (when your GP practice is closed). They will help book you the right appointment in the right place. This could be at your own GP practice, a pharmacy (through the Pharmacy First scheme), an urgent treatment centre, or another GP practice or health centre (during evenings, weekends and bank holidays).
If it’s a life-threatening emergency, people should go to the emergency department or call 999.
People can find out more about the two steps by visiting https://leicesterleicestershireandrutland.icb.nhs.uk/need-help-fast/
Share your experiences
The NHS wants to hear from people about their experience of using NHS services when they needed help quickly. People can complete a survey which is open until Sunday 7 December 2025. The responses will be used to help make improvements to local services.
Dr Nil Sanganee said: “It is vital that we get this right for people and make it easier for them to get help quickly, so I really encourage people to take part in this important survey.”
Complete the survey online https://leicesterleicestershireandrutland.icb.nhs.uk/be-involved/need-help-fast-engagement/ or ask for a paper copy by emailing llricb-llr.beinvolved@nhs.net or calling 0116 295 7532.
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