EPIC 24
The EPiC 24 service continues to evolve integrated primary urgent care services via a digital clinical hub, allowing us to ensure that patients in Salford can access the care they need, when they need it and in the most appropriate setting.
The EPiC 24 Model in Practice
EPiC 24 integrates a wide range of services, coordinated through a digital hub that enables real-time monitoring and advanced data reporting. This ensures patients are directed to the most appropriate care setting quickly and safely, supporting efficiency and high-quality outcomes.
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GP Out of Hours: Taking referrals from NHS111 from 6:30pm until 8:00am on weekdays, and all day at weekends.
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Primary Care Streaming: Screening ambulatory patients attending ED and directing them to the most appropriate pathway.
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Locality Clinical Assessment Service (LCAS): Reviewing patients who have contacted NHS111 and would otherwise be advised to attend ED within one hour.
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Surge Capacity / Locality Response: Including services such as COVID hot clinics, Acute Respiratory Hubs, and flexing capacity during periods of system pressure.
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Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC): Accredited by NHS England following a site inspection, with strong feedback on safety, education, governance, and pathway integration.
The innovative care pathways developed within EPiC 24 are centred on clinical priority rather than access point, enabling robust patient education and empowering patients to access care appropriately.
A Coordinated, Single Point of Access
At its core, EPiC 24 is built on an integrated urgent care model that delivers coordinated care across Salford. This design allows the service to operate as a Single Point of Access (SPoA) for the locality.
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Case-hold patients, ensuring continuity and proactive management across episodes of care.
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Make direct referrals and bookings into the most appropriate services and pathways.
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Provide both face-to-face and virtual consultations, offering flexibility and timely access for patients.
This coordinated approach not only streamlines patient journeys but also ensures that most patients presenting at the Emergency Department (ED) - whether via ambulance or self-presentation - receive an element of clinical validation before entering the acute system.
System-Wide Collaboration
A key focus this year has been on strengthening integrated care coordination. We have worked more closely than ever with the acute hospital site, aligning services and pathways to better meet the needs of Salford’s population.
At the regional and national level, SPCT has continued to play an active role:
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As a member of the Greater Manchester Primary Urgent Care Alliance (GMUPCA), we share learning and best practice with other urgent care providers, collectively shaping urgent care delivery across the region.
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As a delivery partner for the Covid Medicine Delivery Unit (CMDU), we have supported resilience and responsiveness across the system.
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As an active member of Urgent Health UK, we contribute to national discussions on the future of urgent care, bringing valuable insights back into our local model.
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Achievements this Year
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National Recognition: Successfully secured our contract for EPiC 24 through a highly competitive national procurement process.
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Continuous Improvement: Implemented changes based on procurement feedback, ensuring ongoing quality, governance, and service development.
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Award Recognition: Shortlisted for three prestigious awards and highly commended for innovation in same-day urgent care, reflecting the creativity and dedication of our team.
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Knowledge Sharing: Presented at both regional and national events, while actively learning from others to drive service development.
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Winter Surge Response: Delivered 7,316 additional appointments over a seven-day period, ensuring same-day access for patients during peak demand.
Impact in Numbers
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65,000+ patient contacts across all services.
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GP Out of Hours: Consistently achieved above the 94% target for call-backs, face-to-face appointments, and home visits for urgent and routine cases.
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LCAS: Over 80% of patients avoided ED attendance; less than 25% required ED review.
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UTC: 23,528 patients seen — 65% discharged home, 19% referred to a specialty, only 3.5% advised to see their GP for an urgent same-day appointment
Looking Ahead
As we move forward, our priority remains to enhance accessibility, integration, and quality of urgent care in Salford. By acting as a true SPoA for the locality, strengthening partnerships with acute and community providers, and contributing to regional and national urgent care transformation, we are confident that EPiC 24 will continue to deliver a gold standard model of integrated urgent care.
