Designing access: how a winning partnership delivered scalable change in primary care
pharmafile | July 2, 2026 | Feature | Business Services, Market Access Consultancy |Â Â GP Pathfinder ClinicsÂ
In February 2026, PMGroup Worldwide Ltd and Visions4Health launched the Excellence in Healthcare Partnerships (EHP) Awards to recognise innovative collaborations and transformative partnerships between UK healthcare providers and the life sciences industry. Among the inaugural winners were GP Pathfinder Clinics and Anima, winning Partnership Project of the Year (HealthTech). Their collaboration shows what’s possible when complementary strengths align around a clearly defined problem.
At its core, this was not simply a digital product implementation – it was a digital transformation programme. GP Pathfinder Clinics, the UK’s largest single GP practice serving over 100,000 patients across a highly diverse population, already had a strong foundation in access improvement and workflow redesign. What the partnership with Anima enabled was the ability to scale and refine that model through technology designed around real-world clinical and administrative processes.
Crucial to the project’s success was the deep involvement of a Patient Participation Group (PPG) that was embedded as a co-design partner from the outset. Their input, particularly from patients with varying levels of digital literacy, directly shaped system configuration, communication approaches and support pathways. The result was a model that combined adaptable technology, operational expertise and lived patient experience, which is difficult to achieve in isolation.
The outcomes were significant. Median processing times for online medical consultations fell from 24.2 hours to 7.7 hours, while administrative requests dropped from 47.5 hours to 19.7 hours – an overall improvement of more than 60%.
Beyond speed, the model enabled a true seven-day service through 24/7 online access, helping to distribute demand more evenly and reduce bottlenecks. This supported earlier clinical decision-making and more predictable workflows for staff. Patients benefitted from faster, clearer responses and greater transparency, reducing the need to follow up. There is also evidence of reduced reliance on urgent care services, including A&E.
Importantly, credibility was built through a combination of operational data, patient-reported outcomes and ongoing PPG involvement both before and after implementation. This triangulated approach ensured that improvements were not only measurable, but meaningful.
The partnership’s effectiveness rested on clear roles and shared accountability. GP Pathfinder Clinics led clinical design, governance and implementation, while Anima focused on platform configuration and iterative development. The PPG remained actively involved, testing the full patient journey and identifying issues around usability, language and navigation. This created a continuous feedback-to-action cycle: patients identified challenges, the practice translated them into requirements and Anima delivered system changes. That loop has continued post-implementation, supporting ongoing refinement.
The collaboration also extended beyond technology. Work with organisations such as the Good Things Foundation ensured digital inclusion was built in from the outset, with support for patients who might otherwise be excluded.
Recognition through initiatives like the EHP Awards is important in surfacing this kind of work. Much of the most impactful innovation in healthcare happens within day-to-day operational improvement and often goes unseen. Highlighting practical examples helps build confidence in partnership working and provides models others can adapt.
For organisations considering similar approaches, the advice from GP Pathfinder Clinics is clear: start with the problem, not the product. Define the access or system challenge first, then design the partnership and supporting technology around it. Success depends on more than tools – it requires workflow redesign, governance, staff readiness and clear operational processes.
Meaningful patient involvement is critical, particularly for those less confident with digital tools. Co-design ensures solutions work in practice, not just in theory. Measuring impact, both before and after implementation, is equally important in building a credible evidence base.
Finally, inclusion must be built in from the beginning. In this case, that meant maintaining multiple access routes, including telephone and walk-in support, alongside targeted assistance for vulnerable patients. The result is not simply digital transformation, but improved access for all.
To get in touch with GP Pathfinder Clinics, visit their website or email simon.vane-percy@nhs.net
Visit the EHP Award website to read about all the innovative, inaugural winners.
GP Pathfinder Clinics
GP Pathfinder Clinics (GPC) is England’s largest single GP practice, with 120,000 patients. By combining advanced technology, AI and analytics, GPC offers 24/7 booking, online access within four hours and face-to-face appointments within two working days. Through intelligent clinical triaging, patients are directed to the most appropriate healthcare professional. Frail and digitally excluded patients use a traditional pathway. GPC’s at-scale model improves access, patient care, efficiency and reduces inequalities.
