HALTON is to receive £1.6 million from the Prime Minister’s challenge fund to transform its 17 GP practices.

The investment comes a week after The World highlighted the critical shortage of doctors in surgeries across Runcorn and Widnes.

It is the first time the borough has ever received such a big injection of cash to improve primary health care.

Speaking exclusively to The World, Simon Banks, chief officer of NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “The money has been given to improve access, extend opening hours and look at how services could work together.

“We have 17 practices doing the same thing 17 different ways. They are all independent businesses who happen to be clinicians.

“Since the inception of the NHS, this model hasn’t moved. It has been neglected as additional resources went to acute services.”

It is set to create an extra 10,000 extra GP appointments, from July.

In addition, two new urgent care centres, costing £2m, are opening in June at Halton Hospital in Runcorn and Widnes Resource centre.

Staffed by doctors, they will offer X-ray and diagnostic services for the borough’s 128,620 patients, from 7am to 10pm, seven days a week.

Mr Banks said: “We want to use the new money as a catalyst for change.

“We have been developing a strategy for GP services with stakeholders, provider organisations and practices.

“It fits in with our ‘One Halton’ model which brings services more focussed around the needs of the individual.

“We hope the money isn’t held up by red tape.”

The funding has to be spent between July 2015 and March 2016.

Murdishaw GP Dr Gary O’Hare will be liaising with doctors and Halton CCG to co-ordinate the programme.

GP practices will work in a more integrated way with community, mental health and wellbeing, social care, voluntary sector, urgent care and pharmacy services.