Birmingham's Family Focus service is helping to reduce pressure on NHS doctors' surgeries by providing practical, emotional, and non-clinical support to families, according to a wellbeing worker with the scheme. The early intervention service, delivered by Barnardo's in partnership with Modality Partnership, is embedded in five medical centres across Birmingham and Smethwick, where GPs can refer patients directly to in-house wellbeing workers.
How Family Focus works
Aimee McGuinness, 36, a wellbeing worker with Family Focus, explains that the service addresses challenges before they escalate, covering issues from domestic violence to housing and special educational needs. She works in-house at one of the five centres, allowing GPs, clinicians, and midwives to signpost patients directly, improving outcomes for children and families while reducing the burden on health services across the West Midlands.
Speaking about the importance of the service, McGuinness said: "GPs, clinicians, midwives, whoever's based within a medical practice were seeing so many families making appointments for social needs because that was their only option or their only way to get that support. One of the main objectives of this service was to reduce that pressure. There were a lot of families that were making repeat GP appointments, and it was no fault of theirs, they thought they were doing the right thing."
Reducing repeat GP visits
The service aims to bridge the gap where the "medical model ends" and the "social model can begin," says McGuinness. In the first six months, the model has been "so welcomed" by both GPs and families, she added. "The GPs and clinicians have been so grateful that we're here and that we can provide this support because they were really struggling to know what to do with these families. We're reducing that pressure on GPs. GPs have to see so many patients in one day, it makes my head spin, I don't know how they do it."
By offering an alternative to medical appointments for social needs, Family Focus helps families avoid repeat visits, freeing up GP time for those with clinical needs. The service is part of a broader effort to support families in the region, with professionals such as teachers, friends, or doctors able to point families toward the service.
Encouraging parents to seek help
McGuinness, a parent herself, encourages other parents to ask for help when needed. "As a parent myself, sometimes it can be really hard to ask for help," she said. "But know that if you need to, that doesn't mean you're failing. That doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with that. That makes you a strong person that is doing the best for your family."
She suggests that anyone seeking help should "ask any professional around you," whether that's a teacher, friend, or doctor, because they will likely know a service which can help. "Don't be afraid to do that," she said. "Don't feel like people are going to judge you. We all need help as parents. We can't do it on our own."
Impact on the NHS
The service is part of a growing trend of social prescribing, where non-clinical support is used to address the root causes of health issues. By tackling social needs early, Family Focus aims to prevent problems from escalating, reducing the strain on GPs and other health services. The scheme is delivered in partnership with Modality Partnership, which operates several medical centres in the area, and is funded as part of Barnardo's early intervention work.
For families in Birmingham and Smethwick, the service offers a lifeline, providing support that goes beyond what a typical GP appointment can offer. As McGuinness notes, the service is about meeting families where they are and helping them navigate the social challenges that can impact their health and wellbeing.
The success of Family Focus in its first six months suggests that such models could be expanded to other areas, potentially offering a blueprint for reducing NHS pressure across the UK. With GPs under increasing strain, services like this are becoming ever more vital, ensuring that families get the support they need while allowing doctors to focus on medical care.
