A pilot of the scheme helped secure a combined £1.67m in financial gains for participants
Placing debt and benefits advisers in GP surgeries could ease pressure on the NHS and improve patients’ health across the country, a pilot test shows.
The Financial Shield project, run across 34 GP practices in South London, found that more than half of participants reported improvements in their physical or mental health after receiving tailored financial support, with around one in three saying they needed fewer GP appointments afterwards.
The scheme has government backing and embeds financial support link workers in primary care settings to help patients deal with debt, apply for benefits and negotiate…