Today (1 April 2025) sees the launch of Primary Care Dermatology – a new community-based service providing quicker, more accessible specialist care for patients with dermatological conditions, commissioned by Coventry & Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). The service will be provided by Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Primary Care (IPC) in partnership with Consultant Connect. South Warwickshire GP Federation will provide the operational delivery on behalf of the partnership.
Primary Care Dermatology offers consultant-led assessments and treatment by experienced GPs with additional training in dermatology. The service covers a range of conditions, including mild to moderate rashes, acne, benign and pre-malignant lesions, minor surgical procedures, and hair, scalp, and nail disorders. The service is for routine conditions only. Suspected cancer cases will continue to follow the standard two-week hospital referral pathway.
Patients referred to Primary Care Dermatology will be seen within six weeks, significantly faster than typical hospital waiting times, at a choice of clinic locations across Coventry and Warwickshire or via telephone where appropriate.
Cristina Ramos, Chair of Coventry and Warwickshire IPC and South Warwickshire GP Federation and Senior Responsible Officer for Primary Care Dermatology, said:
“This new service will provide a community based primary care dermatology service delivering specialist care to patients closer to home. It will also help reduce the pressure on secondary care and enable patients across Coventry & Warwickshire to be seen and treated more quickly.
“Primary Care Dermatology draws on IPC’s experience of providing a successful Primary Care Gynaecology Service which has already made significant strides in speeding up routine gynaecological care for women which is now provided at local community clinics.
“Delivering services at scale within primary care is an important way of supporting Primary Care resilience and helping to address hospital waiting times as well as improving access to a broader range of care within local communities. Coventry and Warwickshire IPC will continue to work on developing services to support patient care in the community.”
Access to Primary Care Dermatology is by GP referral. Patients cannot self-refer. All referrals will be triaged by a consultant dermatologist, with treatment provided by GPs with specialist training and experience in dermatology and minor ops. Consultations will be recorded in the patient’s normal clinical notes to ensure continuity of care.
For more information including patient FAQs, visit Primary Care Dermatology