Up to 7,000 hours of practice staff time has been released through a project in one Lancashire borough, it has been claimed.

Some 25 practices in Bury have taken part in the Productive General Practice project, backed by NHS England.

The local clinical commissioning group says it has put in place more efficient processes, reduced duplication and encouraged innovative working.

In some practices clerical staff have been trained to take on enhanced roles, helping patients find the best source of help and handling repeat prescriptions.

Facilitators worked on skills such as the management of meetings, of emails and of interruptions.

Some practices reorganised reception areas and store rooms.

CCG clinical director Dr Jeffrey Schryer said: “We saw this programme as a way of equipping our workforce, moving forward and transitioning to a better way of doing things.

“The programme brought our practices together and empowered receptionists to have a real handle on what is going on within their practice, putting them in a better position to influence the way things work.

“It is estimated that by working more efficiently around a quarter of GP time could be put to better use, and we found that was the case with this programme.

“By releasing the time that GPs spend on administrative tasks, we are able to free up their time to care for patients and find opportunities to upskill other colleagues in key areas, meaning the whole practice is able to work more efficiently and ultimately is able to provide a better service.”