A pioneering scheme involving GPs is being used to speed up patient waiting times at Bradford's accident and emergency department.

A GPs clinic has been created within the A&E department at Bradford Royal Infirmary to ease pressure on what is one of the busiest casualty units in Britain.

The clinic, which is believed to be one of the first of its kind in the country, is being piloted at peak times to treat patients with minor complaints to reduce waiting times for higher priority cases.

The project has been introduced by the city's three Primary Care Trusts in partnership with the Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust.

Zahir Mughal, pictured, a GP based at Great Horton Road who works for Bradford City Primary Care Trust, is among those leading the sessions.

He said GPs had helped to relieve the pressure on casualty staff by treating people with a wide range of conditions, such as abdominal pains, minor injuries, chest infections and bad coughs and colds.

"This initiative has added an extra dimension not just to the role of local GPs, but also to the NHS. By working in parallel with our colleagues from A&E, there are benefits for all types of patients.

"Work is supported by nurses from A&E but it frees up staff to focus their work entirely on patients with more serious and higher priority conditions, ensuring that they too are treated more quickly."

Staff at Bradford's A&E unit treated more than 100,000 patients last year, an eight per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

Rose Stephens, director of patient care at the Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "This is a good example of one of the innovative steps being taken by the local NHS to ease winter pressures.

"As in many A&E departments, we care for many patients whose conditions could be more appropriately treated by a GP. This partnership between the hospital and local GPs allows this to happen, with benefits to both patients and the NHS."

Barbara Hakin, chief executive of the Bradford South and West PCT, said: "We are determined to play whatever part we can to ensure the health needs of the community are met during the busy winter period.

"We are always looking at new ways of overcoming the challenges we face. This idea was one which we were all keen to pilot and we are pleased to see it being successful, with a lot of positive feedback. It demonstrates the forward-thinking and excellent partnership working that exists in the NHS in Bradford"

Lesley Sterling-Baxter, chief officer of Bradford Community Health Council, said: "Anything that means people do not have to wait is welcome and it frees up the specialist staff to deal with traumas.

"But a debate goes on in the health service about whether people should go to A&E with minor things and we have always taken the view that it is sensible to go where you can get help.

"Often people go because the GP isn't open and so it is good that they will be seen, we welcome that. But as things develop in the health service GPs will open hours that people find more convenient and people won't need to go to A&E."

"This is a step along the road but it is not the end of the road."

The success of the pilot scheme is being evaluated by the hospital trust and the PCTs to help develop the best model for use on a permanent basis.

A safeguard has been built into the protocol so if a patient is directed to the emergency GP clinic for treatment, and it is subsequently deemed that he or she does need treatment by a hospital doctor, then he or she is referred back to A&E.

The clinic will assess and treat emergency GP cases only. For those people attending A&E with minor, long-standing complaints - such as chronic back pain - they will continue to be referred to their own GP in the community for treatment.

Karen Lloyd, of the NHS Regional Office, said: "There are a variety of different ways in which GPs are getting involved in A&E departments across the country.

"This innovative scheme, which is working very well, is one of the latest ways in which they are getting involved."

Other initiatives introduced to battle winter pressures on the health service in Bradford have included ten extra beds at Bradford Royal Infirmary, 16 extra medical beds and ten additional elderly care beds at St Luke's Hospital. A consultant physician has been employed for the winter months and there is a dedicated ambulance service for winter.