What Is a GP Federation?
At Conexus Healthcare CIC, we occasionally receive questions from people who are curious about who we are and what we do. One thing we’ve learned is that the term “GP federation” isn’t always widely understood, despite the important role federations play in supporting primary care. With that in mind, we wanted to share a simple explanation of what a GP federation is, how Conexus works, and how we support local practices, patients, and communities.
The health and care system includes many different organisations, each with their own role. With that in mind, we thought it would be helpful to explain a little more about who we are, how we work, and the role Conexus plays in supporting local practices, patients and communities.
A GP federation is an organisation that brings GP practices together to work collaboratively on shared priorities and challenges. Conexus Healthcare is the GP federation for the Wakefield District. We are owned by our member practices and exist to support them in delivering the best possible care for their patients.
One of the defining features of a GP federation is that it is led by the practices that form it. Conexus Healthcare was founded by Wakefield’s GP practices, who recognised the benefits of working together on challenges and opportunities that are often easier to tackle collectively. That foundation continues to shape how we operate today, with local practices at the heart of our governance and decision-making
What is Conexus Healthcare CIC?
How are we different from a GP practice?
One of the most common questions we receive is whether Conexus Healthcare is a GP practice.
The answer is no.
We do not provide the day-to-day care that patients receive from their own GP practice. Instead, we work alongside practices, supporting them through services, training, workforce initiatives, service development and collaborative programmes that can be delivered more effectively at scale. Conexus delivers the extended access service, GP Care, on behalf of all GP practices across the district. This means that patients can access routine evening, weekend and bank holiday appointments by calling their own GP Practice. This is only possible because of the way we are structured.
Flexible and responsive by design
Putting our approach into practice
Our Corporate Strategy 2026-2031 brings this approach to life.
It sets out how we will use our strong relationships with member practices, partners and communities to tackle shared challenges and create new opportunities. It focuses on delivering practical improvements in areas such as workforce development, integrated care, innovation and health outcomes.
For example, supporting the primary care workforce remains a key priority. Working closely with our member practices helps us identify workforce challenges and opportunities as they emerge. This enables us to focus mentoring, development and support where it can have the greatest impact, helping to strengthen primary care across our area.
The strategy also recognises the importance of building a diverse and sustainable portfolio of services. By developing multiple sources of income and reducing reliance on any single contract, we can strengthen our long-term resilience and create a stable foundation for the future. This helps us continue investing in innovation, partnerships and the services that support practices and communities.
More than a service provider
Even though we deliver services, Conexus Healthcare is more than a service provider.
We are a membership organisation whose purpose is rooted in supporting local GP practices and the communities they serve. Everything we do is guided by the belief that collaboration creates opportunities to achieve more together than any organisation could achieve alone.
Whether that is developing new services, supporting workforce development, improving access to care or bringing partners together around shared goals, our focus is on creating lasting value for primary care across the Wakefield District.
Understanding what a GP federation is provides the context for much of the work you will see across our services, partnerships and future plans, and for our ongoing commitment to supporting primary care across Wakefield District.