Primary care is open and here for you

Practice nurses are qualified nurses who like GPs are involved in almost every aspect of patient care and treatment. They will look after patients with long-term diseases such as asthma and diabetes, offer health screening, and also hold specialised clinics such as travel immunisations, baby immunisations, wound care, and women’s health for smear tests and contraception advice.

Meet Terence, one of our advanced nurse practitioners

Health care assistants (HCAs) work alongside the Practice Nurse to assist with blood pressure and new patient checks, health promotion, urinalysis, weight and height recording. You may also see a HCAs for certain vaccines, for example your flu vaccine.

A Physician Associate (PA) is a healthcare professional who, while not a doctor, works under the supervision of a doctor to deliver care and treatment with the general practice team. Physician associates are medically trained generalists capable of working with patients across a wide variety of conditions. This means they can diagnose and treat adults and children with a range of clinical problems.

Meet Lusekelo, one of our physician associates

A GP Registrar is a fully qualified medical doctor, who is undertaking advanced training under the supervision of a practice GP to specialise in General Practice.

A Practice Based Pharmacist is a clinical pharmacist who provides expert advice around medicines. If a condition needs diagnosing, you will usually see a GP first, who may then refer you to a practice nurse or a practice pharmacist. You may see a Practice Based Pharmacist for one of the following reasons:

• If you have a condition such as asthma, type 2 diabetes, arthritis or high blood pressure, a practice pharmacist can discuss the medicines you’re taking to make sure they’re working for you. They can also help you with lifestyle changes to help you manage your condition better.
• If you are experiencing side effects from your medicines, you can discuss these with a practice pharmacist who will work with you to find a solution, such as changing your medicine or the dosage.
• If you are taking several different medicines, or taking medicines over a long period of time. The practice pharmacist can help make sure they are working well together and will do a regular review to discuss how they are working for you.
• If your medicines have been changed after a stay in hospital, the practice pharmacist can help explain these changes and ensure you get the maximum benefit from these medicines.

You may also see a practice pharmacist instead of a GP if you are suffering from a common illness such as a cold, hay fever, diarrhoea or an eye infection. The pharmacist may be able to prescribe medicines to treat your condition.

You will always be referred to a GP, or another health professional if there is a need.

Paramedics are currently working within some GP practices to help ease pressure on GPs and the wider practice team. Paramedics can assess, examine, treat and manage patients of all age ranges with a variety of acute illnesses – those that come on quickly, from coughs, and injuries such as broken bones, to more serious conditions such asthma attacks and heart attacks – as well as chronic conditions, which are long-lasting, like arthritis and diabetes.

Physiotherapists are experts in muscle and joint conditions, also known as musculoskeletal. You may be referred to a Physiotherapists working in or with your practice to provide you with an expert diagnosis and treatment if you are experiencing these types of conditions.

Health Coaches work alongside GPs and other health professionals to educate patients on diet and lifestyle. They work with patients to help them change their behaviour, so they can make healthcare choices based on what matters to them and support them to become more active in their health and care.

Social prescribing involves helping patients to improve their health, wellbeing and welfare by connecting them to community services which might be run by the council or a local charity. For example, signposting people who have been diagnosed with dementia to local dementia support groups. In general practice, social prescribers can take the time to talk to patients about what matters to them and support them to find suitable activities that are a better alternative to medication. They connect people to community groups and services for practical and emotional support.

Meet Matt, one of our social prescribers

It is often more appropriate for patients with mental health needs to see a skilled professional, specially trained in mental health rather than a GP, therefore patients may be referred to a Mental Health Practitioner rather than other member of the practice team.