Who's who guide for patients

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Your GP is evolving Your general practice is constantly changing and growing for its patients.

GP have increased their staff roles at local practices so patients are able to get advice and treatment more quickly. This leaflet will explain these roles and their responsibilities. Not all practices will have all of the roles outlined below so do check in with them next time you get in touch. In the future you may be able to receive treatment from the following:

General Practice Nurses (GPNs)

General practice nurses are undertaking a wider range of roles. GPNs provide care and treatment for people from birth to end of life. They help dozens of patients every day. As a registered nurse they can do all sorts, from baby immunisations to helping people with diabetes and asthma. They can inspect any rashes you're worried about, talk to you about contraception.

Nursing Associates (NAs)

Nursing associates bridge the gap between healthcare support workers and registered nurses. Nursing associates work with people of all ages who need help or advice but don't need to see a doctor or a nurse.

Health Care Assistants (HCAs)

HCAs take on routine tasks that were previously undertaken by practice nurses like administering vaccines to patients, taking blood samples and taking measurements such as temperatures, respiration and pulse rates. They are an important part of the practice that have significantly reduced patient waiting times.

Physician Associates (Pas)

Physician associates have a list of their own patients and can diagnose many conditions, order up tests and interpret the results, then make referrals if needed. They originally did a degree, then studied for another two years to become a Physician Associate, so I have a lot of skills that I can use to help people. This means I can take some of the load of the GPs, which also means less waiting time for patients

Clinical Pharmacist

A clinical pharmacist helps patients to understand and get the most out of their medicines. They often also help with lifestyle changes to tackle long-term conditions, order blood tests where necessary and often advise patients who have just come out of hospital and need help with their new medications. Being part of the team here means our patients have an expert they can talk to pretty quickly when they need to.
Occupational Therapist Occupational therapists help people develop, recover and improve, as well as maintain the skills needed for daily living and working. They assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment plans to increase patients’ productivity and self-care. They also work really closely with patients through a shared[1]decision making approach to plan realistic goals.

Paramedic

A paramedic can deal with lots of different types of illness and injury. They have completed a extra postgraduate training so they can help even more patients. They do quite a few home visits and help to assess patients on the phone, so can help people get the right care as quickly as possible.

Physiotherapists

Physiotherapist work with lots of patients who have muscle or joint problems. That includes people recovering from serious injuries or illness, and those with new injuries. They can book scans and tests, and even organise joint injections, which used to need a GP. We're also trained to spot 'red flags', which means we can recognise when a joint or muscle problem may be a sign of something more serious. This is great because patients can come to me without needing to wait for a GP appointment.

Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs)

ACPs work alongside GPs and other practice staff to provide care to both adults and children. They can prescribe medication, order tests, interpret results, diagnose your health problems and organise and create an appropriate treatment plan

Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy technicians have a post-graduate degree in pharmacy and working with patients to help them understand and get the most out of their medications.

Care Co-ordinator

Care Co-ordinators focus on providing a more joined-up and coordinated care journey for patients. They are the single point of contact for patients to navigate the health and care system, helping to break down traditional barriers between health and care organisations. They work with people who have long-term health conditions in particular.

Health and Wellbeing Coach

Health and wellbeing coaching is about guiding and prompting people to change their behaviour, so they can make healthcare choices based on what matters to them. This also supports them to become more active in their health and care. A Health and wellbeing coach play in important role in helping patients to achieve goals set out in a personalised health and care plan. They can also refer people to other health professionals within the practice

Social Prescribing Link Workers

Link workers help 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. Social prescribers can take time to talk about what matters to patients 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.

Mental Health Practitioner

A Mental Health Practitioner provides a combined consultation, advice, triage and liaison function, supported by the local community mental health provider. Mental Health Practitioners work with patients to make the best possible decision to manage their care and help them access treatment. They are a bridge between primary care and specialist mental health providers, providing care to patients with a range of needs. Patients who need specialist support can be seen with no formal referral and can then go on to access a range of mental health service.