General Practice Support Team

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB is implementing improvements to the way you receive your care and the healthcare professionals you will see.

In line with the new ‘Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care’, we are expanding our workforce through additional qualified healthcare professionals across GP practices and primary care.

These roles are becoming part of the General Practice Team to provide additional capacity for your healthcare needs, and by doing so, help solve the workforce shortage in general practice.

Helping you, receive the care you need, with the most appropriate healthcare professional.

We are spotlighting five roles that you may see at your GP practice.

1. Care Co-ordinator
2. Paramedic
3. Clinical Pharmacist
4. First Contact Physiotherapist
5. Social Prescriber

To meet them and understand how they can help you, click on the tabs to watch our interviews.  Videos are available in British Sign Language (BSL) and can also be watched in different languages by selecting captions on the video player.

Please note, not every GP practice will have every health care professional available. You can contact your GP practice for more information on specific roles. 

To find out how your GP team is expanding, visit: https://www.england.nhs.uk/gp/expanding-our-workforce/

You can find more on how the NHS is delivering the plan for recovering access here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/delivery-plan-for-recovering-access-to-primary-care-2/

CARE CO-ORDINATOR

Care Co-ordinators provide extra support to patients before or after appointments. They work closely with GPs and other healthcare staff within the GP team, ensuring that support is available to patients and their changing needs.

Meet Jess, a local Care Co-ordinator who explains her role and how she can support patients. This video can also be viewed in BSL.

Care Co-ordinators can support with:

• Supporting patients to take up training or employment and access appropriate benefits where eligible
• Helping patients to manage their needs, answering their queries and supporting them to make appointments
• Working 1-1 with patients to help manage their healthcare needs
• Improving patient experience
• Working closely with the GP Support Team
• Ensuring that patients have enough information to help them make choices about their care

CLINICAL PHARMACIST

Clinical pharmacists work in GP practices to clinically assess and treat patients using their expert knowledge of medicines. They will be able to prescribe you medicines without seeing a GP. They work with GPs and the GP team, taking responsibility for patients with chronic diseases and undertaking structured medication reviews. The Clinical Pharmacist works at the GP practice instead of the pharmacy, and therefore you may get an appointment to see them directly.

Meet Becky, a local Clinical Pharmacist who explains her role and how she can support patients. This video can also be viewed in BSL.

Clinical Pharmacists can support with:

• Assessing patient’s health problems and suggesting solutions
• Prescribing medicines to help patients
• Carrying out structured medication reviews for patients with ongoing health problems
• Improving patient safety, outcomes and value through a person-centred approach.

FIRST CONTACT PHYSIOTHERAPIST

Most First Contact Physiotherapists are trained with enhanced skills that work within the GP practice. They can help patients with musculoskeletal issues (MSK) such as back, neck and joint pain.

Meet Steve, a local First Contact Physiotherapist who explains his role and how he can support patients. This video can also be viewed in BSL.

First Contact Physiotherapists can support with:

• Assessing and diagnosing musculoskeletal (MSK) issues
• Giving expert advice on how best to manage patient’s conditions
• Referring patients onto specialist services if necessary
• Seeing patients with back and joint pain, including conditions such as arthritis, will now be able to contact their local physiotherapist directly, rather than waiting to see a GP or being referred to hospital.
• Patients can also see a physiotherapist by speaking to the GP practice receptionist.

PARAMEDIC

A paramedic in primary care can provide a rapid response to patients including those with long-term conditions, minor injuries, and minor illness. Some work on rotation shifts between the GP practice and the ambulance service.

Meet Amber, a local Paramedic who explains her role and how she can support patients. This video can also be viewed in BSL.

Paramedics can support with:

• Patients who require wound care, have fallen, have musculoskeletal problems, have urinary tract or respiratory infections
• Supplying a range of medicines, including antibiotics and analgesics
• Helping GP practices in responding to ‘on the day demand’ through offering telephone triage or undertaking home visiting
• Helping GP practices to improve access to care by managing minor ailments and seeing patients in care homes.

SOCIAL PRESCRIBER

Social prescribers, also known as social prescribing link workers, connect patients to community-based support. This includes activities and services that meet social, and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. 

Meet Tim, a local Social Prescriber who explains his role and how he can support patients. This video can also be viewed in BSL.

Social Prescribers can support with:

• Connecting patients to services for their mental health and wellbeing
• Connecting patients to services such as housing, financial and welfare advice
• Patients with mental health needs, those who feel lonely or isolated, and those with long term conditions, as well as those with complex social needs
• Working with the GP practice to support community offers such as mindfulness classes, social groups and online courses.

PRIMARY CARE RESOURCES

Click here to access resources.