Have you met your GP practice team?
GP practices across the Frimley Health and Care area have been welcoming new members of staff into their teams to better support patients’ needs.
Around 400 additional team members have been recruited into healthcare roles at general practices in our area since 2019/2020 - offering patients access to an expanded team of health professionals in addition to their practice GP or nurse.
GP’s are now supported by this larger team that includes pharmacists, mental health practitioners, paramedics and social prescribers, who work together to support patients to get the right care when needed.
Practices have continually been working hard to improve patient experience and access to their team, recently this has included adopting new digital phone systems which allow a call back, informed queuing and signposting to services if appropriate.
The NHS is training more staff to better assess patients’ needs when they first make contact ensuring they can be seen by the right health professional. For example, if you have muscular pain, you can be booked straight in to see a physiotherapist.
When you get in touch, you will be asked what you need help with. The information you provide will be used to help choose the most suitable doctor, nurse or other health professional in the team to help or you may be signposted to a more appropriate service.
You can always tell your practice:
- If there’s a specific doctor, nurse or other health professional who you would prefer to respond to you
- If you would prefer to consult by phone, face-to-face, by video call, text or email
- If you need an interpreter
- If you have any other access or communications needs.
Through the expansion of the team, practices are now better able to support patients in more holistic ways, including with non-medical requirements. Non-medical issues can impact significantly on a person’s health and wellbeing and this is where GP practice Social Prescribers can help. By working alongside patients to understand and identify issues such as loneliness, or where help is needed around debts and housing concerns, social prescribers can support the patient in making connections with local council services and local voluntary services, helping to improve their situation and in turn their health and wellbeing.
Karl Goodall, Paramedic Practitioner at Princes Gardens Surgery, Aldershot told us "I have been a paramedic for 22 years, beginning my career as a technician and moving through various levels of training to become a paramedic practitioner working in general practice.
“I love the variety of my work and the time that my role allows me to spend with patients who are often needing to see someone for a same day issue that needs assessment.
“Working as part of an integrated team, that has so many colleagues with specialist areas of expertise, I am able to check in whenever I need to with a pharmacist or GP colleague, ensuring we are offering the patient the most comprehensive wrap around care for the best treatment, with the best outcome.
“I can spend more time with patients which means I can better answer their questions. This also helps me understand their worries. Sometimes it becomes clear that there are other issues we can support with, and if that's the case, I am able to refer to colleagues or share information about social prescribing as it may be able to help.
“We are able to offer so much more at the surgery now. I would urge people to be clear on their need when they contact their surgery so that we can assist them to get to the right member of the team and be seen quickly."
Even though GP practice teams have been growing for several years now, public awareness of the range of support available remains low, however more than 73% of people surveyed said they were happy to receive care from another health worker, recognising they didn’t always need to see a GP.
Lalitha Iyer, Chief Medical Officer, NHS Frimley said “Record numbers of people are seeking support from their GP practice, with teams across the country treating half a million more patients a week compared with before the pandemic. The NHS must adapt its services to match the increasing demand in a sustainable way.
“Not only have we been growing the teams within GP practices, but we have also been listening to feedback and making improvements to our systems. There are three ways you can contact your practice – online, on the phone and in person which is providing more choice. Phone lines have been improved; reducing waiting times, providing a clearer indication of place in the queue, and offering a call back option.
“We have also increased capacity, providing extended appointment times 8am-8pm and at weekends. Digital support like the NHS App is making it even easier to order repeat prescriptions and view your medical records.
“Reception teams, are trained to ensure you see the best member of the team for your need. Anything you discuss with them is in confidence and answering questions fully will help ensure we can get you to the right person within the team.”
To help explain the support available, a new film has been released by NHS England, which sees three curious children go behind the scenes at a general practice to meet some of these professionals and learn more about how they help patients get the care they need.
Practices are committed to continually improving the experience of their patients in accessing the services, so please support them to help you.