How GP surgeries are changing to cut the queues and offer better care for all

PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HM GOVERNMENT

MILLIONS of patients are seen in GP practices in England every month, but the best patient care doesn’t always mean seeing a doctor.

Today, GP practices are a hive of expertise, offering a wealth of specialties alongside the traditional GP.

Paramedics are used to deal with urgent appointments, as well as some routine ones.

They also conduct home visits, assess and treat certain health conditions, order tests and interpret results.

Physiotherapists are also used to assess, diagnose and treat a range of complex muscle and joint conditions, which can reduce the likelihood of a patient needing to see a hospital team.

And, if deemed necessary, they can arrange further treatment and specialist referrals.

Then there are clinical pharmacists – they can review medication and advise about possible side effects too.

Groups of local practices work together to share skilled roles between them so that all patients get access to their specialist care.

The NHS’s priority has always been to provide the best patient care at the point of need.

Practices have been recruiting new health and care staff, which means more patients will get the right help from the right health professional first time and more quickly, as it’s not always necessary to see a GP for certain conditions.

That’s why you may notice a change when you contact your local practice, with receptionists trained to ask patients detailed questions about their conditions or symptoms.

Whether it’s over the phone, online or face-to-face, health enquiries will be handled sensitively and, as reception teams work under the supervision and guidance of GPs, patients can be confident they’re in safe hands.

More than 29,000 new NHS staff have been recruited to fill these additional health and care roles.

It will also build in flexibility as general practice evolves to better meet the growing needs of local communities.

‘PATIENTS ARE HAPPY’

RACHAEL BIRD, 41, is the reception manager at Kingswood Health Centre, Kingswood, Bristol.

She has worked in her current role for more than a year and previously spent six years working as a receptionist and healthcare assistant.

The practice serves more than 13,000 patients and has a mixed demographic.

Bird says: “I have a team of 14 receptionists, including myself, and we’ve all been trained to signpost using the protocol the GPs have provided.

“We accept telephone calls, and have also recently launched a system on our website where patients can submit medical queries or request medical appointments and clinical advice.

“A work coordinator follows clinical guidelines to assess whether a same day or routine appointment is required.

“From the information, we’re able to look at past history and we can signpost patients to our appropriate clinicians.

“If a patient sent us a clinic request for nerve pain in the leg, we might refer that to our physio. Patients with rashes, warts and moles might be referred to a community pharmacist.”

Bird says that patients are happy with the new online link system, as it provides a far better way to prioritise cases and helps mitigate the frustrations of the 8am rush, when phone lines can be clogged with people trying to book an appointment.

She adds: “Pretty much 70-80 per cent of patients are now filling in the forms online, which frees up appointments on the phone for the elderly and also enables us to take calls about other queries.”

Getting the care you need

Our trained reception teams will help you get the care you need. Learn more at