As part of our PCN, we are developing a group of clinicians to assist within the general practice of our PCN. These roles will be under the mentorship and supervision of a General Practitioner. These clinicians are expected to actively work towards developing and maintaining effective working relationships both in practice and the community and to develop and maintain strong links with the available services locally. Meet the team below.
The Dietitian provides support to a range of patients within the PCN. Offering clinic slots, telephone calls, home visits and joint working with other professionals. The key areas supported by the dietitian are milk allergy in babies, malnutrition within the community and PCN care home settings, those struggling with their diabetes management and alternative services have not been successful or declined.
Jac is always open to supporting any patient with nutritional issues so please ask. However, the hospital has a criteria for their dietetic service too. The criteria is subject to change and ideas for new services are always welcome.
The Paramedic provides support for both the GP and the community team within the PCN, assisting with GP home visits.
The paramedic will provide care by taking a clinical assessment and reporting back to the GP for an appropriate course of treatment to meet the patient’s needs. They are expected to carry out home visits and consult with patients to review and act appropriately on any results and referrals. The Paramedic will interview patients, take medical history, perform physical examinations, and explain medical problems during both surgery consultations and home visits. They will create individual health care plans to instruct and educate patients and conduct telephone consultations to follow up and review patients on a regular basis.
Sean has been signed off as a prescriber, and has recently qualified as an ACP – Advanced Care Practitioner.
Social prescribing is a confidential free service that can help patients improve their overall health & wellbeing. The social prescriber empowers patients to make positive changes and where possible reduce the patients need for Primary and secondary care involvement. A social prescriber can assess areas of need and discuss what areas are important to the patient, help the patient to create a personalised plan going forward and help link them to local community activities & services that can help address the needs identified.
As Health and Wellbeing Coaches, we are expected to see patients, usually over a number of sessions, supporting them to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence, and helping them become active participants in their own health and wellbeing. We guide and support all patients to reflect on and change what they do to help them reach their own health and wellbeing goals.
Often working with patients with a long-term condition such as type 2 diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). At other times working with those who are at risk of developing a long-term condition, providing support for issues such as weight management, managing chronic pain, or living with depression or anxiety. Using coaching skills, good communication and behavioural change skills, will allow patients to find routes for additional wellbeing support and encourage and support them to become more engaged in managing their own health, in turn hopefully reducing the amount of time needed by a health professional and improving their overall health and wellbeing.
We look to encourage structure, routine and try to help the patient incorporate this into their day-to-day life to ensure they are doing what is right for them. Building trusting relationships, listening carefully to what matters to them and what motivated them and supporting them to take action on the self-identified goals is what makes the role successful.
Our counselling service is made up of a highly qualified team, Lyndsay & Tiffany, as well as student and volunteer counsellors. The team are mentored to deliver psychological intervention to patients. As a team they provide disorder specific assessment and evidence-based low intensity eclectic interventions for people with anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, and bereavement. They offer a wide range of treatments, including telephone and online intervention, psychoeducation and one to one work. These are completed a thorough assessment to determine the most appropriate pathway of care and support for the patients, and we have the knowledge to signpost or refer to other services if a more intensive intervention is needed. The service is adapting what it can offer to include group work and out of hours appointments to make our treatments more accessible to all patients. If you have any questions the team will be happy to help. They can offer support of training in mental health to anyone who feels they would benefit.
