News

Newer Clinical Roles in Practice 

The practice is able to offer consultations with the following roles: 
 
Clinical Pharmacists 
Clinical pharmacists are increasingly working as part of general practice teams. They are highly qualified experts in medicines and can help people in a range of ways. This includes carrying out structured medication reviews for patients with ongoing health problems and improving patient safety, outcomes and value through a person-centred approach.

MSK practitioners
MSK practitioners are advanced clinical practitioners who can assess treat and refer musculoskeletal problems in primary care.

Social Prescriber
Social prescribing – sometimes referred to as community referral – is a means of enabling GPs, nurses and other health and care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services. Recognising that people’s health is determined primarily by a range of social, economic and environmental factors, social prescribing seeks to address people’s needs in a holistic way. It also aims to support individuals to take greater control of their own health.

Health and Wellbeing coach 
A coach’s main role is to help people to take an active role in looking after their own health and wellbeing. Particularly people with long-term conditions that can be managed through lifestyle changes. They aim to help people make these positive lifestyle changes, with the aim of leading to long-term behaviour change. This can be achieved through setting goals and targets, establishing healthier habits and increasing people’s knowledge, skills and confidence.
 
Physician Assistants (PAs) 
Physician Assistants are health care professionals with a generalist medical education who work alongside doctors and surgeons providing medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team.  PA s work under the supervision of a doctor but can work autonomously with appropriate support. 

We have noted a marked increase in incoming telephone calls and many of these are because patients are unable to get through to other organisations such as pharmacies, hospital departments, consultant secretaries and 119 regarding covid vaccine passports and appointments.  Whilst we sympathise that this is frustrating the extra calls are clogging up our lines and preventing staff from dealing with practice matters.  We would ask that you please refrain from calling us and persevere with the organisation in question. 

Requests for face to face appointments with our GPs are now determined by a GP Telephone/Video Triage System. Please go to the Appointments section of the website, located at the top of the page. This is further information regarding appointments and the measures we have taken to limit the spread of Corona Virus.

In terms of what happens?

Any patient requiring appointments must contact the surgery on 01706 213060 and provide us with a telephone number where you can be contacted, you must outline the nature of your illness, name, contact number and date of birth to reception staff.

The doctor will take this information from the reception staff and determine if you need an appointment, and will tell you if you are to come to the surgery. PLEASE DO NOT COME TO SJMC UNLESS YOU ARE GIVEN AN APPOINTMENT BY A MEMBER OF THE CLINICAL TEAM.

We will aim to respond to your call according to a strict triage service that places clinical need above the sequence of call timings. This is similar to triage in Accident and Emergency, so please be patient.

Please only attend the surgery if you are requested to do so by a nurse. You must be fit enough to attend the surgery and do not have any respiratory symptoms.

Please contact the surgery if you do have respiratory symptoms. Practice nurses can conduct chronic health disease reviews remotely.

Your GP, nurse or pharmacist will not generally give you a prescription for medication that can be bought over the counter for a range of short term medications.  Instead over the counter medicines are available to buy in a pharmacy or supermarket in the community.

Pharmacy staff can offer clinical advice to safely and effectively manage minor health concerns. Please click on the following web link. It will give you up to date guidance: https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/medicines/why-cant-i-get-prescription-over-counter-medicine/

We are proud to have been accredited as a training practice in partnership with the North West Deanery. The doctors placed with us are fully qualified and undergoing specialist training. They will be fully supervised at all times by a GP in the practice. Your support is appreciated as these doctors have the opportunity to learn and experience what they need to become the doctors that we will rely on in the future.