New campaign highlights variety of healthcare staff working in Wigan's GP surgeries

Services in general practice are being transformed to make it easier for patients to access a wider range of help and support, closer to home, by phone or online.

GP practices are now home to a diverse team of health and well-being experts, working alongside GPs, including advanced nurse practitioners, social prescribing link workers and care co-ordinators.

These new roles in general practice are being highlighted in a campaign from NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care (NHS GM) entitled “Who’s who in your GP practice”.

It features videos of health professionals explaining their roles and how they can support patients, alongside posters and social media posts with photographs and a short explanation.

Fiona Deighan, first contact physiotherapy practitioner with Hindley Primary Care Network, said: “Many of those who contact their GP practice are struggling with pain in muscles or joints. So it’s great that more and more people can now see a physiotherapist straight away and get the right advice at the right time, without onward referral."

As of March, more than 1,600 professionals have been recruited to these new posts across Greater Manchester and this number continues to grow.

Just under a third (479) are clinical pharmacists or pharmacy technicians, while 15 per cent are care co-ordinators who help to make sure things run as smoothly as possible for patients with a long-term health condition or who receive care from different health services.

Dr Manisha Kumar, chief medical officer at NHS GM, said: “Our GP practices have come under real pressure in recent years. At the same time, the health needs of our patients are changing. A multi-disciplinary GP practice team, made up of highly qualified health professionals, means we can provide the right support, at the right time. Whether it’s a bad back, loneliness or a medicine review, just contact your practice as normal and they will direct you to the best person to support you.“At the same time, this new way of working is helping to free up GP appointments for patients with more complex health concerns or those who are managing a number of long-term conditions.”