The PCN employs a range of Additional Roles to work within our GP surgeries to support with delivering excellent care to our patient population across Orpington PCN. Below is a brief summary of what these roles can do.
- Care Coordinators
- Clinical Pharmacists
- Mental Health Practitioners
- Paramedics
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Physiotherapists
- Podiatrist
- Social Prescriber
Care co-ordinators try to focus on the more vulnerable patients or those who would find it more difficult to routinely access care. They help the patients to find the right care for the problems they have. These groups include those with learning disabilities, severe mental illness, the elderly and frail as well as carers or those who are recently bereaved.
They run the Orpington Well-being café held alternate Thursdays at Orpington Methodist Church and can also be contacted by patients via the GP practice.
The clinical pharmacists are highly trained pharmacists who work with the GP team to assist with medication queries from patients and staff as well as having routine appointments with patients.
During the appointment, pharmacists will review a patient’s medication to look at any side effects, to see if medications can be reduced or altered and also to help the patient understand why they take the medications that they do. Patients can directly book to speak to a pharmacist via their GP practice.
Mental health practitioners are specialists in mental illness and have close links with Oxleas, the local mental health specialist service. They can diagnose and treat a whole range of mental health problems including anxiety and depression and can provide ongoing care regarding mental health problems.
Patients can directly book to speak to a mental health practitioner via their GP practice.
Paramedics have a range of skills across Orpington PCN but on the whole see urgent problems such as sore throats, chest infections, ear infections. They can see children and adults and some have additional areas of interest such as mental health and lung disease. They see patients at their own GP practice and patients can directly book to see them via the practice reception team.
Pharmacy technicians support the clinical pharmacy team by running regular safety searches on medication to help make sure patients are up to date with monitoring for their medication such as blood tests, height and weight as well as other support work.
These are First Contact Physiotherapists who see anyone with suspected musculoskeletal problems, over 18 and not pregnant. They aim to treat within their service without referral to anyone else, but will refer on if needed eg to orthopaedics, community physiotherapy or advanced physiotherapy. Your surgery’s receptionists can book the appointment without you having to see a GP first.
The podiatrist carries out routine foot checks for patients with diabetes as well as accepting referrals from clinical staff regarding foot related problems. The podiatrist is often at the Well being café to provide direct assistance to patients there.
Patients are seen for non-clinical problems such as with housing, social isolation etc. The social prescriber can give relevant advice and provide support to patients to get involved in social groups etc.
Patients can be referred to the social prescriber by care co-ordinators and clinical staff as well as asking for an appointment via the practice reception.