Dr Alan Ryan (m)
MBChB; FPcert
Modern general practice is delivered by a mixed portfolio of healthcare professionals supporting the doctors. With the development of Primary Care Networks the team will further expand to clinicians such as Mental health Practitioners and Physiotherapists in the future.
Here's a guide to the type of clinician you might encounter at The Grange Surgery
General Practitioners (GPs)
GPs are medical doctors who oversee all aspects of patient care. As well as caring for patients directly, they support other members of the practice team to plan and deliver safe and effective care for patients.
They can help by:
• diagnosing and treating health conditions, prescribing medication where appropriate
• ordering tests and interpreting results
• referring you to hospital and other medical services for urgent and specialist treatment.
Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACP)
Advanced Practitioners come from a range of professional backgrounds such as nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy and paramedics. They are highly trained and have the knowledge and skills to manage all aspects of patient care.
They can help by:
• diagnosing and treating certain health conditions
• ordering tests and interpreting results
• prescribing medication.
Physicians Associate
Physician associates (PAs) are healthcare professionals with a generalist medical education who work alongside doctors providing medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. PAs are trained to work within a defined scope of practice and limits of competence to perform the following duties:
- taking medical histories from patients
- carrying out physical examinations
- seeing patients with undifferentiated diagnoses
- seeing patients with long-term chronic conditions
- formulating differential diagnoses and management plans
- carrying out diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
- developing and delivering appropriate treatment and management plans
- requesting and interpreting diagnostic studies
- providing health promotion and disease prevention advice for patients.
Practice Nurses
General Practice Nurses are a vital part of our primary healthcare team. Our practice nurses will be involved in almost every aspect of patient care and treatment, undertaking such tasks as:
- Helping people manage long term conditions such as diabetes, asthma and COPD
- Health screening
- Family planning
- Running vaccination programmes
- Administering child immunisations
The role allows nurses to develop long term relationships with individuals and families, managing their conditions and improving physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Watch a short video produced by NHS called 'A Day in The Life of a Practice Nurse'
Health Care Assistants (HCA)
The role of HCA is evolving in the NHS workforce but they have long been a central part of the healthcare team at Ainsdale Village Surgery. Supplementing and supporting the work of the practice nurses they carry out a wide range of tasks which includes.
- Phlebotomy
- Diagnostic tests such as ECG
- Administering some vaccinations and immunisations
- Conducting reviews with people with long term conditions such as diabetes
- Health reviews and the provision of lifestyle advice
Watch a short video produced by the NHS called 'A Day in The Life of a Health Care Assistant'
Independent Prescribing Pharmacist
Clinical pharmacists work as part of the general practice team to improve value and outcomes from medicines and consult with and treat patients directly. This includes providing extra help to manage long-term conditions, advice for those on multiple medicines and better access to health checks. The role is pivotal to improving the quality of care and ensuring patient safety.
Having clinical pharmacists in GP practices means that GPs can focus their skills where they are most needed, for example on diagnosing and treating patients with more complex conditions. This helps GPs to manage the demands on their time.
Junior Doctors /Trainee Doctors
Medical graduates enter the medical workforce as ‘junior doctors’ on a two year work based training
programme. This is known as the ‘foundation programme’ and is the first level of clinical training for qualified doctors that bridges the gap between medical school and specialty training.
The foundation programme is carried out in hospitals and the two years are often referred to as ‘FY1’ (foundation year one) or ‘FY2’ (foundation year two) by medical staff, and as such, junior doctors on the foundation programme may introduce themselves to patients as an ‘FY1’ or ‘FY2’ doctor. Foundation Stage 2 Doctors complete a four-month rotation in General Practice and work under the supervision of our experienced GPs.
Completion of FY1 allows junior doctors to gain full registration with the GMC and completion of FY2 allows them to apply for further study and training in a specialised area of medicine such as general practice.
Typically the speciality trainee (ST) doctors that work at the surgery and are in the third and final year of their qualification to be a GP and are known as ST3 doctors and also, sometimes, as Registrars.