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Meet the Team

Guide to Primary Care

Guide to Primary Care

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 paramedics and physiotherapists in the future.

Here's a guide to they types of clinician you might encounter at Chapel Lane Surgery and The Hollies Family Surgery.

GP Partners

Some of our GPs are also partners in the practice. This means they are owners of the business that is contracted to provide General Medical Services under contract to the NHS. As well as seeing patients the Partners have to make time to look after the management and administration of the practice.

Salaried GPs

Three of our GPs are salaried GPs. These GPs are employed by the practice and are permanent members of the clinical team. 

Sessional GPs

Sessional GPs are self-employed doctors who have a portfolio of work placements which includes Chapel Lane Surgery and The Hollies Family Surgery. Some of our sessional GPs work regular sessions on the same days each week whilst others work less frequently. Sessional GPs typically also work at other practices in the area which means they bring varied experience of the wider healthcare system to their work. 

Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACP)

Advanced Clinical Practitioners are Registered Nurses who have done extra training and academic qualifications to be able to examine, assess, make diagnoses, treat, prescribe and make referrals for patients who present with undiagnosed/undifferentiated problems. 

GP Physician Associates

Physician Associates are dependent practitioners who can also practice independently and make independent decisions. This is enabled by collaboration and supportive working relationships with their clinical supervisors, meaning that there is always someone who can discuss cases, give advice and review patients if necessary

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
  • Assisting with with minor operations
  • 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 Medical Centre. Supplementing and supporting the work of the practice nurses they carry out a wide range of tasks which includes.

  • Taking and processing blood samples
  • Diagnostic tests such as ECG
  • Administering some kinds of vaccination and immunisations
  • Conducting reviews with people with long term conditions such as diabetes
  • Health reviews and the provsion of lifestyle advice

Watch a short video produced by the NHS called 'A Day in The Life of a Health Care Assistant'

 

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 speciality 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.


Our Team