Mrs Nichola Cropper
Advanced Nurse Practitioner
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 the types of clinician you might encounter at Cumberland House 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
Four of our GPs are salaried GPs. These GPs are employed by the practice and are permanent members of the clinical team. They are the named GP to a list of our registered patients.
Sessional GPs
Sessional GPs are self-employed doctors who have a portfolio of work placements which includes Ainsdale Medical Centre. 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. Sessional GPs do not have their own list of registered patients.
Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANP)
Advanced Nurse 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. They are unable to issue sick notes or consult with pregnant patients or, in some cases, patients aged under 18. Please check with reception if you think an ANP may be appropriate for your condition.
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'
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.