Primary Care Roles
Within our GP practices and across our Primary Care Networks we have a team of people focused on delivering the best possible health and care services to people on the Isle of Wight.
In recent years, our care teams have expanded to include a variety of different roles, many of whom can provide specialist, personalised help and support.
Clinical Pharmacists
Clinical Pharmacists undertake medication reviews for patients with complex, long-term needs and help them manage their condition.
First Contact Physio
First Contact Physios or Musculo-Skeletal Practitioners are physiotherapists with enhanced skills that can help patients with issues such as back, neck and joint pain.
Physician Associate
A Physician Associate is a clinical graduate who, while not a doctor, has the skills and knowledge to help diagnose and manage the treatment and care of patients, alongside the practice team, under the supervision of an experienced GP.
Nursing Associate
Nursing Associates help bridge the gap between healthcare support workers and registered nurses to deliver hands-on care as part of a nursing team. They allow nurses to focus on more complex, clinical work.
Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy technicians manage and prepare medicines and give advice to patients and customers. They work in several general practices and care homes to ensure a high standard of patient care.
Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapists work with people who have difficulties carrying out various day-to-day activities because of disability, illness, trauma, ageing and a range of long-term conditions.
Dietitian
Dietitians are expert in nutrition. They work with their patients to alter their diets based on their medical condition and individual needs. Dietitians advise people and help them make informed and practical choices about their food and nutrition.
Social Prescribers
A social prescriber works with patients and their families to help them access a range of local community services that provide practical or emotional support and guidance of a non-medical nature.
Health and Wellbeing Coach
Health and Wellbeing Coaches engage with people to support them in taking an active role in their health, by providing advice and support.
Advanced Nurse Practitioners
Advanced Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses with extended training and qualifications who can clinically assess, diagnose, refer, treat and prescribe for patients with undiagnosed conditions.
Care Co-ordinator
A Care Coordinator helps manage a patient’s care, for example the elderly or disabled. They monitor and coordinate patients’ treatment plans, help educate them about their condition, connect them with health care providers and evaluate their progress.
Mental Health Practitioners
Mental Health Practitioners provide guidance, advice, signposting and treatment for patients with mental health symptoms such as low mood, anxiety or depression.
Patient Care Advisors
Patient Care Advisors are specially trained to receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional. They are often the first point of contact for telephone and face-to-face patient enquiries.
Primary Care Paramedic
Paramedics are highly trained health professionals working in a GP practice. They can see the same types of patients as GPs and are experts at keeping patients at home and linked to various community teams. They also help carry out same day urgent home visits and regular visits to housebound patients with long-term conditions.
Practice Nurse
Practice Nurses work as part of a surgery healthcare team. They will be involved in almost every aspect of patient care and treatment undertaking such tasks as treating small injuries, wound dressings etc.
GP
GPs (General Practitioners) are doctors that provide general medical treatment for all common medical conditions and refer patients to hospitals and other medical services for urgent and specialist treatment.
Healthcare Assistant
Healthcare Assistants work under the guidance of a registered health professional, usually a doctor or nurse, to provide help to the clinical team in improving patient care. They are trained to undertake health checks and diagnostic assessments eg blood pressure, urine analysis, health promotion and taking blood samples.
