Do you know who the professionals and services are that work alongside your GP?

Primary Care is the first point of contact for healthcare, acting as the ‘front door’ of the NHS.

Services are based in Health Centres, Practices, Community Clinics and out with hospital settings. This includes:

  • General Practitioners (GP/Doctor)
  • Community Pharmacists (Chemist)
  • Dentists (Mouth/Teeth Care)
  • Community Opticians (Eye Care)

There are professionals and services that work alongside your GP.

Currently, GPs see most people who come into their practice, even though there are other health professionals who may be more of a specialist in dealing with your symptoms. Where we have the staff and where it is safe, appropriate and improves patient care, some of the assessments currently carried out by GPs (or their staff) will be undertaken by other members of a multi- disciplinary team. These health professionals may be based in the practice or may be made available to patients at another site.

This guide will explain some of the changes that you may see and how to access these services to ensure you get the right care in the right place.

The GP has traditionally been the first point of contact for patients accessing Primary Care. General Practitioners (GPs) treat common medical conditions and play an important role in looking after patients in the community.

There is a wide range of skilled and experienced services and professionals working alongside GPs and Practices to complement GP care. To ensure patients are directed to the right care at the right place, GP Receptionists will ask some important questions when patients contact a GP Practice. 

The GP Receptionist role is to support and guide patients through Primary Care services.

Receptionists as first point of contact are trained to support patients by signposting. They may refer or appoint patients to the most appropriate professional or service to best suit their health and social care needs.

All information shared remains confidential and is used only to guide the patient to the right professional or service.

The Primary Care pharmacy team are part of the multi-disciplinary team in GP practices which allow patients to be seen at the right time by the right person. There are Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacy support workers and also Pharmacists available to help you with advice on accessing medication, how to take your medication and medication reviews alongside access to specialist pharmacist clinics after a heart attack or to help with chronic pain issues.  Please contact your GP practice reception if you wish to discuss your medications with a member of the GP practice pharmacy team.

A member of the Primary Care Pharmacy team may contact you from your GP Practice to discuss your medications.

The Pharmacy team support hospital discharge by actioning discharge and clinic letters.  The Care Home Pharmacy Team work to ensure all West Dunbartonshire care home residents have access to support with their medication and clinical review and our Care at Home Pharmacy team work alongside carers to support hospital discharge for patients receiving care at home carers.

Community Treatment & Care (CTAC) is a long-standing nurse-led service formerly known as Treatment Rooms.

Working alongside GPs, the CTAC team provide specialist care in Health Centres and GP Practices including:

  • Ear care
  • Catheter care
  • Blood pressure, blood glucose and blood samples
  • Pulse and body temperature
  • Wound, leg ulcer and dressing care
  • Removal of stitches and staples
  • Medication administration i.e. injections

Should patients require to visit one of our centres, the GP Practice will ask you to contact the CTAC service to make an appointment or you can contact the service direct, additional information is detailed within this leaflet.

Community Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) offer specialised services in partnership with GPs.

ANPs are highly skilled senior nurses with advanced clinical skills, allowing them to:

  • Take a full medical history
  • Provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment in relation to a wide range of health conditions
  • Prescribe medicines
  • Plan any follow up treatment
  • Order and interpret investigations such as blood tests, Xrays and Ultrasound
  • Refer to other services and colleagues for specialist advice

Advanced Nurse Practitioners enhance the care available to patients and are based in GP Practices, the Advanced Nurse Practitioner may see you within the GP Practice or carry out home visits by GP request.

GPs can have a role in supporting and managing the Mental Health & Wellbeing of patients, but there are many other resources available which can be easily accessed that may help.

Wellbeing Nurses provide support to assess patient mental health within GP practices without the need for an initial GP appointment and referral.  The people who would benefit from the services are over the age of 18 and:

  • Are currently have early mental health problems or distress who would have been traditionally seen by GPs on a non-emergency basis.
  • who require a period of “watchful waiting” in terms of their mental health.
  • are concerned about future ageing process and the effects on their brain health or for people who may exhibit the early signs of memory loss.
  • are concerned about their alcohol and illicit drug use and associated lifestyle.

 

Additional resources include

NHS Inform has information on identifying, treating and managing mental health problems. It also has a range of mental health self-help guides covering issues like anxiety, depression, self-esteem and sleep.

When phoning 111, a trained Practitioner can offer advice and connect you to other support and services.

The West Dunbartonshire Wellbeing hub is where children, young people and their families, and those who work with them can find information to support and improve wellbeing and emotional health. Homepage | WD Wellbeing

To access support for conditions affecting your joints, bones and muscles, known as Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, there are a number of options including

Website

Information, videos and advice that you may find helpful can be found by accessing Musculoskeletal (MSK) Physiotherapy - NHSGGC.

Advanced Practice Physiotherapists

Based in some of our GP Practices Advanced Practice Physiotherapists offer specialised services in partnership with GPs. 

The Advanced Practice Physiotherapist can provide expert advice and assessment for a range of conditions for people 14 years and over including:

  • Improving movement and strength
  • Returning to sport after an injury
  • Rehabilitation after an operation

The Advanced Physiotherapist will talk to you about the impact these problems are having on your life and ways that can aid recovery.  If required, the Advanced Practice Physiotherapist can order tests of refer on to other services.

Appointments are available face to face, by telephone or video call.

The GP receptionists can arrange and appointment for you with the practices based Physiotherapists

Community Physiotherapy Department

Community Physiotherapy Department is for age 14 years and over, you can complete the referral forms online by following How to access the Physiotherapy Service - NHSGGC.

For children under 14 they can access support from Paediatric Physiotherapy | NHS GGC

NHS Scotland provides a number of Vaccination programmes to protect populations against disease.

Vaccinations are no longer carried out in GP Practices and are now offered in a variety of locations including maternity settings, schools, community clinic and care homes.

Health information, travel vaccination requirements and advice on staying healthy when travelling abroad can be accessed online. General Vaccinations - NHSGGC

Vaccination information for pregnancy and birth, childhood through to adulthood can be found on the NHS Inform website.

Please see our links provided under heading Other Websites for Fit for Travel and Vaccination information on NHS Inform. Home - Fit for Travel.  Information on our travel vaccine service can be found here Overseas Travel Vaccinations - NHSGGC

Community Link Workers (CLW) support patients with non-medical issues affecting overall physical and emotional wellbeing. This is known as social prescribing and includes:

  • Financial worries
  • Mental health concerns
  • Physical activity (exercise)
  • Emotional support
  • Housing matters

Maintaining confidentiality at all times, Community Link Workers are highly skilled and trained to deliver a professional service similar to the GP Practice team.  A GP appointment is not necessary to see a Community Link Worker, you can ask for an appointment when you phone the GP Receptionists.  Other professionals may signpost you to this service such as GPs, Nurses, Pharmacists, Wellbeing Nurses and Physiotherapists if they feel it may be helpful to you.

Pharmacy First Scotland is a service provided by Community Pharmacy, offering advice, guidance and treatment including:

  • Sore throat and cough
  • Mouth ulcers, earache and headlice
  • Indigestion, constipation, and diarrhoea 
  • Allergies, hay fever and impetigo
  • Community pharmacists can also help with stopping smoking, emergency contraception, sexual health advice and provide advice on prescribed medicines and how to get the most benefit from them. 

Visit your local Pharmacy for advice.

More information on the pharmacy first service can be found here NHS Pharmacy First Scotland | NHS inform

Your local dentist can provide information and advice If you have swelling to your mouth, painful or bleeding gums, tooth pain, injury to your mouth or if you are seeking advice on oral hygiene then your dentist is best placed to help you. If you are not registered with a dentist, you can find Information about practices near you by going to: https://www.nhsinform.scot/scotlands-service-directory  

You can access dental care by calling an NHS General Dental Practice (GDP) however a number are experiencing significant backlogs of care, if patients are unable to access GDP dental care, please see below.

 

Daytime Emergency Dental Care

Emergency Dental Treatment Centre Glasgow Dental Hospital - Telephone during 9am to 4.30pm,  Tel No. 0141 232 6323

 

Out of Hours Emergency Dental Care

NHS 24 Triage - Telephone No. - 111

Your local high street Optician can deal with an eye problem. As eye specialists, they are able to use their state-of-the-art equipment and knowledge to diagnose your issue and, depending on the problem, may be able to write a prescription which you can take straight to your pharmacy.  So no need to visit a GP. And if you need to be seen urgently by a hospital specialist they can refer you directly.

All NHS eye examinations (eye tests) are free in Scotland if you:

  • usually live in the UK
  • are a refugee
  • are an asylum seeker
  • in some cases, are an eligible overseas visitor
  • Regular free eye examinations

You should get your eyes examined regularly by an optometrist (optician). This is important even if you don’t think you have a problem with your vision.

An NHS eye examination in Scotland tests more than just your sight. It also:

  • checks the health of your eyes
  • looks for signs of other health problems

In some cases, it means that any problems with your eyes can be found before they become more serious.

You can make an appointment with a local Optician in the high street /community for free eye examinations.

 

Other Services are available within your community and may be able to help, details can be found here

Acknowledgement – adapted from Inverclyde HSCP Transforming Care