Your GP practice team and how they can help

As more of us are looking to stay fighting fit over 50, it’s important to know where to get the right care for our health problems. 

There are a range of different health professionals at your local GP practice who can help you get the right care, when you need it. Alongside GPs, some general practice teams in England can include nurses, physiotherapists, clinical pharmacists, mental health practitioners, paramedics and health and wellbeing coaches to name a few.

Here’s a who’s who of key roles in a GP practice and how they can help:

Reception team

Janice Bruce, Receptionist at Islington GP Federation

Often the first point of contact, the reception team are trained to ask patients questions about their health need, so they can direct each person to the right health professional or local service.  All information is kept in confidence, and they follow guidelines set by the clinical team to ensure people are directed to the right support – including their GP.

Clinical pharmacist

A clinical pharmacist can talk to patients about the medicines they are taking to make sure they are working effectively. They can be especially helpful for patients with long term conditions like asthma, type 2 diabetes, arthritis or high blood pressure, or those who need regular medication reviews.

Physiotherapist

Matt Harrison, Physiotherapist at Richmond Road Medical Centre in Hackney

Physiotherapists working in general practice help people, such as those with osteoarthritis or osteoporosis, keep their muscles, bones and joints working as best they can or help those with disabilities. They can advise on exercises, injuries and can request an X-Ray or MRI if needed.

Nurses

Practice nurses work closely with other health professionals in general practices, including GPs, pharmacists and social prescribing link workers. They support patients with a range of primary care services such as blood pressure checks, vaccinations or assessments for a range of conditions.

Paramedic

Paramedics working in a general practice visit people in their homes if they’re not able to come to the practice. They can perform health checks and tests and respond quickly to urgent situations, such as falls, often preventing unnecessary admissions into hospitals.

Mental health practitioner

Mental health practitioners listen to and support people with their mental health needs. This could be anything from helping patients deal with a mental health crisis to supporting patients with managing long-term conditions within the community.

Health and wellbeing coach

Health and wellbeing coaches support people to increase their ability to change their lifestyle. They can be really helpful for those experiencing long term conditions like type 2 diabetes and hypertension or helping people with weight management, diet and increasing activity levels.

Social prescribing link worker

Gay Palmer, Social Prescriber at Southwark GP Federation

And finally, social prescribing link workers connect people to all different types of support and activities in the community to help address the underlying issues that can affect our health, like debt, housing or loneliness.

For more information visit nhs.uk/GPservices.

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