Patient advisers

We’re supporting Patient Advisers in our practice

Virtually everyone who calls a GP practice to make an appointment asks to see to a GP, but very often help will be available from other highly skilled medical professionals such as nurses or pharmacists, or from another services, including the voluntary sector, who can support people with a wide range of social, emotional or practical needs.

So, building upon work that is already done in our practice to manage demand and support our GPs, we have introduced the role of Patient Advisers.

Patient Advisers will provide you with a first point of contact which directs you to the most appropriate source of help. Staff who are Patient Advisers have undertaken appropriate training to make it easier for you to get an appointment with the most appropriate professional – this could be with a healthcare assistant, practice nurse, clinical pharmacist based in your practice (who may be able to prescribe your medicines in the same way as your doctor) or your GP.

To help you access the correct service, when you call your Patient Adviser will need to know a little about why you need an appointment. Patient Advisers aren’t being nosey or obstructive in your request to seeing a GP, they genuinely want to help.

They will ask you a few brief questions as Patient Advisers have a number of alternative types of appointments available to them and they need to offer you the most appropriate appointment to deal with your problem.  The most appropriate appointment may be with the GP or for example perhaps with another member of the practice team.

Patient Advisers have taken part in robust training and will treat all information in the strictest of confidence; you’ll then be directed to see the correct professional to meet your need. You can ask to speak to the Patient Adviser receptionist privately.

In implementing the role of Patient Advisers we very much hope that you will find the new role helpful. The role will help the practice make best use of the services available both at the practice and in the wider community and in doing so indirectly increase the number of available GP appointments so that you can more easily secure an appointment when it is necessary.

We look forward to offering you an improved service and thank you in advance for your support.

For more information, please read the frequently asked questions by visiting:

http://www.warringtonccg.nhs.uk/Page%20Images/about-us/patient-advisers.htm

Alternatively, to find local health services, events, advice and support in Warrington the following websites can provide information:

www.mylifewarrington.co.uk
www.warrington.gov.uk/warringtonwellbeing

www.nhs.uk