How general practice assistants help our PCN

In Central and West Warrington PCN we started to consider the role of the general practice assistant around June 2022 a few months before they were address to the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS) in September last year. Now not only is the role crucial to the running of both our PCN and practice it also serves as an ideal way of supporting and retaining non-clinical members of staff who wish to develop their skills and progress their career.

Background

Many of our staff had trained to become vaccinators during the Covid vaccination programme and had enjoyed this experience. Following that, we organised a two-day phlebotomy course for non-clinical staff wanting to develop this skill. This was very popular with a range of staff from pharmacy technicians to care coordinators wanting to use this skill within their wider role. A couple of care coordinators expressed an interest in developing a more clinical role and so we explored the general practice assistant training portfolio.

Training

A GP lead supported the trainees with regular development and tutorial sessions to cover training gaps and to test knowledge and skills. Placements with practice staff already skilled in coding and document handling were also undertaken.

We have now trained three general practice assistants. We recently advertised to for a further general practice assistant training and had 25 applicants, including a number of existing primary care staff wanting to progress into a clinical role.

The experience required to be a general practice assistant is very varied. We get applicants for a wind range of backgrounds such as practice administration, retail and social care roles. We like to see applicants who have good people skills and are keen to learn.

Tasks

In practice general practice assistants undertake both clinical and administration tasks which may include:

• venepuncture
• urine testing
• blood pressure recording
• ECGs
• assisting with reports
• contacting patients to chase up issues
• assisting with emergency situations
• chaperoning

In practice

Within my own practice our general practice assistant, Hattie Layfield will have a partly booked clinic usually undertaking proactive work such as health checks with blocked time between, into which clinical staff can book urgent bloods or ECGs. 

Often after triaging a patient we will book complex patients a pre-GP appointment with the GPA directly before the GP appointment. Here baseline measures, such as a urine dip, can be collected in preparation. This allows the GP to work at the top of their competency rather than being tied up with the more routine tasks. GPAs are trained to act as chaperones and can assist with procedures. The role is particularly useful during more acute situations as the GPA has time to assist and spend time with worried or anxious patients.

They can assist with the logistics of admitting a patient to hospital and ensuring paperwork is completed. Recently our GPA’s attended a course to enable them to file normal results. They also support the PCN with outreach and health inequalities work.

Often GPA’s support safeguarding processes in the practice such as managing paperwork to support child protection conferences. 

Our GPAs also logistically and clinically support the vaccine programme and have undertaken work to improve smear and bowel screening rates by making contact with hesitant patients over the phone. This work is not just about targets but more about reducing health inequalities for more hesitant patients by getting over anxiety barriers.

This is now a valued role within our practices, and we hope to expand the coverage over the next 12 months.

Dr Laura Mount is a GP partner, clinical director for Central and West Warrington PCN, and a member of the Pulse PCN editorial advisory board