Changes in the National Health Service are inevitable, times changes and the populations needs change too. One of the aspects of General Practice that is already changing is the recruitment of Advanced Nurse Practitioners to take some of the day to day load from busy GPs

Dr Simon Lennane, who works at Alton Street Surgery in Ross-on-Wye has told the Ross Gazette what this will mean at that practice. He said that the way primary care is provided is changing, partly in response to cuts in health and social care budgets.

It is increasingly hard to recruit GPs nationally, and most surgeries are struggling as a result. In order to keep services running, more specialist clinics are being provided, so conditions such as diabetes and asthma are being managed in chronic disease clinics, which are usually nurse led.

Advanced nurse practitioners will be seeing more acute (same day) cases, while GPs concentrate on more complex patients. These experienced nurses have specialist training and work closely with GPs to ensure good access to quality care.

This is the model being adopted at Alton Street Surgery. The phone system means patients discuss things initially with a senior clinician to identify what would help. This might mean having a test, seeing a nurse or seeing a GP, depending on symptoms.

Test results and symptoms can be discussed by phone where appropriate, which saves visits to the surgery. This is more convenient for patients and reduces the carbon footprint of healthcare.

It is also much more efficient, providing same day access for the vast majority of patients - by contrast, waiting times to see a GP elsewhere in Herefordshire can be up to a month. In future this could include phone access to practice pharmacists, dietitians and nurses specialising in conditions such as mental health.

There are other professionals now holding clinics at Alton Street, available to all local NHS patients. An employment adviser visits every fortnight and is available for advice about any issues related to work.

Let’s Talk will be providing sessions in the surgery around wellbeing, and how to manage symptoms of anxiety and depression. The Alton Street poetry group meets regularly, and there are close links with organisations such as the Mental Health group and community garden - these ’social prescribing’ models help to keep health integrated into the wider community.

Dr Lennane added :?“The cuts are certainly making things tougher in health and social care, but we remain very grateful to the people of Ross for such strong support for the NHS.”