Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and Practices
Additional Roles
As NHS England suggest
“The needs of our communities, in particular in areas where there are health inequalities, are greater than ever before. Our population is being impacted more and more by complex, long term conditions. There is a growing concern about areas of longstanding unmet health need and the social determinants of health are playing a bigger role than ever before.”
“Expanding our workforce.” From the NHS England website. Retrieved 5th October 2022.
To meet this need more advantage should be taken of all the talent and skills available and the workforce needs to be expanded beyond doctors and nurses who make up the core of the general practice clinical workforce. This has been happening for some time with many practices employing pharmacists and other new roles but this trend is now becoming firmly embedded in all practices with the onset of
Some of these roles are covered below and some are covered in the article from NHS England. Some of these additional roles will be employed by a practice, and some will be employed by a Primary Care Network across potentially a number of practices.
All these roles bring specialist skills and training which can make a real difference to patient care.
From NHS England
What are the “additional roles” involved with PCNs and how do these roles support your care? NHS England » Expanding our workforce
Pharmacist and Pharmacist Technicians
From Health Careers
Pharmacist Pharmacist | Health Careers
From the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Pharmacy in a changing NHS Pharmacy in a changing NHS
From the British Medical Association
Describes just some of the work a clinical pharmacist can do in general practice
Employing clinical pharmacists in GP practices Employing clinical pharmacists in GP practices
Pharmacy technicians
Pharmacy technician Pharmacy technician | Health Careers
Physiotherapist
From Health Careers
Physiotherapist Information on being a physiotherapist – Degrees and Courses – NHS Careers
From the NHS
Physiotherapy Physiotherapy – NHS
From Patient info
Signs you might need physiotherapy Signs you might need physiotherapy | Patient
PRIVATE PHYSIOTHERAPY
If you would prefer to self-refer to a private rather an NHS physiotherapist, see under
Physician associates
From the Royal College of Physicians: Faculty of Physician Associates
- Who are physician associates? Faculty of Physician Associates – quality health care across the NHS
- Frequently Asked Questions FAQs | Faculty of Physician Associates – quality health care across the NHS
From Health Careers
Physician associate Physician associate | Health Careers
Paramedic
From Health Careers
Paramedic Information on being a paramedic – Degrees and Courses – NHS Careers
From the College of Paramedics
What is a paramedic Become a Paramedic
Social prescriber
From Health Careers
Social prescribing link worker Social prescribing link worker | Health Careers
From the Scottish Social Prescribing Network
What is Social Prescribing? What is Social Prescribing? – SSPN (scottishspn.org.uk)
From NHS England
Social prescribing NHS England » Social prescribing
From the Kings Fund
What is social prescribing? What is social prescribing? | The King’s Fund
Social prescriber self-referral
For information on direct access to a social prescriber locally, see “local support – self referral” under
