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

From Health Careers
Physician associate Physician associate | Health Careers

Paramedic

From Health Careers
P
aramedic 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

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