Teaching & Research

Occasionally medical students spend part of their training with us we would value your co-operation during these times but we understand if you do not want to be involved.

MBBS, DRCOG, MFFLM

MBBS, MRCP, MRCGP, DRCOG, DFSRH

MA (Cantab), MBBS, MRCS, MRCGP

MBchB, DRCOG

Role of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner

“An Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) is an experienced and highly educated Registered Nurse who manages the complete clinical care for their patient, not solely any specific condition. Advanced practice is a level of practice, rather than a type or speciality of practice.

ANPs are educated at Masters Level in advanced practice and are assessed as competent in this level of practice. As a clinical leader they have the freedom and authority to act and accept the responsibility and accountability for those actions. This level of practice is characterised by high level autonomous decision making, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment including prescribing, of patients with complex multi-dimensional problems. Decisions are made using high level expert, knowledge and skills. This includes the authority to refer, admit and discharge within appropriate clinical areas.

Working as part of the multidisciplinary team ANPs can work in or across all clinical settings, dependant on their area of expertise.” (Chief Nursing Officers Directorate, 2017)

What can an Advanced Nurse Practitioner do?

The core clinical competencies of the ANP are to:

• Take a comprehensive history

• Perform a clinical assessment (a comprehensive physical clinical examination of all systems and a mental health assessment)

• Formulate differential diagnoses

• Request, interpret and act on diagnostic tests and investigations

• Formulate an action plan for the treatment of the patient

• Admit, discharge or refer a patient dependent on patient need at time of review

Role of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner

“An Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) is an experienced and highly educated Registered Nurse who manages the complete clinical care for their patient, not solely any specific condition. Advanced practice is a level of practice, rather than a type or speciality of practice.

ANPs are educated at Masters Level in advanced practice and are assessed as competent in this level of practice. As a clinical leader they have the freedom and authority to act and accept the responsibility and accountability for those actions. This level of practice is characterised by high level autonomous decision making, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment including prescribing, of patients with complex multi-dimensional problems. Decisions are made using high level expert, knowledge and skills. This includes the authority to refer, admit and discharge within appropriate clinical areas.

Working as part of the multidisciplinary team ANPs can work in or across all clinical settings, dependant on their area of expertise.” (Chief Nursing Officers Directorate, 2017)

What can an Advanced Nurse Practitioner do?

The core clinical competencies of the ANP are to:

• Take a comprehensive history

• Perform a clinical assessment (a comprehensive physical clinical examination of all systems and a mental health assessment)

• Formulate differential diagnoses

• Request, interpret and act on diagnostic tests and investigations

• Formulate an action plan for the treatment of the patient

• Admit, discharge or refer a patient dependent on patient need at time of review

Role of a Practice Nurse

General practice nurses work in GP surgeries as part of the primary healthcare team, which might include doctors and pharmacists. In larger practices, you might be one of several practice nurses sharing duties and responsibilities. In others, you might be working on your own, taking on many roles. 

Aspects of patient care includes:

• obtaining blood samples
• electrocardiograms (ECGs) 
• minor and complex wound management including leg ulcers
• travel health advice and vaccinations
• child immunisations and advice
• family planning & women’s health including cervical smears
• men’s health screening
• sexual health services
• smoking cessation
• screening and helping patients to manage long term conditions

General practice nurses may also have direct supervision of healthcare assistants at the practice.

Role of a Practice Nurse

General practice nurses work in GP surgeries as part of the primary healthcare team, which might include doctors and pharmacists. In larger practices, you might be one of several practice nurses sharing duties and responsibilities. In others, you might be working on your own, taking on many roles. 

Aspects of patient care includes:

• obtaining blood samples
• electrocardiograms (ECGs) 
• minor and complex wound management including leg ulcers
• travel health advice and vaccinations
• child immunisations and advice
• family planning & women’s health including cervical smears
• men’s health screening
• sexual health services
• smoking cessation
• screening and helping patients to manage long term conditions

General practice nurses may also have direct supervision of healthcare assistants at the practice.

Role Summary:

• To support the practice nursing team in the delivery of nursing services, working as part of the practice multidisciplinary team, delivering care within their scope of practice to the entitled patient population.
• The healthcare assistant will deliver and assist clinical staff in the provision of treatment, preventative care, health promotion and patient education.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Undertake new patient health checks
• Support the practice nurse with health promotion programmes
• Carry out baseline observations such as pulse oximetry, blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate, recording findings accurately
• Facilitate routine and 24-hour BP monitoring, advising patients accordingly
• Undertake wound care, dressings and other clinical tasks as required
• Support the practice nurse with the management of chronic disease clinics
• Carry out BMI checks as directed
• Act as a chaperone as required
• When trained, administer flu vaccinations
• Ensure specimens are recorded and ready for onward transportation
• Provide support during minor operations as required
• Ensure all clinical rooms are adequately stocked and prepared for each session
• Ensure fridges are cleaned routinely in accordance with extant guidance
• Ensure clinical waste is removed from clinical areas and sharps bins replaced in accordance with the practice IPC policy
• Deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate

Secondary Responsibilities:

• When trained, undertake venepuncture
• When trained, carry out ear irrigation under the supervision of the practice nurse
• Carry out ECGs as requested
• Participate in practice audit as directed by the adult lead
• Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care
• Support and participate in shared learning within the practice
• Complete opening and closing procedures in accordance with the duty rota

Role Summary:

• To support the practice nursing team in the delivery of nursing services, working as part of the practice multidisciplinary team, delivering care within their scope of practice to the entitled patient population.
• The healthcare assistant will deliver and assist clinical staff in the provision of treatment, preventative care, health promotion and patient education.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Undertake new patient health checks
• Support the practice nurse with health promotion programmes
• Carry out baseline observations such as pulse oximetry, blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate, recording findings accurately
• Facilitate routine and 24-hour BP monitoring, advising patients accordingly
• Undertake wound care, dressings and other clinical tasks as required
• Support the practice nurse with the management of chronic disease clinics
• Carry out BMI checks as directed
• Act as a chaperone as required
• When trained, administer flu vaccinations
• Ensure specimens are recorded and ready for onward transportation
• Provide support during minor operations as required
• Ensure all clinical rooms are adequately stocked and prepared for each session
• Ensure fridges are cleaned routinely in accordance with extant guidance
• Ensure clinical waste is removed from clinical areas and sharps bins replaced in accordance with the practice IPC policy
• Deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate

Secondary Responsibilities:

• When trained, undertake venepuncture
• When trained, carry out ear irrigation under the supervision of the practice nurse
• Carry out ECGs as requested
• Participate in practice audit as directed by the adult lead
• Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care
• Support and participate in shared learning within the practice
• Complete opening and closing procedures in accordance with the duty rota

Prescription Clerk

The Prescription Clerk provides support to our GPs and ANPs in the receipt and preparation of repeat prescriptions for our patients. They will be the main point of contact for Patient enquiries about their prescriptions, so resilience is important. They will be liaising on sensitive medical information, so a caring customer service communication style is essential.

Receptionists provide an important link for patients with the practice and are your initial contact point for general enquiries. They can provide basic information on services and results and direct you to the right person depending on your health issue or query. Receptionists make most of the patient appointments with the GPs and nurses. They also perform other important tasks such as issuing repeat prescriptions and dealing with prescription enquiries, dealing with financial claims, dealing with patient records and carrying out searches and practice audits.

Receptionists provide an important link for patients with the practice and are your initial contact point for general enquiries. They can provide basic information on services and results and direct you to the right person depending on your health issue or query. Receptionists make most of the patient appointments with the GPs and nurses. They also perform other important tasks such as issuing repeat prescriptions and dealing with prescription enquiries, dealing with financial claims, dealing with patient records and carrying out searches and practice audits.

Receptionists provide an important link for patients with the practice and are your initial contact point for general enquiries. They can provide basic information on services and results and direct you to the right person depending on your health issue or query. Receptionists make most of the patient appointments with the GPs and nurses. They also perform other important tasks such as issuing repeat prescriptions and dealing with prescription enquiries, dealing with financial claims, dealing with patient records and carrying out searches and practice audits.

Receptionists provide an important link for patients with the practice and are your initial contact point for general enquiries. They can provide basic information on services and results and direct you to the right person depending on your health issue or query. Receptionists make most of the patient appointments with the GPs and nurses. They also perform other important tasks such as issuing repeat prescriptions and dealing with prescription enquiries, dealing with financial claims, dealing with patient records and carrying out searches and practice audits.

Receptionists provide an important link for patients with the practice and are your initial contact point for general enquiries. They can provide basic information on services and results and direct you to the right person depending on your health issue or query. Receptionists make most of the patient appointments with the GPs and nurses. They also perform other important tasks such as issuing repeat prescriptions and dealing with prescription enquiries, dealing with financial claims, dealing with patient records and carrying out searches and practice audits.

Receptionists provide an important link for patients with the practice and are your initial contact point for general enquiries. They can provide basic information on services and results and direct you to the right person depending on your health issue or query. Receptionists make most of the patient appointments with the GPs and nurses. They also perform other important tasks such as issuing repeat prescriptions and dealing with prescription enquiries, dealing with financial claims, dealing with patient records and carrying out searches and practice audits.

Clinical Pharmacist

Clinical pharmacists are increasingly working as part of general practice teams. They are highly qualified experts in medicines and can help people in a range of ways. This includes carrying out structured medication reviews for patients with ongoing health problems and improving patient safety, outcomes and value through a person-centered approach.