Urgent Care Practitioners (UCP's) are highly trained nurses or paramedics who can independently prescribe medication, depending on your needs.
A UCP can see patients with undiagnosed problems; they can perform medical examinations, make a diagnosis, treat patients and/or refer patients. They work with patients to develop strategies to improve their health and to prevent illness through health education and counselling. They work closely with the doctors and other members of the nursing team.
The Practice Nurses are specially trained Registered Nurses who carry out vaccinations and smear tests, give family planning advice, conduct pregnancy tests, perform routine and follow-up medical reviews, give health education advice, promote all aspects of healthy living, advise on travel medicine, assist with minor surgery and run disease management clinics. They can also carry out home visits on the instructions of the doctors. They are available during surgery hours by appointment.
Assistant Practitioners are able to measure your blood pressure, temperature and pulse. They can perform urinalysis and blood tests, change dressings, collect specimens and carry out new patient registration checks. They can perform ECGs, spirometry (lung function tests), some vaccinations, peak-flow tests, ear syringing and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring.
We also have wider community health teams working with our patients to keep them well by providing care in their homes
A health visitor is a registered nurse who has received training particularly related to babies, children and pregnant women. Their role is to provide families with children under five years old with support and advice around general aspects of mental, physical and social wellbeing.
Our district nurse team is available to care for housebound patients. They change dressings, provide wound management, arrange blood tests and are involved with palliative care. They also coordinate with other community services such as social services, the intermediate care team, community matrons and specialist nurses.