Virtually everyone who calls a GP surgery to make an appointment asks to see to a GP, but very often help will be available more quickly from other highly skilled medical professionals such as nurses, pharmacists, dentists or opticians, or from another services, including the voluntary sector, who can support patients with a wide range of social, emotional and/or practical needs.
Our reception team have received specialist training on care navigating patients, to ensure that every patient receives the most appropriate source of help, and so that GP appointments are available for those patients who really need them. In order to carry out this role the receptionists will have access to up-to-date information about local services in the health and care system.
The receptionist will ask you a couple of questions to find out the nature of your call and they may suggest another service that would be more appropriate for your needs. You do not have to answer these questions if you do not want to, however this is simply so that we can direct you to the person who would be most suitable to help you with your problem.
Care navigators will never try to diagnose your problem or offer you clinical advice; this way of working is about offering you the choice to see other health professionals who will be more appropriate than the GP, and who may often be able to see you more quickly and easily.
Care navigation ensures that patients receive the right care, from the right professional, the first time that they are seen. This service is delivered with the full support of the GP Partners.