GP practices in the Black Country are working differently to offer more appointments for their patients.

Your local GP practice team now includes a range of healthcare professionals who are highly skilled and knowledgeable in the areas they specialise in and are able to diagnose and treat a variety of health conditions.

The team may include nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, physician associates, social prescriber link workers and healthcare assistants, who work alongside GPs to ensure patients see the right person at the right time.

Terence Burnett is an advanced nurse practitioner working at Pennfields Medical Centre in Wolverhampton. He said:

“An advanced nurse practitioner is a nurse who has enhanced skills and is able to diagnose and prescribe medication for patients. The role also extends to sending patients to referrals, if need be, and other things such as chronic disease management, diabetes, and asthma.

“My day is quite varied so there are times when I’ll see chronic disease patients, mainly diabetic patients, or I’ll see same-day patients who come in with minor illnesses like chest infections, coughs or colds.

“It helps the practice by taking away a lot of the pressure on the GPs. A lot of the things which are put to the GP can be done by a nurse practitioner.

“I find the role really rewarding, as when you’re looking after a patient and you bring them back in for a review, it’s nice to know a treatment you’ve started has worked and you do really feel that you are part of the general practice team.”