During National Careers Week (6 – 11 March), the NHS is highlighting the range of healthcare professionals that are available at local GP practices and encouraging patients in the West Midlands to make use of them.

As part of the NHS’s commitment to grow the medical workforce and relieve pressure on GPs, physiotherapists, pharmacists, and mental health nurses, as well as other healthcare professionals, work alongside GPs to provide patients with enhanced access to health and social care services. They are known as a multidisciplinary team (MDT) and are highly skilled and knowledgeable in the areas they specialise in. MDTs can diagnose and treat a variety of health conditions.

To ensure a patient sees the right person at the right time, appointments are usually triaged by a trained member of the practice team, typically the receptionist.

The receptionist or member of the practice team might ask several questions to ensure that the patient has an appointment with the most appropriate person and that those with the greatest need are prioritised.

Patients can be seen face-to-face, via a phone or video consultation, or they can visit a community pharmacist or optician for further support and advice.

If it is most appropriate for a patient to see a GP, then an appointment will be offered.

Sarb Basi, Director of Primary Care for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “With demand on primary care increasing, it’s important that we do things in a new way to help improve patients’ experience and access to GP services.

“Our multidisciplinary team approach means we have a range of highly skilled and qualified professionals working together with GPs to deliver high quality support for all our patients.

“If it is most appropriate for patients to see a doctor, they will still be offered an appointment with a GP. However, the GP isn’t always the best person to see. The new roles now available at practices means people may be offered an appointment with a different healthcare professional who will be able to help based on their needs.

“GP practices are working differently, but they are very much open and here for you.”

As well as multidisciplinary teams, GP practices across the West Midlands are offering improved access to appointments and other general practice services.

Since 1 October last year, 35 Primary Care Networks (PCNs) across the Midlands have provided Enhanced Access weekend services. The PCNs work together to focus on local patient care and offer a mixture of morning and all-day appointments.

GP services are offering appointments until 8pm on weekdays, and from 9am-5pm on Saturdays as a minimum. Appointments are bookable in advance and available for same day (and able to be cancelled by the patient remotely).

Patients can access these appointments via telephone, video appointment, online consultation, or face-to-face.

If a face-to-face appointment is needed, the appointment will take place at a GP practice in the local area and not always at the patient’s usual GP practice.

The exact mix of what is provided through the enhanced offer at GP practices is determined on local health needs, current usage of out-of-hours services and the views of patients.

Find out more about GP services, including how to find and register with a local GP and how to book an appointment. For more information on the 350 careers available in the NHS, visit https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/.