Staff

Clinical Pharmacist

• Qualified as a pharmacist in Seville, in 2003; then also qualified as a Non-Medical Prescriber with Bath University.
• Started at Heywood Family Practice on October 2019.
• Special interest: pain management.
• GPhC registration number 2055929

"My job involves supporting our GPs in medication-related tasks, such as responding to medication queries from clinicians and patients alike, carrying out Medication Reviews, reviewing medication changes for patients who have been discharged from hospital, etc. This is a new and exciting role for pharmacists, and I am confident that it will not only relieve some pressure on GPs but also add value to patient care".

The Nursing Staff

The role of the Practice Nurse at Heywood Family Practice

As current policy continues to shift care from hospitals to general practice, General Practice Nurses work alongside doctors, pharmacists and dieticians, as well as other specialists. Our Practice Nurses share duties and responsibilities with each other or may specialise in certain areas.

As might be expected of a role that covers so much ground, the skills and knowledge required make up an extensive list. (See the services tab on the website) Utilising a broad range of clinical skills is an everyday occurrence. They have a significant breadth of expertise in order to support patients with all types of conditions.

Modern everyday care

Our Practice Nurse involvement in care delivery aims to improve the health and well-being of patients on our practice list. Although this can sometimes mean managing acute events, more often than not long-term conditions requiring continuing care, medicines management, and review take up the bulk of the work, with the overall aim of reducing avoidable hospital admissions.

The day-to-day work of our Practice Nurses would still be largely recognisable to a nurse from times past, but today's emphasis on a holistic package of care does have many more recent additions, as well as new technologies that improve communication, care management, and multidisciplinary care structures. One thing that has not changed is the positioning in the local community of a Practice Nurses, which enables the development of a lifelong relationship with our patients. This means that our services can be tailored to the individual needs of our patients.

Another major aspect of the work of a general practice nurse that is time-honoured is a commitment to maintaining the highest possible levels of professional standards. Safe, high quality care is the hallmark of a successful system and that means adapting to circumstances by designing ongoing support for people on a bespoke basis. With long-term care needs increasingly becoming a shared responsibility – whether that includes NHS healthcare professionals, non-professional carers or third party private sector help – our services need to be responsive to patients on a case by case level, as well as reflecting the needs of the wider community as a whole.

However, one thing is certain – the importance the role our Practice Nurses currently play is likely to become even more significant and wider ranging as more responsibility continues to fall on their shoulders.

The Practice Team

First Contact Physiotherapist

Alan is booked by our GPs and you can be seen on site at Heywood Family Practice

The role of First Contact Physiotherapists (FCPs) in Primary Care is to assess patients over 16 years of age with soft tissue, muscle and joint pain and to decide on the most appropriate management pathway. FCPs are physiotherapists with expertise in the assessment and management of Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions as below:

• All soft tissue injuries, sprains, strains or sports injuries
• Arthritis – any joint
• Possible problems with muscles, ligaments, tendons or bone, eg tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, ankle sprains
• Spinal pain including lower back pain, mid-back pain and neck pain
• Spinal-related pain in arms or legs, including nerve symptoms, eg pins and needles or numbness
• Post-orthopaedic surgery (can differ between localities)