NHS England is launching a new campaign to highlight the changes in the way we access help and receive care at general practices.
The first phase of the campaign aims to raise awareness of the different health professionals in general practice teams who are helping patients get the right care, more easily, the first time. The campaign also highlights the important role of the reception team in using the information patients provide to help identify which health professional or local service is best placed to help them, such as a community pharmacy.
Multicultural Activity
NHS England is working with multicultural professional health associations to build an understanding of the changes happening in general practice to multicultural audiences and is developing bespoke co-branded resources to help engagement.
The campaign focuses on three key audiences, including those from Black African and Caribbean, South Asian and Eastern European (Polish and Romanian) backgrounds. These audiences have been chosen as they are the largest ethnic minority populations in England, share similar attitudes towards the NHS and experience inequalities in accessing general practices.
Key Messages
- The NHS is making changes to the way you access help and receive the care you need from your general practice to improve your experience.
- General practice teams are made up of a range of health professionals who work at your general practice and in the wider community to help you get the right care when you need it.
- In addition to GPs, general practice teams can include nurses, physiotherapists, clinical pharmacists, mental health practitioners, paramedics, social prescribers, and health and wellbeing coaches.
- If you need to see a GP you will always be offered an appointment, but there may be other health professionals who can provide the most appropriate support.
- Having a range of health professionals at your general practice means you can receive the most appropriate care for your condition as quickly as possible.
- There are a number of ways to request care from your general practice including online using a form on your general practice’s website, by phone or in person. However you choose to contact them, your practice team will ensure you get the care you need.
- Your general practice’s reception team is specially trained to use the information you provide to help identify which health professional or local service is best placed to help you, so it’s important to give them as much information as possible. Any information that you discuss with the reception team will remain confidential.
- Your general practice team is here to help you. Visit www.nhs.uk/GPservices to find out more.
Key Facts & Statistics
- Over a third (36%) of people in England are not confident that they can identify the various health professionals working in a general practice.
- Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents said they were confident that they could identify the various health professionals working in general practice, but they didn’t know that mental health practitioners (66%), physiotherapists (71%), or social prescribers (89%) could be available at a general practice.
- Nearly three quarters (72%) of people surveyed said they were confident that they know what a receptionist does at a general practice, but over a third (36%) were unaware that general practice reception teams are trained to assess the information provided by a patient to direct them to the right health professional in the general practice team or local service.
- Less than half (49%) of people know that receptionists will keep all information provided by patients in confidence.
- Over 2 in 3 people (70%) agree that they don’t always need to see a GP at their general practice and that other health professionals, like physiotherapists, nurses, or mental health practitioners, could help them with what they need.
Examples of GP Team:
