Lead patient co-ordinator Sally Kowalski of Horfield Health in Bristol heads up a reception team of 17, looking after 17,000 patients
“When people call the surgery, we ask: ‘What’s the problem today?’ Sometimes we need to delve a little bit deeper because it could be something they’ve had for quite a while and possibly not urgent. It could be they need to see a GP, but a practice nurse might be more suited – for example if a patient calls and says they’d like to start the contraceptive pill. There are also healthcare assistants to deal with the bloods and ECGs, and we have a physio on board.
“The mental health nurse in the GP practice has a longer appointment of 20 minutes, while social prescribers can help people who might be vulnerable and need help with day-to-day tasks, such as filling in forms.
“I’m frontline on the desk and phones and we have to know how to help people. On Monday, a gentleman came into the surgery who was very unsteady on his feet, so we called the doctor, who arranged for an ambulance.
“We’ve all been on a care navigation course and there’s a very lengthy induction for new staff members because there’s so much involved. I’ve been doing the job for 13 years and the longer you’ve been here, the more you pick up. As a team, we all bounce off each other and if we’re not 100 per cent sure what to do we’ll ask each other. It’s thinking on your feet and always bringing serious conditions to the doctor’s attention.