Following recent national discussions, including the Leng Review of Physician Associates (PAs), we want to reassure all our patients that your care remains safe, coordinated, and delivered by a highly trained, multidisciplinary team.
Our practice has been operating a GP triage and supervision model for over six years, giving patients access to the right professional at the right time, while maintaining high standards of care and safety.
🔍 How Our Triage System Works
Every patient request—whether by phone, online, or in person—is reviewed by a GP. Based on your needs, you may be offered an appointment with:
- A GP at the practice
- A GP at our overflow hub (working closely with our team)
- A non-doctor clinician, such as an ACP, PA, nurse, pharmacist, or physiotherapist
All team members work closely together, and appropriate supervision or referral to a GP is always available if needed.
👩⚕️ Who Might You See?
We are proud to offer a broad, well-integrated team of healthcare professionals, each with unique skills and training:
🟢 Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs)
- Experienced nurses, paramedics, or allied health professionals
- Master’s-level education
- Independent prescribers who can assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of conditions
🔵 Physician Associates (PAs)
- Postgraduate-trained professionals who support GPs in assessing, diagnosing, and managing patients
- Not currently able to prescribe or work independently
- Always supervised by a GP and supported by senior clinicians
🟣 Clinical Pharmacists
- Experts in medicines and prescribing
- Manage medication reviews, long-term conditions and complex prescribing queries
- Many are also independent prescribers
🟠 First Contact Physiotherapists (FCPs)
- Specialist physiotherapists trained to assess and treat musculoskeletal problems directly
- Help avoid unnecessary GP appointments for joint, back, and muscle pain
🟡 Practice Nurses & Nursing Associates
- Deliver vital care including chronic disease reviews, vaccinations, smears, wound care, and health promotion
- Work in close coordination with the wider team to manage ongoing and preventive care
🤝 Safe, Supervised, Team-Based Care
- Our clinical leads oversee all team members, and regular supervision, case reviews, and learning sessions are built into our model.
- Patients may still be directed to a GP—either at our practice or our overflow hub—if their case requires it.
- We believe this model supports both access and safety, ensuring GPs focus on the most complex patients while all clinicians work within their scope of practice.
✅ Why This Matters
- We believe in a team-based approach to general practice.
- Using skilled non-doctor roles helps us to:
- Offer more appointments
- Reduce waiting times
- Allow GPs to focus on the most complex cases
- Patient safety and satisfaction remain our top priorities — and we constantly monitor the care we provide.
💬 Questions or Concerns?
We understand that change in healthcare can raise questions. If you’d like to know more about how our team works or have concerns about who you’ve seen, please speak to our reception or practice manager.
Thank you for trusting us with your care.
Carlton House Surgery