Clinical Pharmacists

Clinical Pharmacists are experts in medicines and can help people stay as well as possible. They support those with long-term conditions like asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure or anyone taking multiple medicines to make sure their medication is working. They work with GPs, local pharmacies and hospitals to ensure that medicine services are joined up. Some Clinical Pharmacists can also prescribe medicines.

They can help with:

• In-depth reviews of your medicines if you have a long-term condition
• Agreeing and making changes to your prescription
• Advice about medicines and side effects.

Physiotherapists

Physiotherapists in general practice are experts in musculoskeletal conditions. They are able to assess, diagnose and treat a range of complex muscle and joint conditions preventing the need for referrals to hospital. They can arrange swift access to further treatment, investigations and specialists when needed.

They can help with:

• Diagnosing and treating muscular and joint conditions
• Advising on how to manage your condition
• Referrals on to specialist services.

Podiatrists

Podiatrists are trained to diagnose and treat foot and lower limb conditions, often related to health conditions such as diabetes, rheumatism, cerebral palsy, peripheral arterial disease, and peripheral nerve damage.

They can help with:

• Diagnosing and treating foot and lower limb conditions.

Mental Health Therapists and Practitioners

Mental health professionals in general practice may also be known as Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, High Intensity Therapists or Cognitive Behavioural Therapists and work as part of ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) services.

They specialise in mental health and use a range of talking therapies to help people with common mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Sessions are usually one-on-one but can also be in couple or group settings, by phone or online. Referral can be via your GP or directly via a local psychological therapies (IAPT) service.

They can help with:

• Talking therapies
• Tools and techniques to manage symptoms
• Support for those experiencing the psychological effects of managing long-term conditions, such as diabetes.

Health and Wellbeing Coaches

Health and wellbeing coaches support people to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to reach their health and wellbeing goals, including helping them identify their needs, set goals, and implement their personalised health and care plan. They may help educate people on managing their long term condition, peer support and social prescribing.

They can help with:

• Setting health and wellbeing goals
• Developing a health and care plan to reach those goals
• Managing long term conditions
• Referring to supporting services.

Social Prescribing Link Workers

Social prescribing involves helping people to improve their health and wellbeing by connecting them to activities in the community. Link Workers connect those feeling lonely, overwhelmed or in need of help to a range of local support, from community and activity groups to work, debt or housing advice.

They can help with:

• Getting people to focus on their own priorities and the things that affect their wellbeing
• Supporting people to take more control of their health
• Introducing people to groups and activities in their community.

Dietitians

Dietitians are healthcare professionals that diagnose and treat diet and nutritional problems. They support changes to food intake to address health conditions such as diabetes, food allergies, coeliac disease, and metabolic diseases. They also provide practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices.

They can help with:

• Addressing health conditions and allergies through diet
• Advising on lifestyle and food choices.