GP Assistant
What does the role involve?
GP Assistants work alongside GPs within the surgery undertaking any task that enables them to undertake their role more efficiently and effectively. In practice they undertake both clinical and administration tasks which may include:
- Taking information from patients requesting same-day appointments by telephone before they have contact with a GP;
- Preparing patients for examination;
- Following up consultations by drafting letters, preparing forms or making telephone calls;
- Providing simple health promotion and lifestyle advice;
- Undertaking tasks such as venepuncture, urine testing, blood pressure recording, ECGs.
What benefit does this role bring to primary care?
It is estimated that GPs spend on average 11% of their time on administration, emails and tasks which do not necessarily require a doctor or nurse to complete. This is a major cause of workload stress and a significant issue cited by GPs leaving the profession early. It is estimated that if other staff took on even half of this work, this would be equivalent to 14,000 more full time GPs in England.
A number of documents have cited the potential benefits of the role, eg:
- To ‘improve patient access and release highly qualified staff to concentrate on treating and managing patients with more complex conditions’ (HEE GPA Working Group report 2017)
- To ‘improve patient flow within surgery hours, increasing the time efficiency of appointments, and reduction of waiting times; supporting patient experience by ‘translating’ or reiterating information from the GP’ (University of Cumbria 2017)
- Have a positive impact on GP retention and job satisfaction (HEE video case study: Medical Assistants in Primary Care, 2017)
What training opportunities exist?
To become a GP Assistant, the training offered within the BSW area consists of a level 3 certificated course that is accredited by the University of Chester. Most of the competencies can be achieved working alongside a GP mentor and other members of the team within a practice over a minimum six-month period. On average, learners need to devote a day per week on the training – half a day working alongside a GP mentor and the other half day uploading evidence onto a learning platform.
Additional locally-run courses are available (eg. in phlebotomy, infection control) which may help the learner to meet their competencies.
Once trained, other opportunities may be available to progress your career further, for example to become a Nurse Associate (see the Nursing section), or to develop further skills and knowledge in practice administration through a supervisory or management apprenticeship (see Apprenticeships section).
Where can I find additional resources/best practice guidance?
For a sample job description and the competency framework, please contact the BSW Training Hub.
A further opportunity to develop the GP Assistant role within your practice
Staff can be trained in-practice, with on-job training and development led by GPs, in line with the role outline and national competency framework. Trainee GPAs may also complete HEE’s accreditation programme, aligned to the competency framework, equipping them with formal certification of their learning. These staff are supported by a structured development programme (managed by HEE) and gain formal certification after around nine months.