US-style scheme eases pressure on local GPs

Surgeries in Mossley and Greenfield are among the first in the UK to adopt a new clinical scheme from America.

Pennine Medical Centre - with surgeries in Manchester Road, Mossley, and Chew Vale, Greenfield - now has a clinical pharmacist on the team to ease pressure on GP time.

The scheme, funded by a £30,000 grant from the NHS Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group, has pharmacist Ugonma Husselbury treating simple cases from common sores to shingles.

“There aren’t many clinical pharmacists working in surgeries. I have been made to feel part of the team,” she said.

Ugonma’s addition to the staff means the surgeries can offer 60 more appointments a week and GPs can devote more time to more complex cases.

Surgery receptionists refer what appear to be simple cases to Ugonma, who can quickly refer patients back to a GP if this proves not to be the case.

Practice-based clinical pharmacists are common in America, but few British surgeries have ever had a highly-qualified pharmacist on the team.

Ugonma can help to manage medication by helping to consolidate the number of pills being taken by individuals, as well as other pharmacy services.

Dr Bal Duper of Pennine Medical said: “We have 11,500 patients, a real mix with an ageing population with very complex conditions.

“This is a long-term project and we intend to share what we’ve learned with other practices in the area.”