Information
Please note that variation of roles differs in surgeries across Mid and South Essex. Please check with your GP’s reception team to find out which roles are available for you to access.
“Hi, my name’s Lorna and I’m a healthcare assistant in the NHS.
My job includes taking your blood pressure, taking your blood, checking your ears, helping you stop smoking and dressings.
Most people think that they have to see the GP for this, when in actual fact you can come and see your Healthcare Assistant where your appointment will be a lot quicker than seeing your GP”.
What can a healthcare assistant help with?
Although a healthcare assistant is not able to prescribe medication, they can carry out a variety of tasks within general practice, these can include:
- Blood pressure checks
- New patient medicals
- Health promotion i.e. obesity clinics, smoking cessation clinics, and body mass (BMI) calculations
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) readings
- Spirometry
- Phlebotomy
- Removal of sutures
- Applying simple dressings
How are GPs benefitting?
Healthcare assistants play a valuable role in freeing up practice nurses and GPs time to treat more complex patient needs. This helps to reduce patient waiting times, and improve access to appointments. Healthcare assistants also directly contribute to health promotion and disease prevention.
How can patients book to see or access advice from a healthcare assistant?
Patients can be booked in to see a healthcare assistant by the team in their clinic.
Patients will see a healthcare assistant in the same way they would usually see their GP or practice nurse, in a private room in the surgery.