All GP's in training are fully qualified doctors training to become GP's. We usually have a Senior GP Registrar (GPST3) who is based at the practice for a year and often have a junior registrar (GPST1) who is with us for 6 months. We also always have a Foundation year 2 (FY2) doctor who is based at the practice for 4 months as part of a training rotation (not necessarily GP focussed).

The Physician Associate is a clinician who is medically trained across a wide range of conditions, able to see and diagnose both children and adults alike, but who is not a doctor and cannot prescribe. If medication is required the Physician Associate will arrange for this to be issued by the GP on duty. They can provide a continuity of care for patients, arrange tests and refer to hospital specialists.

The ANP (Advanced Nurse Practitioner) is an experienced clinician who can consult on a wide range of medical conditions, prescribe medication, arrange tests and refer to hospital specialists. ANPs are senior nurses, educated to masters level and have developed skills and knowledge to allow them to take on expanded roles and scope of practice.

We are very involved with the University and have medical students from the 1st, 2nd and 6th years regularly attending the surgery. The 6th year students often sit in with doctors during consultations and see patients under supervision. You may be asked for your permission for this to happen when attending an appointment and this is strictly optional. 2nd year medical students have teaching sessions on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, please leave contact details with reception if you would be able to attend these sessions to help with their training.

Practice nurses are qualified and registered nurses. They can help with health issues such as family planning, healthy living advice, blood pressure checks and dressings. The practice nurses run clinics for long-term health conditions such as asthma or diabetes, and carry out cervical smears and other procedures.

APP's are Chartered Physiotherapists who provide expert assessment of patients with musculoskeletal conditions e.g. back, neck, shoulder or knee pain. They can provide early diagnosis, suggest appropriate exercise to help manage your condition and when appropriate, refer on to specialist services such as physiotherapy rehab, X-Ray or orthopaedics. They can liaise with the GP to arrange medication which may help relieve musculoskeletal pain.

Healthcare assistants support practice nurses with their daily work and carry out tasks such as phlebotomy (drawing blood), blood pressure measurement and new patient checks. They may act as a chaperone when a patient or doctor requests one.

The practice manager is involved in managing all of the business aspects of the practice such as making sure that the right systems are in place to provide a high quality of patient care, human resources, finance, patient safety, premises and equipment and information technology. The practice manager supports the GPs and other medical professionals with delivering patient services and also helps to develop extended services to enhance patient care.

Our reception is staffed by Patient Care Advisors. They provide an important link for patients with the practice and are your initial contact point for general enquiries. They can provide basic information on services and results and direct you to the right person depending on your health issue or query. Our advisors make most of the patient appointments with the GPs and nurses. They also perform other important tasks such as issuing repeat prescriptions and dealing with prescription enquiries, dealing with financial claims, dealing with patient records and carrying out searches and practice audits.

Our district nurses are based at Baronscourt surgery and can be reached on 0131 669 3368.