Care Navigation

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When calling or visiting the practice, you may be asked some questions by our admin team. The reason for this is to ensure that you are directed to the most appropriate department for your care. This is called Care Navigation. 

      

What is Care Navigation?

Care Navigation is a tried and tested model of care that improves access to primary care services for patients and reduces GP pressures all in one. It allows front line staff to provide patients with more information about local health and wellbeing services, both within and outside of primary care, in a safe, effective way. It is about offering patients choice and help to access the most appropriate service first which is not always the GP. It means that patients will find it easier to get a GP appointment when they need one.

Care navigators are receptionists and admin staff who have been given specialist training to help them direct patients to the right health professional first time. For example, when a patient presents with symptoms that would be better dealt with by another service such as a pharmacist or optician, patients can be confidently offered these choices, allowing them to go straight to the service which best meets their health and wellbeing needs.

   

Definition of Care Navigation

“A person centred approach that uses signposting and information to help primary care patients and their carers move through the health and social care system as smoothly as possible to ensure that unmet needs are met.”

This means helping you navigate your way through the often complex health system, by giving you as much information as possible to make your own decision and signposting you to the most appropriate health professional.

    

Why Care Navigation?

GP practices are working hard to make sure that when people need to see a GP they have access to one quickly, and in a way that suits them, be that in person or over the phone. Sometimes though, the GP isn’t really the best person to see. Patients could be seen and treated quicker by a nurse or a pharmacist for example, and in some cases, the GP practice might not be the right place at all for the query. That’s where care navigation comes in.

Care navigation supports practices and patients to make the best use of valuable NHS resources. There are now a number of services currently available for care navigators to signpost to.

     

Please remember that the admin team are trained to navigate. They are not trying to diagnose you or prevent you from seeing a GP. 

     Care Nav



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