Patient Locality Group

PATIENT LOCALITY GROUP “Working together as a Primary Care Network”

The Primary Care Network for Leek & Biddulph covers the five GP Practices in the towns – here Bas Pickering, a member of the Patient Locality Group, explains the services which are available through the Primary Care Network for the two towns:

The GP surgeries in Leek and Biddulph are working together as a ‘Primary Care Network’ and these are the benefits for patients: Local Covid vaccination clinics in Leek and Biddulph throughout 2021; Local Covid clinics continuing in 2022, offering a valuable alternative to larger mass vaccination sites, especially for those unable to travel out of their local area. If you are eligible for a Covid vaccination and would like to go to a local clinic contact your GP surgery.

In addition, by working together as a Primary Care Network of GP practices you can now benefit from: Extra services offered locally at each GP Practice - there is no need to travel outside of your normal GP Practice area; Extra specialist clinical staff working alongside the practice staff. The extra staff are Social Prescribers, Pharmacists, Dieticians, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists; Extended Access (evening and weekend) to GP appointments at all Leek and Biddulph GP practices.

The following extra services are now available in your GP practice.

Dietitian can provide dietary advice to help with weight reduction; provide specialist advice on diets for long term health conditions, for example for those with inflammatory bowel disease or poorly controlled Type 2 diabetes; deliver tips on good nutrition and hydration to help reduce the risk of falls amongst the frail and elderly.

The Occupational Therapist can provide a holistic assessment for patients aged 16 plus; help patients living with a range of physical and mental health difficulties to overcome barriers which are preventing them from participating in daily activities; provide an early intervention service to support independence and reduce disability that may be caused by health conditions; work with patients to improve their health and wellbeing, particularly people with early frailty, those off work looking to return and those with early stages of mental health difficulties or cognitive impairment.

The Pharmacy team can answer questions about your medicines and discuss how to get the best results for your health and lifestyle needs; advise on medication side effects, over the counter products, how to take different medications; help with different ways to access your prescriptions; Review medications to ensure safety, and optimise treatment regimes.

The Social prescriber can talk with you about any problem that is not medical; connect you to appropriate support and find ways for you to feel more in control of your health and wellbeing and a part of your community.

And new for 2022 we can now offer a physiotherapy service for help with problems that affect your neck, back, bones, joints or muscles, including the medicines and tests for these problems.

Contact your own GP practice if you want to know more about these services and how to access them. Bas Pickering Leek and Biddulph Patient Locality Group