People don't use Practice Nurses/ANPs enough

[TheMustressMhor]

I am always reading threads from people who cannot get GP appointments and I wonder why they don't book to see the Practice Nurse or Advanced Nurse Practitioner instead.

I know that these HCPs also have a long waiting list in many surgeries but they can and do diagnose and prescribe. They can also refer you on to the GP if necessary.

AIBU to think that most people do not understand the rold of the Practice Nurse/Advanced Nurse Practitioner and that their services are not used as much as they could be?

In my own practice there is a very competent ANP, one full-time GP and two part-time GPs.

There is also a Nurse available for dressings/smoking cessation clinics etc.

The ANP is the person I go to first with most problems.

Here if you're ailment can be seen to by a nurse they ask if you'd be happy to see them, you can refuse and ask for a GP, but I never do.

I think that receptionists often offer nurse appointments and some people just refuse them.

It makes it harder to see the GP when it is actually necessary.

Yanbu. I'll hold my hands up and admit ignorance that I didn't know I could request one. If offered I'd definitely accept as you say if the issue needs further addressing by a GP they are best place to refer. But I didn't know I could see an ANP. I just call up and ask for an appointment with my GP and think no more of it bar when to arrange the appointment!

I don't know what the nurses can do at our practice! I've seen them for smears and Vax for DS but I'm not sure what else they can do. Maybe that's the problem.

We don’t get to request who we see. Phone dead on 8.00 and hope to get through then get a call back. Could be a nurse practitioner or a GP.

Whenever I go to the practice nurse, they end up saying I need to go and see the GP or they're constantly popping into the dr next door to consult or get them to sign a prescription. There seems to be only a small amount of drugs they can actually prescribe.

I always ask my practice who I should see for the issue I have: then they can allocate me to the most appropriate person. I think most people either don't know the variety of things that can be dealt with by other HCPs or they don't trust the receptionists to make that judgement for them.

What kinds of things can the nurse see me for?

So smear tests, vaccinations, blood tests and when I was on the pill the surgery would always make my appointment with the nurse for my repeat prescription. What else could I see them for?

@HugsAreMyDrugs

You can see an Advanced Nurse Practitioner for absolutely anything which you would see a GP for.

They have very wide prescribing powers. Ours is better than two of the GPs at our practice.

Ours was great, but died unexpectedly and has not been replaced

Infections, diagnosis of diabetes, thyroid problems, depression, arthritis, skin conditions...

Anything really.

They can also refer you to out-patient clinics if necessary.

I have had skin cancer, which was diagnosed by the ANP. She made the referral to the dermatologist and plastic surgeon. I never saw the GP once.

I went back to the ANP to have the sutures removed and new dressings prescribed.

DH has seen her for a wide range of problems too.

YANBU, and I also think sometimes people go to the GP with issues that could be looked at by a pharmacist

I had absolutely no idea I could see the nurse for anything other than when the GP has sent me to her for blood tests, stitches removal etc. Receptionist has never mentioned it as an option either.

It would be helpful if they had a poster or something up explaining who everyone in the surgery is, what they can do, and how you can get an appointment with them (ie do you need to be referred by the GP).

There is a poster up in our surgery which explains that the ANP (not the Practice Nurse) sees everyone who feels they need to see a doctor, and that she can diagnose and prescribe in the same way that a doctor can.

People are definitely signposted to her in the first instance.

Advanced Nurse Practitioners are more qualified than Practice Nurses. They have far more training and are like GPs.

@CameraTime

You don't need to be referred by anyone to see the ANP. You just ask the receptionist when you make your appt.

Remember that ANPs are not the same thing as Practice Nurses.

When I see threads where people say they can't see their GP for several weeks I do wonder if they could have got an appt. with the ANP much sooner.

Or did the receptionists even suggest it?

The receptionist probably didn't even suggest it. I've never had a receptionist ever suggest I could see a nurse instead.

I also see lots of advice on the lines of "see a pharmacist" but never "make an appointment with the ANP", who can examine you and has access to your notes etc.

Our surgery you call and the receptionist tells you who you can see, you don't get to insist on a Gp. Regardless of who you see though appointments are like Hens teeth.

Mine always offers a nurse / ANP appointment if you phone but then refuses to see me for pretty much every reason as I have a lifelong condition and am on some heavy duty meds - so even if my condition/meds has nothing to do with what I want the appointment for the always push me to the GP just in case.

To be fair my GP often double checks everything with my consultant or specialist nurse at the hospital as well.

I am always reading threads from people who cannot get GP appointments and I wonder why they don't book to see the Practice Nurse or Advanced Nurse Practitioner instead

Because they are full as well. Not booked as many weeks ahead as the GPs but still a wait time measured in weeks not days.

My practice doesn’t have an ANP. There’s a practice nurse and a healthcare assistant.

Whilst I don’t mind seeing the nurse, there have been times where the nurse can’t prescribe or has asked me to see a doctor instead, which usually involves me having to see a doctor on another day - such a waste of time. I work basically 9-6 so it may even involve me having to return to the practice when I should be at work, which as you can imagine is inconvenient and impacts my pay. So to prevent faffing I’d rather see a doctor.