New GP assistants will offer blood pressure checks
In response to GPs experiencing record demand, a new NHS initiative aims to boost the GP workforce and allow doctors to see more patients over winter. More than one thousand GP assistants will be recruited to do blood pressure checks, as well as heart rate and blood tests.
Around 11 million more routine appointments were carried out in 2022 compared to the same period last year, according to the latest figures. In response to GPs experiencing record demand, a new NHS initiative aims to boost the GP workforce and allow doctors to see more patients over winter.
More than one thousand GP assistants will be recruited to do blood pressure checks, as well as heart rate, ECGs and blood tests. They will also offer admin support to GPs, such as writing letters, and arranging appointments, referrals and follow-up care for patients. It is hoped that the assistants could reduce the time GPs spend on such tasks by two fifths and allow them more time to treat patients.
Alongside this initiative, local areas will also recruit up to 1,250 digital and transformation leads across England with the aim of helping to improve patient access to primary care.
Nirmala Markandu, Hypertension Nurse Specialist at Blood Pressure UK, said: “Ideally, all GPs should be able to focus on treating and diagnosing patients 100% of the time. The introduction of GP assistants is a positive step towards achieving this – and it is reassuring to know that one of their roles will be to carry out all-important blood pressure checks.”