New primary care roles
Download (PDF 151.77 KB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Bolton and Bolton CVS undertook research on understanding the new primary care roles being introduced in Bolton. They spoke to representatives from voluntary and community sector organisations through outreach work and a focus group to explore awareness of the new roles, how community organisations could work alongside them, and any barriers people might face in accessing the services.
Participants were broadly supportive of the new roles, including Mental Health Practitioners, Clinical Pharmacists, Musculoskeletal Practitioners, Health Improvement Practitioners and Community Asset Navigators. They believed these roles could provide more specialist support, improve access to care, promote prevention and early intervention, strengthen links with community services and reduce pressure on GPs. Community Asset Navigators were particularly welcomed for their potential to connect people with local groups and services and provide a more holistic approach to health and wellbeing.
The main concerns related to accessibility and awareness. Many participants were unaware of the new roles and felt more promotion was needed. They raised questions about access for people who are housebound, use community languages, have sensory impairments or require communication support. Concerns were also raised about appointment capacity, continuity of care, access to medical records, availability of follow-up support, and ensuring information is available in a range of accessible formats
The report concluded that the voluntary and community sector strongly supported the introduction of the new workforce but felt further work was needed to ensure people understand how to access the services. Recommendations included co-designing accessible information with community organisations, increasing promotion through community networks and venues, improving support for people with additional communication needs, and strengthening partnership working between primary care and the voluntary sector to ensure services are accessible to all.