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Meet the Team

Guide to Primary Care

Guide to Primary Care

Modern general practice is delivered by a mixed portfolio of healthcare professionals supporting the doctors. With the development of Primary Care Networks the team will further expand to clinicians such as Mental health Practitioners and Physiotherapists in the future.

GP Partners

Dr Pranav Lakhani and Dr Cristina Baquer Sahun are also partners in the practice. This means they are owners of the business that is contracted to provide General Medical Services under contract to the NHS. As well as seeing patients the Partners have to make time to look after the management and administration of the practice.

Associate GPs

Associate GPs  should be triaged to see patient presentations of adults (>16) for suspected minor or common conditions (e.g. otitis media, UTI, sore throat etc) with clear clinical pathways and escalation processes

  • can carry out health checks and may review and suggest changes to a patient’s pre-existing management plan. Any suggested changes to a patient’s management plan must be reviewed and approved by the patient’s GP
  • can carry out specific types of chronic disease review within their capability, under the supervision of their CS, where there are agreed protocols for escalation should a patient’s condition require it
  • can undertake annual NHS health checks and provide lifestyle support, according to protocolised pathways.
  • can request appropriate investigations within their capabilities, except for radiology requests. In practice this means blood tests, urine tests and various microbiology tests. If there is any doubt on choice of investigation, the PA must seek advice from the clinical supervising GP
  • can give advice on contraception and sexual health if trained and accredited to do so
  • can perform HRT reviews if trained to do so, and as long as the patient has not experienced side effects or new contraindications and there is a management plan in place
  • can do smear tests if trained to do so and with current registration on the relevant national sample taker register
  • can give advice on travel vaccinations and general travel health if trained to do so
  • can undertake immunisations if trained to do so
  • can administer referrals on behalf of a GP, but it must be clear to the referring speciality that the referral has been made by a PA on behalf of a GP, and under the supervision of that GP.

Practice Nurses

General Practice Nurses are a vital part of our primary healthcare team. Our practice nurses will be involved in almost every aspect of patient care and treatment, undertaking such tasks as:

  • Helping people manage long term conditions such as diabetes, asthma and COPD
  • Health screening
  • Family planning
  • Running vaccination programmes
  • Administering child immunisations

The role allows nurses to develop long term relationships with individuals and families, managing their conditions and improving physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Watch a short video produced by NHS called 'A Day in The Life of a Practice Nurse'

Health Care Assistants (HCA)

The role of HCA is evolving in the NHS workforce but they have long been a central part of the healthcare team at Abercromby Family Practice. Supplementing and supporting the work of the practice nurses they carry out a wide range of tasks which includes.

  • Phlebotomy
  • Diagnostic tests such as ECG
  • Administering some vaccinations and immunisations
  • Conducting reviews with people with long term conditions such as diabetes
  • Health reviews and the provision of lifestyle advice

Watch a short video produced by the NHS called 'A Day in The Life of a Health Care Assistant'

Independent Prescribing Pharmacist

Clinical pharmacists work as part of the general practice team to improve value and outcomes from medicines and consult with and treat patients directly. This includes providing extra help to manage long-term conditions, advice for those on multiple medicines and better access to health checks. The role is pivotal to improving the quality of care and ensuring patient safety.

Having clinical pharmacists in GP practices means that GPs can focus their skills where they are most needed, for example on diagnosing and treating patients with more complex conditions. This helps GPs to manage the demands on their time.

Junior Doctors /Trainee Doctors

Medical graduates enter the medical workforce as ‘junior doctors’ on a two year work based training
programme. This is known as the ‘foundation programme’ and is the first level of clinical training for qualified doctors that bridges the gap between medical school and specialty training.

The foundation programme is carried out in hospitals and the two years are often referred to as ‘FY1’ (foundation year one) or ‘FY2’ (foundation year two) by medical staff, and as such, junior doctors on the foundation programme may introduce themselves to patients as an ‘FY1’ or ‘FY2’ doctor. Foundation Stage 2 Doctors complete a four-month rotation in General Practice and work under the supervision of our experienced GPs.

Completion of FY1 allows junior doctors to gain full registration with the GMC and completion of FY2 allows them to apply for further study and training in a specialised area of medicine such as  general practice.

Typically the speciality trainee (ST) doctors that work at the surgery and are in the third and final year of their qualification to be a GP and are known as ST3 doctors and also, sometimes, as Registrars.


Our Team