Alton Surgery is a member of the Staffordshire Moorlands and Rural Primary Care Network. 

What is a Primary Care Network?

Since the NHS was first created, the population has grown, and people are living longer, with much more complex needs. The Government has drafted the NHS Long Term Plan, in an attempt to try and meet these needs, and one part of this plan is the development of Primary Care Networks (PCNs).

So what are Primary Care Networks?

Essentially, they are a group of GP practices working together - alongside other health, social care and voluntary sector services - to deliver care to their local communities. This aim is to both ensure the sustainability of practices, and to provide a wider range of local services in the future, whilst keeping the core services you already know.

PCNs have been introduced as part of the new contract for General Practice in England, and as a result there are roughly 1300 PCNs across the country, covering populations of 30-50,000 people.

There are seven practices in the Moorlands and Rural PCN – these are:

Allen Street Clinic, Allen Street, Cheadle, Stoke-On-Trent, ST10 1HJ

Alton Surgery, Hurston Lane, Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 4AP

The Tardis Surgery, Queen Street, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 1BH

Tean Surgery, Old Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 4EG

Waterhouses Medical Practice, Waterfall Lane, Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 3HT

Well Street Medical Centre, Well Street, Cheadle, ST10 1EY

Werrington Village Surgery, 360 Ash Bank Rd, Werrington, Stoke-on-Trent, ST9 0JS

there are seven specific national service specifications that we are expected to deliver by 2021, these will be:

•  Structured Medication Reviews. (Ensuring all medication remains appropriate and safe).
• Enhanced Health in Care Homes. (Including regular reviews of care home residents.)
•  Anticipatory Care. (Working proactively alongside community teams to offer greater support to those considered at high risk).
•  Supporting Early Cancer Diagnosis (Promoting screening, and ensuring early referral and identification of cancer where possible.)
•  Personalised Care (Shared decision making and encouraging self-management.)
•  Prevention and Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Disease (such as heart attacks and stroke).
•  Locally agreed action to tackle inequalities.

In addition, Moorlands Rural Primary Care Network PCNs will be providing new services to patients, by employing a wider range of roles within their practices, in addition to doctors. Over the next few years there will be an opportunity to add physiotherapists, physicians associates and paramedics to this growing team – all with the aim of ensuring you see the right person at the right time.

We would like to welcome Laura, our new Social Prescriber to Alton Surgery. Laura is working with the practice to offer support and guidance to our patients.

A Social Prescriber Is someone who will listen, support, and explore 'what matters to you' and work with you to create a personal plan highlighting your needs. Laura can provide support, information, and signpost within the local community by working closely with voluntary and community sector organisations.

Our Social Prescriber can help you to find support that works for you

• To be able to make positive lifestyle changes: weight loss / stop smoking / exercise
• Providing support when patients are not eligible for social care
•  Helping patients with employment / volunteering
• Supporting patients who need support and advice in managing finances
• Helping patients with benefit entitlements an accommodation
• Working with patients and local networks to build confidence and communication

For further information or to access the social prescribing service, please speak to a member of the clinical team.

We would also like to welcome our Clinical Pharmacist Noor.

Noor offers regular medication reviews and telephone triage appointments to answer mediation queries, and update repeat prescriptions.

Clinical pharmacists specialise in medicines and how they work. They work as part of the general practice team to resolve day-to-day medicine issues and consult with and treat patients directly. This includes providing extra help to manage long-term conditions, advice for those on multiple medications and better access to health checks. At the moment our clinical pharmacist is not seeing patients face to face but is actively operating telephone consultations.

To book an appointment with Noor please contact Reception.

The First Contact Physiotherapist, Lorna, is available to help you with all sorts of muscle or joint pains, strains, sprains or joint stiffness.

By having an appointment with a First Contact Physiotherapist you will be able to receive faster access to musculoskeletal care with longer more in-depth appointments to work out the best course of action.

As a musculoskeletal specialist they can assess your problem and give you expert advice on how to manage your problem. If you need further care from a different specialist service, the First Contact Physiotherapist can refer you onwards.

Lorna, the First Contact Physiotherapist for our surgery is currently holding clinics at Alton, Allen Street, Blythe Bridge and Werrington Surgeries. Please contact reception to book an appointment.

Health and wellbeing coaches (HWBCs) use health coaching skills to support people to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become active participants in their care so that they can reach their own health and wellbeing goals. 

They will work alongside people to coach and motivate them through multiple sessions, supporting them to identify their needs, set goals, and help them to implement their personalised health and care plan.

They are also helping run and organise many different activities within the community such as Baby Bank, chair-based exercise classes and carers support groups.

Please speak to a member of the reception team if you would like to meet with Kerri, the Health and Wellbeing Coach for Alton Surgery.