About the General Practice Assistant Role
The role of the General Practice Assistant (GPA) is a new role emerging in response to increased demands placed on general practice. To date, the evolution of the role has been largely embryonic, existing on an ad hoc basis on the requirement of individual practices.
The General Practice Forward View (2016), committed to support the employment of a minimum of 5000 extra staff, and described the GPA role as one method that helps support doctors and bridges this gap.
Developing the GPA role depends on a range of factors – patient needs, existing skill mix, culture and other ethos of the practice, and having the staff, time and financial resources to invest in appropriate training, mentoring and supervision.
Over the coming months, we will be working with stakeholders to develop a framework whilst ensuring maximum flexibility for practices to adapt the role to their local needs.
General Practice Assistant Resources
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Reports
Reports
HEE General Practice Assistant Final Report
The GPA is an allied health professional and their focus is to deliver routine clinical and administrative duties to support General Practitioners (GPs) in their day-to-day management of patients. The report highlights:
- key themes that emerge from best practice
- provides analysis of challenges that may practices may face when implementing the role
- questions that arise as the role is in embedded within practices
- recommendations of further research, development and analysis
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Research
Research
Comparison of roles and responsibilities of positions within Primary Care across England
This research was carried out by Surrey & Sussex Library Knowledge Services. The skills and responsibilities of the following roles within general practice in England are explored in this document:
- receptionist / administrators
- care navigators
- patient liaison officer
- general practice nurse
- health champion
- health care assistant
- medical assistant
Comparison of roles and responsibilities of positions within Primary Care across England – Evidence Search
This research was carried out by Surrey & Sussex Library Knowledge Services.
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Case Studies
Case Studies
Thistlemoor Medical Centre
In this article, Dr Neil Modha provides an insight to the challenges facing an inner- city practice. As the demographic changes, Thistlemoor Medical Centre offers an awareness of one innovative solution that may offer a more effective way of working.
North West Case Study – Learners
Case study giving detailed information collected from a group of learners involved in the North West pilot.
North West Case Study – Mentors
Case study giving detailed information collected from a group of mentors involved in the North West pilot.
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Competency Framework
Competency Framework
Competencies and Core Functions
A competency framework developed by Dr Jackie Tavabie with four levels of increasing competency identified all non-clinical roles. It was developed to provide guidance on a career structure for administrative staff to progress within general practice. The GPA works at level 3 of the competency framework.
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Job Descriptions
Job Descriptions
Job Description – Thistlemoor Medical Centre
Thistlemoor Medical Centre have provided an example job description of a GPA in their surgery and have given permission for this to be adapted and used by other practices.
Job Description – North West Pilot
A pilot across the North West in 2017, in conjunction with The Spinney Enhanced Training Practice. This allowed for 90 candidates across general practice to be trained in the role of GP Assistant and have the opportunity to be the first to achieve the GP Assistant Certificate. In the North West, general practice workforce reports indicate a higher percentage than the national average of admin and clerical staff, presenting an opportunity for new role development with existing staff into the hybrid medical assistant role.
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Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship Standards for Assistant Practitioner (Health)
This document provides an overview of how the GPA role will work as an apprenticeship and provides standards that practitioners will be expected to adhere to.
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Films And YouTube Resources
Films And YouTube Resources
Medical Assistants in Primary Care
This clip shows a GP practice in the North West highlighting challenges posed to their practice and how they developed a Medical Assistant role, transforming the way they work and practice. The development journey of the role is outlined from the Medical Assistant and GP partners.
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Evaluation
Evaluation
Health Education England, Kent Surrey Sussex
Following bid submission by the GP Federation in Surrey Health (Surrey Heath Community Provider Ltd), this project was initiated. This report shows the project aims, and that objectives were clearly defined in order to reduce the administrative burden on General Practitioners (GPs) and to enhance the skills of administration staff.
North West – GPA Cohort 1 – Leader Framework Evaluation report
This report presents and evaluation of the development of GP/Medical Assistant training programme in line with hybrid clinical and non-clinical model, delivered through the North West Training Hub structure.
Administrative Roles in Primary and Secondary Urgent and Emergency Care Settings
This study was commissioned by HEE and was delivered by Traverse, an independent employee-owned research and consultancy organisation. The study aims to understand the scope and impact of administrative roles in primary and secondary Urgent and Emergency Care settings (including mental health) across the HEE Midlands and East.
London Evaluation from GPA Pilot
This document is an evaluation report of the HEE-funded pilot project called ‘The Medical Assistant Career Pathway’.
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GPA Spread and Adoption
GPA Spread and Adoption
The GPA spread and adoption programme, supported by HEE’s Transformation Collaborative, has been used to design a programme for wider spread of GPAs across England.