Major change to how you see your GP to come into play – are you affected?
GPS will now have assistants so they have more time to see and treat patients this winter.
Their help is expected to reduce the amount of time doctors spend writing and processing letters by up to 85 per cent.
GP assistants (GPAs) will help patients with hospital and pharmacy referrals and explaining treatments.
They may also perform some clinical tasks on behalf of the GP such as taking blood, blood pressure and urine tests.
The new recruits could also take brief medical histories before patients see their GP.
GP surgeries can now claim additional NHS funding to take on and train the extra staff, who are not required to have a medical degree and will earn around £24,000 a year.
Read more on GPs
Dr Amanda Doyle, national director of primary and community care, said: “Giving patients timely and convenient access to GPs and primary care is vital, especially during winter, which is why we are introducing brand new roles and giving GPs more flexibility to create teams that best meet the needs of their local population.
“The introduction of GP assistants can reduce the time doctors spend on correspondence meaning doctors have more time to do what they care about most – treating patients – while digital leads will help practices use the latest technology to manage demand and capacity.”
The GP assistant role was initially developed in the US, to help administrative tasks and some basic clinical duties in the general practice setting.
It was later piloted in the North West of England which NHS said was received well by patients and GPs alike.
Most read in Health
This comes as the number of NHS GPs working full-time in England has fallen by a quarter in five years.
Younger GPs are said to be going abroad for better pay and conditions and older ones retiring early.
Meanwhile, hospitals have announced they will be bringing back face masks as Covid cases climb again.
Read More on The Sun
At least eight major NHS trusts have reinstated the rule ahead of what medics fear will be a bumpy winter.
Official figures show virus cases are on the rise, with a 14 per cent increase last week to a total of one million across the UK.