A Primary Care Team is a team of those responsible for organising and delivering primary healthcare for the local population, for example GPs, Nurses, Physiotherapist, Speech and Language Therapist and Occupational Therapist. The team also includes community representatives when considering the needs of the overall area and population, but they are not involved in, or provided with any information about, individual cases or clinical work.
There is a Network of other services available supporting the team including Psychology / Counselling, Audiology, Podiatry, Area Medical Officers, Dentistry, Dietetics, Ophthalmology etc.
The aim of a Primary Care Team is to provide primary care services that are accessible, integrated, of a high quality and which meet the needs of the local population.
HOW CAN I ACCESS MY PRIMARY CARE TEAM?
You can make a GP appointment by contacting your GP service directly for routine appointments. Your GP can make a referral to other Primary Care Services if required. If you are already receiving a Primary Care Service and have questions about accessing other Primary Care Services, you can discuss this with those providing your care.
The health professionals in your local team hold regular clinical meetings together to identify, plan and coordinate effective and efficient care for individual clients/patients. Where your care provider wishes to discuss your care at a meeting, it is standard that your consent will be asked for first. You or a family member can also ask for your care to be reviewed at one of these meetings by requesting this of one of your healthcare providers. You may find this helpful if you have been seeing more than two healthcare providers
GPs
Contact details for General Practitioners are included in each Primary Care Team information
GPs provide a broad service to their patients on all health issues, and may refer patients to see specialists or hospital consultants if more specific investigation is required. GPs play a central role in the health of our community, caring for people from birth and childhood, through to older age and end of life care.
For more information about GPs please visit http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/
Nursing
The Public Health and Community Nursing service provides a professional nursing service to before birth up to end of life. It is a diverse service provided by PHNs and Community RGNs.
Service provision includes:
- Antenatal and postnatal care and advice
- Family and child health service
- Provision and support up to school age relating to Child Development / screening / nutrition / sleep / behaviour / enuresis / immunisation / child protection
- School Health service provision to include vision and hearing screening and the delivery of the Immunisation programme
- Professional Clinical Nursing Service
- To all patients requiring care with health needs that are acute or chronic in nature, patients with a disability diagnosis and patients in situation of vulnerability for example isolation and loneliness
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy aims to assist members of the community in remaining as independent as possible in carrying out everyday tasks. Following an occupational therapist’s assessment, the focus is on finding practical solutions to difficulties such as: personal and domestic activities of daily living; advice and recommendations on a barrier-free home environment; recommendations and training on usage of adaptive equipment; self-awareness and falls prevention; memory and perception strategies; maximising work and leisure participation. We also offer advice on reducing anxiety and promoting confidence to fully integrate within the local community; support and guidance for family members or referral to other appropriate agencies. Based on our findings we plan individual or group treatment programmes with you or your family/carer to help you remain at home leading an independent, safe and fulfilled life.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy aims to restore well-being to people who sustain an injury, who are in pain or who are living with a disability. The service can help to assess, diagnose and treat musculo-skeletal conditions and illnesses that affect people of all ages. The service works with clients to help them achieve their best level of independence. Physiotherapy may also include the provision of therapy, the prescription of individually tailored exercise programmes, the provision of education and advice, the training of family members and carers and, depending on entitlement, the prescription of appliances such as frames and rollators.
Speech and Language Therapy
Speech and Language Therapists provide assessment, diagnosis and therapy for children and adults presenting with a wide range of communication difficulties. A swallow (dysphagia) service is also provided to adults. Speech & Language Therapists work with other professionals in health and education to best meet the speech/language/communication/health needs of people referred to the service. Following assessment, we may provide therapy in the clinic or refer on to an appropriate service. Therapy may be direct - individual or group - or indirect through parent/carer training &/or programme provision/advice to parents/carers/relevant professionals.
Each Primary Care Team has Community Representatives as members. These are drawn from the local Community Health Forum where one has been established. Interim Representatives are identified where a Forum hasn’t yet been set up. These could be interested individuals or those involved in local voluntary organisations.
Community Representatives
Community Representatives act as a link between the community and health professionals on the primary care team. They have a commitment to helping improve the health and quality of life of people in the area. Representatives represent and advocate for the needs of everyone in the community, particularly those socially isolated. Representatives participate in the planning, delivery and monitoring/evaluation of Primary Care Team initiatives developed in response to the needs identified in the community.
