The Role

The role was developed in the USA to support GP surgeries. General Practice Assistants (also called Medical Assistants) – work alongside GPs to provide a support role, carrying out routine administrative tasks and basic clinical tasks. They may prepare patients for examination, take information from them and follow-up consultations, enabling the GP to focus on the patient and a smooth running of appointments.

Benefits for the Practice

  • Improve patient flow in the surgery
  • Increase GPs’ time efficiency
  • Have a positive impact on GP retention and job satisfaction
  • Reduction of average waiting times

Benefits for the Patient

  • Improve patient access
  • Improve efficiency in patient management
  • Improve speed of patient letters being processed
  • Improve safeguarding alerts

Training & Development

GPAs usually work in general practice and have good notions of patient care. They will need to have a DBS enhanced level check and to commit to a 6-9 month course to obtain a GP Assistant Certificate qualification. The programme is based on a framework that covers 2 clinical and 3 non-clinical areas:

  • Care Certificate (clinical)
  • Clinical (clinical)
  • Communications (non-clinical)
  • Administration (non-clinical)
  • Managing health records (non-clinical)

Quick Links

NHS HEE – General Practice Assistants