Clinical Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians are important members of the multidisciplinary team here at Belper PCN.

Pharmacists will be looking at the care management of patients with chronic diseases and undertake clinical medication reviews to proactively manage people with multiple conditions, especially the elderly, people in care homes, those with multiple co-morbidities (in particular frailty, COPD and asthma) and people with learning disabilities or autism.

Our Pharmacy Team works at each of our four practices at Belper PCN.

The Role of First Contact physiotherapists (FCP’s) in primary care is to assess patients with soft tissue, muscle and joint pain and support patients to decide on the most appropriate management pathway. You do not need to see your GP first as the FCPs are expert in the assessment of these conditions and are able to request investigations such as x-rays and blood tests if it is required. FCP’s are physiotherapists with expertise in the assessment and management of Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. They may also be known as an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist (APP) or MSK practitioners.

Our First Contact Physiotherapy Service will be able to see people with the following conditions: 

• Joint pain
• Shoulder pain
• Tendon problems
• Muscle pain
• Sports injuries
• Knee problems
• Neck pain
• Soft tissue injuries
• Tennis elbow
• Back pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Trapped nerve
• Sciatica

Who we are

We are all experienced mental health professionals able to assess and discuss your needs:

Andy Glaves, Mental Health Practitioner – Clinical Lead

Karen Jarman, Mental Health Practitioner

Our Service

If you are experiencing difficulties with your mental health, we can provide assessment of your problems and discussion of your needs.

Depending on those needs, we can signpost you to avenues of further support and input including talking therapies.

We may also offer brief follow up if appropriate, for example to support monitoring of medication or look at ways to improve mental wellbeing including direction to useful self-help materials.

We liaise with the GPs and other colleagues in the surgery who may also be able to help you, such as our Social Prescribers and Occupational Therapist.

What To Expect

Your first appointment with us will be up to 40 minutes long. This means we are able to provide a little more time to discuss your difficulties.

If follow up appointments are required, these will be 20 minute sessions focusingon your identified need. We are usually able to provide 2 to 3 follow up appointments.

Whilst we are not a counselling or therapy service and cannot provide longer term input, we can help and will direct you to other avenues of support where appropriate.       

Some Of Our Service Feedback:

‘The longer appointment time helps with feeling listened to and not rushed’

‘The support helped me with managing anxiety’

‘The service has been really helpful and supportive’

‘The MHP gave me the opportunity to talk about my experiences’

To Arrange An Appointment

Available appointments can be booked by contacting your surgery, we work across:

Arthur Medical Centre – 01332 880249

Appletree Medical Practice – 01332 842288

Riversdale Surgery – 01773 822386

Whitemoor Medical Centre – 01773 880099

Our Social Prescribers

In Belper PCN, we have two Social Prescribing Link Workers, Jude and Lisa who cover all 4 practices.

• Jude’s background is in Social Care working as a Leaving Care Worker with young adults aged 16 – 25 and prior to that as a Project Worker in the Care Leavers Employment Project at Derbyshire County Council. She is passionate about young people having the support they need to live a healthy and happy life.
• Lisa’s professional background is supporting the recovery of individuals and families affected by substance misuse, covering Amber Valley Derbyshire Dales and Erewash. She has also worked with people experiencing housing problems, difficulties with mental health complex health issues and disabilities. She has supported people of all different backgrounds, and is passionate about working with people to empower them to improve their physical and mental wellbeing.

What is Social Prescribing?

• Many things affect your health and wellbeing. GPs tell us that a lot of people visit them feeling isolated or lonely. Or they might be stressed out by work, money and housing problems. Sometimes it’s the stress of managing different long-term conditions that causes anxiety, depression and feelings of isolation.
• That’s where social prescribing comes in. It starts with a conversation. It might be the conversation you’ve just had with your doctor or with another person in the practice team. They will refer you to a social prescribing link worker.
• Social prescribing is a way of addressing people’s non-medical needs in a holistic, person-centred way, by linking people with local activities, voluntary community groups and peer recovery support groups.

What types of services or support could the Social Prescriber link you with?

• Support groups (e.g. local mental health support groups, stroke support groups, etc.)
• Befriending networks
• Social and creative activities
• Housing, benefits and financial support
• Opportunity & Change programmes
• Training and Volunteering

What is person-centred care?

• Shared decision making
• Personalised care & support planning
• Supported self-management
• Supporting people to recognise and develop their strengths and abilities
• Affording people dignity, compassion & respect
• Enabling choice and independence

Patient referral routes

• You must be registered with one of the four Belper PCN GP practices. If you are registered with another GP practice, please contact them as all Derbyshire GP practices have a PCN social prescriber working with them
• Your GP or other clinical GP staff may refer you during a consultation, with your consent.
• To self-refer, you must contact your GP practice and ask for a referral to a social prescriber. The social prescriber will then contact you, usually via telephone to discuss the referral.
• Please note that social prescribers may not be able to work with everyone who is referred to them, as expertise health, mental health or social care intervention may be in the patient’s best interests.