Getting to know your General Practice team

General Practitioners (GPs) are trained to diagnose medical conditions and disease. GPs are doctors who care for enrolled and casual patients through General Practice clinics within primary care. 

Nurse practitioners are highly trained nurses who diagnose medical conditions and disease. They have the same legal authority to prescribe medicines as a doctor, dentist or a midwife. 

Nurse practitioners can carry out many of the same functions as a general practitioner (family doctor). 

The role of nurse practitioners was introduced to New Zealand nearly 20 years ago, and there are now 360 nurse practitioners working throughout our health system.

Registered nurses assess health needs and provide care, and to advise and support you and your whānau to manage your health. They practise independently and in collaboration with other health professionals, perform general nursing functions, and delegate to and direct enrolled nurses, health care assistants and others. They provide comprehensive assessments to develop, implement, and evaluate an integrated plan of health care, and provide interventions with individuals, families, whānau and communities.

A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is an advanced practice nurse and a clinical expert in nursing practice within a specialty area. The Clinical Nurse Specialist may focus on people or groups of people, types of care or conditions. For example, you or your whānau may be referred to a Clinical Nurse Specialist who focuses on the care of people with diabetes or a Clinical Nurse Specialist who focuses on the care of older people, or a Clinical Nurse Specialist who focuses on the care of long term conditions. 

Clinical pharmacists are a part of some general practice teams and provide consultations with patients in a similar way to consultations done with a doctor or a nurse. 

If you meet with a clinical pharmacist at your GPs office, they will  review the medications you are taking.  Then, they will work with you (and the general practitioner or nurse practitioner) to manage your medications safely and in a way that will result in a greater quality of life. This specialist field which looks at multiple prescription medications is called ‘polypharmacy’.

Key role of the Clinical Pharmacist

• Review medications
• Manage safety of multiple medication use and reduce chances of adverse reactions
• Improve overall quality of life for people using multiple medications.

People who will benefit the most from a medication review with a Clinical Pharmacist

• Older people who are taking multiple medications
• People living with chronic conditions and taking multiple medications
• People taking multiple medication and who experience adverse side effects.

This is a FREE service in the Midcentral district through participating general practices for any person with one or more long-term condition who takes five or more medications each day or suffers side effects from the medications.

If you think you could benefit from a medication review, please discuss this with your General Practice.   

Clinical Dietitians can talk about what healthy food is for you and your whānau , and help you learn about what this means for your health conditions, medications you use, and how food works with your sleep, exercise and other everyday activities. Sessions can be held at your home or in one of our clinics.   Clinical Dietitians can provide scientifically based, practical and effective strategies to help with food and nutrition needs.

A Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CEP) is a person who specialises in the delivery of exercise, lifestyle and behavioural modification programmes for the prevention, management and rehabilitation of chronic conditions and diseases, and injuries.

The key role of a Clinical Exercise Physiologist is to: 

• Completes full health history and assessment 
• Assess a person’s ability to exercise safely
• Create an exercise programme that complements the person’s health status and their personal goals and current fitness levels 
• Provides education on long term conditions and physical activity 
• Offer advice and support and guidance to encourage a healthier lifestyle 

Mātanga Whai Ora

Mātanga Whai Ora (Experts in the art of wellness) are clinical professionals regulated under the Health Practitioner Competence Assurance Act (2003) with the focus of supporting tāngata whaiora to improve their wellbeing using individualised brief intervention techniques.

Mātanga Whai Ora can provide brief intervention techniques to tāngata whaiora including face-to-face, telehealth, video calling and more to assist people in overcoming life’s challenges. 

Health Improvement Practitioner

The Health Improvement Practitioner (HIP) is a function of the Mātanga Whai Ora role and provided to the community by a Mātanga who has received specific HIP training. The HIP is integrated as a member of a General Practice Team where they provide rapid access brief intervention services. They can provide individual, group and pathway services, specific to the needs of their specific General Practice Team. 

Health Coach 

The Health Coach is a non-clinical role which works as a member of the transdisciplinary health team to support the clinical work of our Mātanga Whai Ora. These roles work within our Iwi and Māori providers to allow greater access, support & engagement with our priority groups throughout the rōhe.