Primary Care Network Services

Our dedicated Pharmacy Team plays a vital role in supporting the health and well-being of patients across The Rural Practice Network. Working closely with GPs, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, they help ensure safe, effective, and personalised use of medicines.

What Does the Pharmacy Team Do?

Our team provides expert advice on medications, helping patients manage long-term conditions, reduce side effects, and improve their overall treatment outcomes. Their work includes:

• Medication Reviews – Ensuring prescriptions are safe, effective, and tailored to individual needs
• Support for Long-Term Conditions – Helping patients manage conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma
• Repeat Prescriptions & Queries – Assisting with medication requests and resolving any concerns
• Medicines Optimisation – Ensuring the right medicines are used in the most effective way
• Structured Support – Offering guidance on reducing reliance on certain medications where appropriate
• Collaboration with Social Prescribing & Other Services – Supporting holistic patient care

How Can the Pharmacy Team Help You?

If you have questions about your medication, need a review, or require support in managing your prescriptions, our Pharmacy Team is here to help. Speak to your GP practice to find out more about the services they provide.

Health Coaching and Social Prescribing is an innovative approach in healthcare that connects people with non-medical support to improve their health and well-being. It recognises that many factors—such as loneliness, stress, financial concerns, or long-term conditions—affect overall health, and sometimes, the best "prescription" isn’t medication but community-based support.

How Does Social Prescribing Work?

In GP practices within The Rural Practice Network, Health Coaches act as Social Prescribing Link Workers (SPLWs). They work closely with individuals to understand their personal needs and connect them with local services, activities, and support networks. This could include:

• Local exercise groups & walking clubs
• Mental health & well-being support
• Pain Café – support for those living with chronic pain
• Bereavement Café – a space for those experiencing loss
• Befriending services & social groups
• Help with housing, employment, or benefits
• Arts, gardening, and volunteering opportunities

Why is Social Prescribing Important?

Many people visit their GP with concerns that have social rather than medical causes. Social Prescribing helps people take control of their own health by addressing these underlying issues, reducing pressure on NHS services while promoting healthier, happier communities.

Who Can Access Social Prescribing?

Anyone registered with one of our five GP practices in The Rural Practice Network can access Social Prescribing through their Health Coach. If you feel you would benefit from non-medical support, ask your GP practice about Social Prescribing today!

Would you like to find out more? Contact your GP practice or speak to your Health Coach for further details.

Our PCN GP Practices are working collaboratively to offer appointments to their own and each other’s patients who cannot easily access primary care services during normal working hours.

This initiative works across Somerset whereby patients can make appointments at extended times (up until 8pm at night Monday-Friday and on Saturday mornings) at other practices across the local area. Appointment types will vary some being face to face and some on the telephone and there will be a mixture of pre-bookable and same day appointments available across the week. They may be with a doctor but could also be with another healthcare professional such as a primary care practitioner or a nurse. We are keen to balance the importance of continuity of care with convenient access for patients whilst ensuring that the service is safe. To book an evening or weekend appointment please contact your registered practice during normal opening times, this will help us to signpost you to the most appropriate option for your particular problem. By contacting us we can fully explain the process, ensure that the booking is appropriate (as we hope to be able to meet your needs by offering an appointment with your usual GP) and cover all the relevant information (and consent) that we need to before we book an appointment for you.

This is NOT a walk in service and anyone who turns up at a practice without a pre-booked appointment will be asked to contact the Out of Hours service.

Our MSK physiotherapy service provides expert assessment and treatment for muscle, bone, and joint conditions within GP practices in The Rural Practice Network.

Our Approach

We empower patients to achieve lifelong musculoskeletal health through compassionate, evidence-based rehabilitation. Our team, including physiotherapists and osteopaths, works closely with GPs and First Contact Practitioners (FCPs) to deliver integrated care.

What We Offer

• Assessment and treatment for MSK conditions
• Referral-based access via GPs or FCPs
• Exercise and rehabilitation programs to aid recovery
• Patient information videos for self-management

Who Can Access This Service?

Available to anyone over 8 years old with a musculoskeletal condition. If your symptoms involve the nervous or respiratory system, your GP will refer you to the appropriate service.

Booking an Appointment

Appointments are available through referral from your GP or FCP. If your symptoms are recent (under six weeks), you may also trial the GetUBetter app for self-management advice.

This service is available exclusively within GP practices in The Rural Practice Network.

For more information, speak to your GP practice team.

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COVID-19 Vaccination Delivery in The Rural Practice Network (RPN)

The Rural Practice Network (RPN) plays a vital role in delivering COVID-19 vaccinations to patients in rural and remote communities. Here’s how they manage and deliver this service:

1. Collaborative Approach: The RPN is a network of 5 GP practices serving rural areas. These practices often face unique challenges due to geographic isolation and limited resources, but by working together in a coordinated manner, they can ensure that COVID-19 vaccinations reach those who need them most in these underserved regions.
2. Vaccine Distribution: The UK government supplies COVID-19 vaccines to designated vaccination hubs, which include GP practices within the RPN. Vaccines are distributed efficiently to local hubs or directly to rural GP practices, enabling timely access for communities that may otherwise struggle to reach larger vaccination centres.
3. Patient Identification: RPN practices use patient records to identify those in high-priority groups. Rural GP practices know their patients well and can efficiently target individuals such as the elderly, those with underlying health conditions, and essential workers. RPN practices also collaborate with local councils and health authorities to ensure no one is missed in these geographically spread-out communities.
4. Vaccination Clinics: In rural areas, logistical challenges like distance and transportation are significant factors. RPN GP practices set up dedicated vaccination clinics within their localities. To maximise accessibility, vaccination events may be held in central locations that serve multiple small communities, or mobile vaccination units may be deployed to travel to more isolated areas. Appointments are managed in a way that minimises disruption to regular healthcare services.
5. Staffing: Staffing may be more challenging in rural areas due to workforce shortages, but the RPN practices are resourceful. They utilise GPs, nurses, and administrative staff across the network, ensuring that vaccination clinics are run smoothly. In some cases, RPN may recruit additional temporary staff, volunteers, or collaborate with local pharmacies to expand their workforce.
6. Vaccination Process: Patients attend vaccination clinics in their local GP practices or at centralised locations. Given the rural setting, these clinics are organised with extra attention to patient flow to accommodate the often larger, more dispersed patient groups. After vaccination, patients are monitored for a short period to check for any immediate side effects, and follow-up appointments for second doses or boosters are scheduled.
7. Ongoing Support: The RPN continues to manage COVID-19 vaccination efforts even after the initial vaccination campaigns. They ensure that booster shots and any future vaccination programs are available to rural communities, adapting to new guidelines and patient needs. The RPN works closely with local healthcare providers to ensure equitable access to ongoing COVID-19 vaccinations in rural settings.

The Operations Team plays a vital role in managing and developing The Rural Practice Network. Fortnightly Operations Group meetings bring together Practice Managers, the Operations Manager, the Business Manager, and the Clinical Director to discuss key financial, operational, and clinical matters. Their decisions and discussions feed into the bi-monthly Full Steering Group, which includes the wider Operations Team. This structure ensures a collaborative approach to financial planning, clinical decision-making, and strategic service improvements, supporting the effective running of the network and enhancing patient care.

The Operations Team and Steering Group work to a Network Agreement that formalises the collaborative approach across the network. This agreement outlines the roles, responsibilities, and expectations for all involved, ensuring a unified direction for the network's growth and success.

Here’s an overview of some of topics typically covered in the bi-monthly Steering Group meetings, where decisions are made and progress is monitored, all within the framework of the Network Agreement:

• Review of Network Agreement Implementation – Updates on the ongoing progress and any adjustments needed
• Financial Oversight – Review of financial status, budgeting, and resource allocation across practices
• Clinical and Operational Decisions – Discussion of clinical priorities, service delivery improvements, and operational performance
• Strategic Planning – Long-term goals, network-wide initiatives, and upcoming projects
• Feedback from Operations Group – Insights and updates from the fortnightly Operations Group meetings
• Policy and Compliance – Review of relevant policies, compliance standards, and any necessary adjustments

This structured approach helps ensure that the Steering Group effectively drives the network’s operations and growth, in alignment with the agreed-upon framework.