The Patient Support Service is provided by the four GP practices in the North Bucks PCN.

This NHS service is open to all patients over the age of 18 years old, that are registered with the PCN surgeries.

The service is made up of:

• Social Prescribing Link Workers
• Care Coordinators

The Patient Support team support people with social, emotional or practical needs, focusing on improving our patients health and wellbeing.

We aim to visit our patients at home and find out what matters to them and what support they need to improve their health & well being this can include support people to:

• Improve their mental health
• Live well & more independently
• Be more socially connected
• Be more active
• Improve their health
• Manage their finances and living conditions
• Access education & improve skills
• Access support for carers

The Social Prescribers will work with the patient and alongside a wide range medical professionals & local organisations to help people access the services required to improve their health & wellbeing.

Whilst the Care Coordinators have a varied role including:

• Supporting a team of volunteers who run our successful Telephone Befriending Service that enables people who cannot easily access social groups to speak to a volunteer each week for a friendly chat.
• Supporting clinical staff on various projects
• If you feel like you or someone you know would benefit from talking to a member of our team, please get in touch!
• Our Social Prescribing team can accept self referrals please call to discuss with our Care Coordinators or use the self referral page on the website.

Social Prescribing supports people with a range of social, emotional or practical needs, focusing on improving health and wellbeing in a holistic way putting the person in the centre of their care.  They can support people with feelings of loneliness, as well as for debt, employment or housing problems, or difficulties with their relationships.

Studies show that patients with Social Prescriptions get better and feel better faster than those treated with medication alone.

Our social prescribing link workers help with a whole range of non-clinical needs that can have a profound effect on your health and wellbeing. They have time to listen and work with patients over a number of weeks both face to face and by phone.

Although they’re unable to do it for you, they’ll be there for you the entire way, listening to your needs and providing all of the information that organisations and groups in the local area.

The Social Prescribers can put you in touch with community support and groups, as well as come along with you to get you started. They can help you plan what you want to do and get there.

North Bucks PCN Social Prescribing Service is provided by The Patient Support Service.

Our Clinical Pharmacist is an experts in medicines and how they are used. We are very fortunate to have pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in our team as they can help our doctors and nurses to spend more time with patients while they deal with the majority of medicine-related queries.

Our Clinical Pharmacist deals with repeat prescriptions, reviews, common minor ailments, urgent medication requests and deal with medication for patients recently discharged from hospital.

Our GPs may ask the Clinical Pharmacist to get in touch with you if you take lots of medications from time to time. This is to review your symptoms and check they’re still the best medications to be on. Where better, newer alternatives are available, they’ll discuss this with you and your GP.