History is being made with the new partnership that's being established at Snaefell Surgery.
For the first time ever on the Isle of Man, two Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) are becoming Partners in a GP practice – a business model that's already well established across the UK. Janette Qualtrough and Mary-Rose Pritchard will join the South Douglas GP practice on 01 October, joining forces with its current GP Partner, Dr. Steffen Osbelt, in the new relationship.
ANPs are highly trained specialist nurses who've undertaken advanced clinical study and qualifications to become specialists in their chosen area of practice, provide advanced levels of care and prescribe a broad spectrum of medications. They are able to treat a wide range of medical conditions and issues that, traditionally, would have been treated by a GP – for example chronic disease, acute injuries and illnesses, and patient health reviews. This creates additional capacity for GPs to focus on treating patients who present with more complex health conditions that require the care of a doctor.
Both Janette and Mary-Rose have enjoyed lengthy nursing careers to date with significant expertise in both primary and secondary care settings. Both have undertaken their ANP qualifications on the Island at the Keyll Darree training facility in Strang in a programme accredited by the University of Chester and developed by Manx Care.
The new model of care that's being established at Snaefell Surgery will allow the three partners to focus on the provision of safe and efficient treatment that puts patients and their needs at the centre of the service being delivered, whilst providing faster access to medical support and advice by allowing patients to see the professional best suited to treat their needs. It also supports the broader transformation of health and social care services on the Island, which will eventually see more diversity in the range of health professionals based within primary care settings including mental health practitioners and Physiotherapists.
Confirmation of the new partnership should also provide reassurance for the residents of South Douglas following a number of well-documented issues earlier this year around GP availability at Snaefell Surgery. The practice has been supported by locum GPs in recent months whilst a new, sustainable partnership was established.
Dr. Steffen Osbelt, GP Partner at Snaefell Surgery, commented:
'I'm delighted to be going into partnership with Janette and Mary-Rose, allowing us to deliver long-term benefits to the people of South Douglas and develop a model of care that's not yet been established on the Island. Securing a new and sustainable partnership has been a priority for many months now and I hope that our patients will embrace this as much as we have. I’d like to publicly thank our existing practice colleagues for their hard work over the last few months during what has been a difficult and testing time for everyone. Snaefell Surgery has always been renowned for delivering high-quality patient-focused care, and together we will continue to achieve this.'
Mary-Rose Pritchard, Partner at Snaefell Surgery, said:
'Both Janette and I have spent a lot of time together researching the new models of care that have been developed in GP practice across the UK, where care that's primarily led under a GP-ANP partnership is now the norm. Patients are treated by a range of multi-skilled professionals, with treatment focused around the individual’s overall need and delivered under one roof in a setting as close to home as possible. We know that this model will provide a number of benefits to GP practice here on the Island, and at Snaefell Surgery in particular. I’d like the opportunity to thank Annmarie Cubbon, Manx Care’s General Manager of Integrated Primary and Community Care, for the instrumental role she’s played in the formation of our new partnership.
'Ultimately we have one objective, which is to deliver safe and exceptional care to our patients, and having the opportunity to become partners at Snaefell Surgery will allow us to do that.'
Janette Qualtrough, Partner at Snaefell Surgery, added:
'Both Mary-Rose and I recognise that it’s been a very uncertain time for the residents of South Douglas in recent months, so we’re looking forward to meeting our new community, looking at how we can shape our services to support their needs in the best way possible, and listening to their concerns – this is vital. We understand that historically they’ve been used to seeing a GP for most of their health needs, and so it’s important that we work with Dr. Osbelt to reassure them about the services we can provide and the vital role that ANPs play within General Practice. Ultimately if a patient still wants to see a GP, they will be able to do so. We have big shoes to fill, but we’re looking forward to the hard work starting on 01 October!'
Teresa Cope, CEO of Manx Care, has actively supported the development of the new Snaefell Surgery partnership over recent months and concluded:
'The new partnership at Snaefell Surgery sets a precedent for other professionals working across health and social care on the Island to challenge the way that care has traditionally been delivered, and establish new operating models focused on the provision of integrated care and the holistic needs of a patient. Manx Care is working hard to transform the way we deliver health and social care services on the Island, and this highlights that we’re prepared to listen and support concepts which will result in the delivery of enhanced, patient-centred care. I’m incredibly proud of the way that Steffen, Mary-Rose and Janette have identified a patient need and developed a solution to address that, and I truly hope they inspire others to do the same. They have my full support in making their new partnership at Snaefell Surgery a success, and I hope to see more local partnerships like theirs in the future.'
