Jeannie Henderson, an advanced paramedic practitioner with Deerness Park Medical Group in Sunderland, has become one of the country’s first paramedic prescribers.
Following a nine month intensive training course, Jeannie is now able to prescribe independently to all Deerness Park Medical Group patients during routine surgeries as well as home visits.
Jeannie said, “The practice has been hugely supportive. As well as my previous experience in emergency care as a paramedic and clinical practice manager in the ambulance service, this means that I can now treat and discharge my patients and help reduce the workload for GPs.”
Dr Tracey Lucas is a GP partner at Deerness Park Medical Group and executive GP at NHS Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). “We’re very proud of Jeannie becoming the first paramedic prescriber in Sunderland and her achievement further strengthens the clinical team and service that we provide. Developing multi-disciplinary teams is the way forward to best meet the needs of our patients and help make the city a fantastic place to live and work.”
Dr Martin Weatherhead, chair of All Together Better, added, “Successful training initiatives such as this form part of All Together Better Sunderland, which is a formal alliance of health and care partners* working together across organisational boundaries to improve how care is co-ordinated and delivered across Sunderland.
“The overarching aim is to provide better, more efficient community-based, GP-led care using new ways of working, new technologies and improved planning in order to keep people as well as possible and out of hospital.”