INVERCLYDE medical practices will get a new team of ‘community link workers’ from Monday to take pressure off GPs.

They will work with patients who have ‘social challenges’ affecting their health or wellbeing.

The GP, practice nurse and receptionist can all refer people on to the link worker.

And, if patients they want to speak with a link worker directly, they can phone the surgery and ask for a call back.

The team will be in GP surgeries to support people who may be experiencing difficult family relationships, who are lonely or socially isolated, and at risk of homelessness.

Among others who will benefit from their help are people who aren’t getting enough physical exercise, those struggling to cope with the social effects of a health condition, such as asthma or diabetes, or a diagnosis of a life threatening condition, as well as those with debt or money problems Louise Long, chief executive of Inverclyde Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), which brings together community health and social work services, said the seven workers have been undergoing induction ahead of their move into the heart of the community.

She said: “The fundamental concept is to support patients whose problems are causing or worsening a health condition, such as insomnia due to stress.

“While many simply don’t know where to go, they trust their GP to help them.”

She said the new workers will bring a different ‘skill-set’ into medical practices, helping to take some pressure off GPs.

The team have been recruited by CVS (Council for Voluntary Service) Inverclyde, pictured, with funding from the Scottish Government and Inverclyde HSCP, as part of a National Links Worker Programme.

Dr Hector Macdonald, Clinical Director of Inverclyde HSCP, said a typical GP appointment lasts only 10 minutes, so there is not always enough time to fully explore the sometimes complex social issues that often lie behind health problems.

He said: “Instead, GPs may only be able to treat the symptom, such as prescribing medication for insomnia. It also means that time is taken away from doctors, who increasingly need to handle complex case loads of patients with multiple chronic health conditions.”

Ian Bruce, chief executive, of CVS Inverclyde, said not only will the community link workers have much longer to spend with patients, they come with “great skills in motivating people towards a more positive outcome, as well as a valuable understanding of local services where people can go for help”.

He said: “Thanks to their extensive community engagement, the workers are also well placed to help people become more integrated and, therefore, far less lonely.”

The seven workers are Valerie Campbell, Brenda Tinney, Elaine McKendrick, Fiona Sinclair, Jackie Smith, Margaret Mitchell and Tracy Gilmour.

They will be based in Port Glasgow’s health and medical centres, as well as Greenock Health Centre’s Regent and Dr Hussain & Partners practices.