NHS ARRS roles in primary care
The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) was introduced in England in 2019 to improve access to general practice.
Through the scheme, something called Primary Care Networks (PCNs; groups of 5-7 practices) pay their salaries (and some costs) of 17 new roles within your GP’s multidisciplinary team; selected to meet the needs of the local population. These are then shared out amongst the GP practices within a PCN, based on the size of population they look after.
In expanding general practice capacity, GP surgeries can see more patients; and it supports the delivery of new services available in primary care.
So. What are NHS ARRS roles in primary care?
- Clinical pharmacist – medication review, and long-term follow up of long-term conditions
- First contact physiotherapist (FCP) – musculoskeletal problems, e.g. back, hip, knee and shoulder pain. You can refer yourself to a FCP, via your GPs website
- Occupational therapist – enabling the elderly to cope better with their lives
- Paramedic – home visits, especially to the frail elderly
- Podiatrist – feet problems
- Dietitian – dietary issues
- Physician associate – work similarly to doctors, especially for less complex cases. Can make diagnoses and start treatment
- Advanced clinical practitioner (ACP) – similar to PAs
- Nursing associate – nurses
- Mental health practitioner – mental health problems. Self-referral possible. Will work with IAPTs, who are other NHS counsellors
- General practice assistant – administration
- IT, digital and transformation leads – IT and and communication.
Summary
We have described NHS ARRS roles in primary care. GPs are finding them every helpful. You can refer yourself to some. Give it a try! We hope you have found this information useful.
Last Reviewed on 7 March 2024