Sean Cemm - Advanced Primary Practitioner

Hi, my name is Sean Cemm and from June 2008 I will be the Advanced Primary Practitioner otherwise called Community Matron, covering Pulborough Medical Group.

The role is relatively new within the NHS and and it has been introduced to manage the increasing problems associated with chronic long-term conditions.

There are 17.5 million people in the UK living with Long- term conditions such as hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes and of this figure 75% are over 75 years old, with 45% having more than 1 long-term condition.

Many of these individuals have complex needs. My role involves the care co-ordination and case management of these individuals. It is patient orientated, taking a proactive approach, empowering the individual, carer and or family to manage their long-term condition to improve and or maintain their quality of life and thus preventing acute episodes where they become quickly unwell and require hospital admission.

Referral criteria are in place to ensure that those patients with the most complex needs are targeted. Having accepted them onto my caseload I then perform a comprehensive detailed assessment of both the health, which includes advanced physical assessment and social needs of the individual.

Health promotion is fundamental to the role and this may involve medicines management, provision of equipment or help with grants for heating and or benefits.

Working closely with GPs and other professionals across boundaries enables me to facilitate this for the individual. It is a new, exciting and evolving role, which allows me to deliver a service that fits the complex needs of the individuals I see and goes a long way to improving theirs and others quality of life.