Two specialist nurses have joined a doctor’s surgery as partners in a first for the Isle of Man.

Janette Qualtrough and Mary-Rose Pritchard joined the Snaefell Practice in south Douglas practice to work with its current GP partner, Dr Steffen Osbelt.

Advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs) are specialist nurses who have undertaken advanced clinical study and qualifications to become specialists in an 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 means GPs can spend more time treating patients who have more complex health conditions.

Both Mrs Qualtrough and Mrs Pritchard have had 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.

Manx Care, the arm’s length organisation that’s been running health services since the spring, says the move also supports the broader transformation of health and social care services in 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’.

The new set-up at the surgery follows problems earlier this year around GP availability there.

Locum GPs worked at the surgery to help to maintain services.

Dr Steffen Osbelt, GP partner at Snaefell Surgery, said: ’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.’

Mrs Pritchard 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.’

Mrs Qualtrough 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.’

Teresa Cope, chief executive of Manx Care, said: ’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.’