Press release – Community House Officer
PRESS RELEASE – embargoed until midnight 31.03.23
Government announces new doctor role of “Community House Officer”
The Government, through NHSE, has announced a consultation on the new role of Community House Officer (CHO), prior to expected implementation on 01.04.2024
The position will be open to all qualified doctors who have completed their foundation training. Patients will be able to register with their local CHO, who will be based at a local medical centre.
CHOs will have a registered list, which will initially be capped at 2000, but all citizens will have the right to register with a CHO
CHOs will work under the supervision of secondary care specialists, and will be responsible for issuing repeat medications, organising investigations requested by the specialists, chasing up the various results, and updating patient records after clinic appointments and hospital admissions.
It is anticipated that the new CHOs will release time for GPs to focus on their core business, such as providing palliative care, urgent care and support for the struggling ambulance service – although it is anticipated that these responsibilities will all eventually be managed by the community pharmacists.
Healthy Secretary Steve Barclay said “this new role will be a fantastic innovation for patient care in the community.
It is anticipated that the Community House Officers will eventually be able to manage all the care for patients at home, in community hospitals or virtual wards. These proposals have been discussed with hospital specialists who are very supportive”
Dr George Remote, Chairman of the BMA consultants committee said “We are pleased that the government have finally listened to properly qualified doctors who work in hospitals, and promised a new subservient role to support important specialist care. This will save us the inconvenience of doing various tedious tasks, which can be passed onto the Community House Officer”
Dr Nyra-Leigh Burntout, a GP from East London said “This is an interesting opportunity for General Practitioners to stop doing the jobs that the hospital partialists cannot be bothered to do themselves. I hope that the doctors that take on this role will really enjoy the work and feel valued by the proposed annual salary of £29,000. I am now looking forward to having enough time to leave my consulting room to attend 999 calls on behalf of the ambulance service”
Information for editors
Not for publication prior to embargo time – midnight 31.03.2023
Further information available from BMA – chair@BMAGPC
😁