A new campaign to help members of the public choose the right health advice in the local community has been launched by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. 

Primary Choice aims to educate the public on the skills and expertise of the healthcare professionals in the local community so they see the right person, first time. 

This will not only save patients time but will also enable GPs, Urgent Care Services and Emergency Units to concentrate on seeing patients who require urgent or emergency care or have complex health needs.

The campaign focuses on Community Pharmacists, Optometrists, Dentists, General Practice Nurses, GP receptionists and GPs and highlights their expertise and specialist skills so that the public see the right person first time and receive the most appropriate advice, care and treatment for their needs. 

For example if you have a problem with your eyes your ‘Primary Choice’ should be your Optometrist, who are highly skilled individuals who can diagnose, treat and manage a range of eye care complaints, whereas Community Pharmacists are experts in medications and can help with many common ailments saving the need to book an appointment with your GP. 

Anna Kuczynska, Clinical Board Director for the Primary, Community and Intermediate Care Clinical Board at Cardiff and Vale UHB said “As a team we are really passionate about this campaign and hope that it helps the community to use the most appropriate service which will save them time and also ensure clinical staff are seeing the right patients first time. 

“I would like to say a big thank you to the six faces of our campaign who will be great advocates to share what skills, experience and knowledge we have in the local community. We really are incredibly lucky to have a team of experts in their fields who can see patients closer to home.”

Fiona Kinghorn, Executive Director of Public Health at Cardiff and Vale UHB said “At Cardiff and Vale our ethos is to care for people and keep them well and this is inclusive of our community healthcare teams. Treating patients closer to home and in the local community can reduce unnecessary burdens on unscheduled care services like GPs and out of hours services. 

“Primary Choice is a fantastic initiative which will educate members of the public on who the right healthcare professional is so that patients are getting timely and appropriate advice, care or treatment.”

Cardiff and Vale UHB is launching Primary Choice as the first phase of its campaign which will be expanded in future to encompass more members of the primary care team. The Health Board has also worked closely with local primary schools to develop an education pack to be launched in the new school year. 

The campaign will be shared widely on the UHB’s social media channels using #WeArePrimaryCare 

For more information on Primary Choice or to download the materials click here