Care of the Elderly

The GP+ Care of the Elderly programme will give you the opportunity to work in partnership with the local community resource team (CRT). The CRT is a team of multi-professionals from health and social care who support patients to remain in their own homes. It is an intensive service that can provide GPs, patients, and their families with rapid access to diagnostic tests, a consultant opinion, specialist nursing, and other health and social care professionals. It gives the option of looking after patients at home, in certain circumstances, when previously the only option was to admit them to hospital.

This training programme will also include supervision from the Care of the Elderly (COTE) secondary care team, allowing you to work with the local elderly population, whilst supporting valuable local admission avoidance and frailty work.

Objectives & Training

Opportunity to undertake a diploma in Geriatric Medicine
Supervision with a named Care of the Elderly (COTE) Consultant
Provision of general practice support to the CRT or local community services
Opportunity to build links with social services locally
Opportunity to build links with health services locally

Course Content

Please note, this is a guide to the general content of the Care of the Elderly GP+ programme and is subject to change based on training placements available and agreed job plan.

Quarter: 1

Induction/Welcome to the Practice.
Meeting with GP+ team – programme overview
Finalising job plan
Identifying learning and development needs
Meet mentor
First peer support group meeting
Opportunity to start Diploma in Geriatric Medicine
Start role in COTE

Quarter: 2

Peer support group meeting
Diploma in Geriatric Medicine
COTE Sessions

Quarter: 3

Peer support group meeting
Diploma in Geriatric Medicine
COTE Sessions
Meet with practice management and GP+ team to plan for stepping off the training course

Quarter: 4

Peer support group meeting
Diploma in Geriatric Medicine
COTE Sessions

Towards the end of your training programme the GP+ team will meet with you and the practice management team to agree next steps and discuss what support is required once you step off the programme.

Although stepping off the programme could look different for each GP, your salaried GP role is guaranteed and your salary will be reviewed. It is envisioned that for the Care of the Elderly GP role you will continue to split your working time between Care of the Elderly and Primary Care.