NHS Lanarkshire have recently introduced a new service, lead by the Community Treatment and Care (CTAC) Service, to aim to improve and streamline the monitoring and management of Chronic Disease in our community. Where previously you may have attended the Practice to have your measurements, vital signs, blood tests etc carried out by our Healthcare Assistant, Cathie, you will now attend the Treatment Room to have this done.
The results then come through to the Practice Nurses and then once they have reviewed your results, only if required, you will be invited to attend for a face to face or telephone appointment to discuss your results and any changes that may be needed to your management.
When your turn comes, likely related to your birthday, you will be contacted by the Practice and booked into one of the CTAC clinics at a time that suits you. You will no longer be able to attend Cathie’s clinics to have your Chronic Disease bloods and biometrics carried out. Cathie’s clinics will be reserved for patients who we suspect may have a Chronic Disease such as hypertension and for the initiation of ambulatory home blood pressure monitoring (Florence system).
The Chronic Diseases that will be managed by the Treatment Room include Diabetes, Hypertension (high blood pressure) and Cardiovascular Disease to name a few. Other conditions such as Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease will still be managed by the Practice Nurses.
We want to stress that this should be a benefit to all patients so more patients can be appointed and have their bloods and vitals done more efficiently with less delay. The CTAC will not make any medication changes, they will only being taking your observations, bloods, urine tests. The responsibility for reviewing the results and actioning any changes will remain with the Practice.