Treatment Room Services are available within GP surgeries across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust area. They provide a range of essential nursing interventions in a primary care setting to patients who are mobile.
These services support the delivery of timely, accessible care closer to service users’ homes and help reduce the need for attendance at hospital-based services where appropriate.
The service is delivered by registered nurses, supported where appropriate by Health Care Assistants, who may be employed either by individual GP practices or by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust. The Northern Trust currently provides nursing staff to support 43 treatment room locations across its geographical area.
Treatment room nurses provide a comprehensive range of clinical interventions prescribed or requested by general practitioners (GPs), consultants and other authorised healthcare professionals. The service includes both planned and responsive nursing care, supporting service users with acute, chronic and preventative healthcare needs.
Key interventions provided include:
- Venepuncture and other diagnostic investigations.
- Post-operative wound care and dressing management.
- Assessment and management of traumatic wounds and minor injuries.
- Leg ulcer assessment, treatment and ongoing management.
- Administration of vaccinations and immunisations.
- Administration of prescribed injectable medications.
- Removal of sutures and clips.
- Assistance with minor surgical procedures undertaken within GP practices.
- Monitoring and management of service users with long-term conditions where appropriate.
- Clinical observations and health assessments.
- Emergency response and immediate nursing support for service users presenting to GP practices with acute symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, allergic reactions or other urgent healthcare needs.
Treatment room nurses work collaboratively with GPs, health care assistants, community nursing teams, hospital services and other multidisciplinary colleagues to ensure service users receive safe, effective and person-centred care. The service plays a vital role in supporting early intervention, promoting recovery, preventing complications and improving service user outcomes within the community.
All Northern Trust treatment rooms operate an appointment-based system, enabling planned and efficient delivery of care. Booking arrangements may vary between GP practices. Service users are therefore advised to contact their GP surgery directly for information on referral pathways, appointment availability and local service provision.
The Treatment Room Service remains an integral component of primary care, delivering high-quality nursing care within local communities and supporting the wider health and social care system.