We have a small practice here of two doctors, 4,100 patients. And even before the Health Care Homes had started, we had been working as a team.

Some patients are hesitant because they're so clingy to me.

"What if I want to see you?"

I say, "I'm here all the time."

I always tell the patient the team is there for her but I'm always there for them as well if they need to see me.

If you just want a script, you can just ring up or come and pick it up and tell the receptionist or the nurse.

So for those things that are not urgent, then the nurses or the pharmacist or the receptionist can help them.

With the Health Care Homes, the roles of the nurses and the receptionists have expanded.

A lot of my work is being done by the other staff in the practice.

And it works very well.

I felt that being involved in Health Care Home, I am now becoming more independent as a nurse, patients are more trusting me, it pushes me to be a better nurse, to research more.

Usually when they come in, the receptionist already knows who are the Health Care Homes.

And say, "Oh, you're a Health Care Home patient?

How can I help you?"

The patient doesn't have to queue for a long time just to get a script or do a blood test.

I think that's a main benefit in this area and they also get the added benefit of being followed up by phone or they can talk to me over the phone without coming here.

The nurses and the pharmacists usually ring the patient

once a month to ask them, "Do you need anything, do you want a script, or are you due for a blood test?"

And also, "How come you haven't done your specialist review or anything?"

So, if the patient is used to the team approach, it's so easy to enroll them.