Care coordinators may be the first point of contact for some patients. They are primarilyresponsible for arranging and supervising interdisciplinary and individual patient care. Theywork across a number of fields, and in some cases may focus on a specific group of patients,
such as a particular age group, or those with particular health problems.

Within primary care, the role will often be based across multiple practices within a Primary CareNetwork. An integral part of the multi-disciplinary team, a care coordinator will work closelywith the patient to initially assess their needs, in order to develop and deliver personalised andoften complex care plans. As well as connecting the patient with the right people within thepractice, they may also help with bringing together different specialists and community serviceproviders to ensure the care delivered is appropriate and effective.

What can care coordinators help with?

A care coordinator is a trained health professional that helps to manage a patient’s care, forexample, the elderly or disabled. They monitor and coordinate patients’ treatment plans,
educate them about their condition, connect them with healthcare providers, and evaluatetheir progress. Some of the work care coordinators might do includes:

consulting with patients and family members to discuss health problems
educating patients about their condition, medication, and give them specific instructions
developing a care plan to address a patient’s personal healthcare needs
consulting and collaborating with other health care providers and specialists to set up patientappointments and treatment plans
checking in with the patient regularly to evaluate and document their progress
evaluating interventions and care plans with the care team, including identifying areas wherefurther care may be required
supporting patients on an ongoing basis to manage their own needs where possible
promoting and encouraging patient awareness, skills and confidence to help them maintainand make decisions about their own health and wellbeing
supporting patients with personal health budgets