Talking General Practice

Emma talks to GPs Dr Beckie Akroyd and Dr Catherine Bell about neurodiversity in the medical profession and what general practice can do to better support doctors and other staff who are neurodivergent.Beckie is the GP Lead for Autistic Doctors International, a support and advocacy organisation, and until recently Catherine was an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Fellow for Derbyshire’s GP Task Force focusing on supporting neurodivergent staff working in general practice.Beckie and Catherine talk about their own experiences of being neurodivergent, the challenges neurodivergent doctors can face, including stigma, and why it is important that we frame neurodiversity positively and focus on what people can do rather than what they can’t.Beckie and Catherine also have lots of practical tips for practices on how they can support neurodivergent staff and advice for anyone listening who may be neurodivergent about how to approach conversations with your employer and places to get additional support.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful linksAutistic Doctors InternationalAccess to Work supportSociety of Occupational Medicine: Evaluating and supporting neurodifferences at workCatherine’s article on neurodiversity in the general practice workforce - available for RCGP membersAcas - Neurodiversity at workBeckie and Catherine’s full Linktree with links to all the resources they recommended during their talk at the RCGP conference.

Emma and Nick look at the current state of the GP workforce and changes over the past year. We’ve just undertaken a major update of GPonline’s GP Workforce Tracker, which we launched a year ago, and Nick talks through some of the key findings from that work.They talk about the uplift to the minimum wage that is due to happen in April and what this will mean for practice, and discuss GP premises, in particular some of the problems relating to funding reaching practices when there are housing developments in their area.And, following the recent cabinet reshuffle, they look at the arrival of a new secretary of state at the Department of Health and Social Care and what this could mean in the months ahead.Our good news story is about NHS England’s pledge to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and deputy editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful linksGPonline’s GP Workforce TrackerWhere in England are patients per GP rising fastest?GPs fear practice closures as minimum wage hike threatens major rise in costsChancellor to investigate delays in GP premises funding from housing developmentWho is new health and social care secretary Victoria Atkins?NHS England sets target to eliminate cervical cancer

Emma speaks to Dr Sarah Taylor and Dr Rebecca Leon, who are GPs with a special interest in cancer, about early cancer diagnosis.Both Sarah and Rebecca have portfolio careers and one of their roles is as GP leads at GatewayC, an organisation backed by the NHS in England and Wales and leading cancer charities that is aiming to boost early cancer diagnosis. As part of this work they host the GPs Talk Cancer podcast.In this conversation Sarah and Rebecca explain how the pandemic and the current backlog of care have impacted on cancer diagnosis and treatment, whether the NHS can hit ambitious targets on early cancer diagnosis, and what recent changes to national targets mean.We also talk about inequalities in early cancer diagnosis, new tests to detect cancer early, and the importance of screening. Rebecca and Sarah also have some practical advice based on their own experiences and conversations with experts that can help GPs ensure they don’t miss a cancer diagnosis.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful links●     GatewayC●     GPs Talk Cancer podcast●     The NHS Galleri trial

This week on the podcast Emma and Nick talk about physician associates after the BMA GP committee in England voted in favour of a strongly worded motion that called for an immediate freeze on recruiting these roles in general practice. They also look at plans for regulating PAs by the GMC, which is also causing concern in the medical profession.They also discuss the RCGP’s new definition of what a GP is, and they look ahead to the England local medical committee conference at the end of this month and some of the motions relating to the GP contract that are up for debate.Our good news story this week is about prescribing of DOACs in primary care and the impact this has had on stroke prevention.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and deputy editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful links                                               BMA demands halt to 'increasing trend' of PAs substituting GPs​​Doctors warn GMC plans to regulate physician associates are 'unsafe'Supervising physician associates – what GPs need to know - advice from the MDUGPs are 'consultants in general practice', says RCGPGP prescribing shift has stopped thousands of strokes, says NHS chief

Emma and Nick reflect on last week’s RCGP annual conference, in particular the details of the college’s manifesto to save general practice and the Labour party’s reaction to it.They look ahead to what might happen to the GP contract in England as we come towards the end of the current five-year deal, as well as discuss pay rises for practice nurses and the collapse of contract talks in Wales. And they look at online access to patient records, a contractual requirement in England that comes into effect next week, and some of the concerns around this.Our good news story this week is about patient satisfaction with access to general practice.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and deputy editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful linksRead all the news from the RCGP conference hereGeneral practice could see 'new contract for a generation' from 2028ARRS model should be 'turned on its head', says BMA GP leaderUnions warn not all GP practices can afford 6% staff pay riseGeneral practice in Wales 'at risk of collapse' after contract talks break downRemote access to GP records risks domestic abuse survivors' safety, BMA warns

Talking General Practice speaks to RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne ahead of the college’s annual conference in Glasgow this week.In this conversation Professor Hawthorne explains what needs to be done to help tackle spiralling workload in general practice, how we can retain more GPs in the workforce and what changes could happen in the short term to help turn the current situation in general practice around.She also talks about how the college hopes to influence political parties in the run up to the next general election, whether the RCGP’s new exam will help tackle differential attainment and why, despite all of the current challenges, general practice is still a great place to work.GPonline at the RCGP annual conferenceThe college will be launching a manifesto for general practice at its conference and you will be able to read more about this on GPonline on Thursday morning.GPonline is delighted to once again be the college’s media partner for the RCGP annual conference, which takes place on 19 and 20 October. We’ll be in Glasgow reporting all the news from the conference - visit www.gponline.com/rcgpThis episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful links●     GPs seeing cases of malnutrition and rickets as cost-of-living crisis hits patient health●     No extra funding for general practice as government unveils £200m winter support●     An introduction to the simulated consultation assessment (SCA)

Emma and Nick look at the New to Partnership Scheme – a three-year initiative that aimed to boost the number of partners in England – and ask, has it actually worked?They discuss what’s going on with funding for general practice across the UK and what the uplifts agreed for 2023/24 mean for practices. And they talk about the latest appointment data for general practice in England and what it tells us about the pressure practices are under as we head towards winter.This week’s good news story is about flu vaccination.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and deputy editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful links●     Golden hello scheme brings in almost 3,000 new GP partners●     What impact have 'golden hello' payments had on GP partnerships?●     Cashflow warning as 6% uplift money delayed until November●     Northern Ireland GP funding slashed despite 'absolute crisis'●     'Disappointing' uplift falls short of 6% pay rise promised to GPs in Scotland●     Dispensing practices face cashflow crisis as 'yo-yoing' fees fall sharply●     GP practices delivering 150,000 extra appointments per day compared with 2019●     Flu vaccination prevented 25,000 hospitalisations last year

Talking General Practice speaks to Professor Deborah Christie, professor of paediatric and adolescent psychology and consultant clinical psychologist at University College Hospital London, about stigma in diabetes.Deborah has published over 200 peer reviewed papers and chapters and a bestselling book called Psychosocial Aspects of Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Families.She’s also involved with global healthcare company Abbott’s Let’s Change Perspective campaign, which is aiming to confront unconscious bias and reduce stigma around diabetes.In this conversation Deborah explains what diabetes stigma is and the impact it can have on patients, the role healthcare professionals in primary care can play in reducing stigma and how GPs can effectively communicate with patients to help improve outcomes.Along with insights from her own experience she also has lots of practical advice for GPs and other healthcare professionals on how they can best support their patients.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Professor Deborah Christie received a fee for this podcast. Views are her own and not necessarily those of Abbott. About AbbottAbbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. They have a portfolio of life-changing technologies spanning the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines.Useful links●     Let’s Change Perspective●     Diabetes UK●     JDRFThe following are links to social media accounts Deborah mentioned during this interview:●     Diabetic Health Coach on Instagram●     Heather Jackson on Instagram●     Diabetic Dad UK on X (formerly Twitter)ADC-81740 (v1.0) 09/2023ADC-81741 (v1.0) 09/2023