Talking General Practice

This week Emma speaks to GP and co-chair of the Society of Academic Primary Care Dr Duncan Shrewsbuy about the role academia has to play in primary care – both in terms of teaching and research.Duncan explains why we need more research in primary care, how practices can get more in research or start smaller-scale research projects in their own practice, as well as some of the issues around sharing data from the GP patient record for large-scale research projects.They also explain how changes to the way undergraduates are taught is starting to shift the perception of general practice among medical students and other branches of medicine and offer advice to GPs on how to develop a career in research or teaching.Useful linksSociety for Academic Primary CareRCGP Research Ready informationMore information on CPRD - Clinical Practice Research DatalinkRCGP sets out steps to achieve 'parity of esteem' for general practiceMore than half of GP practices in England took part in clinical research last year

This week Emma and Nick discuss the additional uplift to the GP contract for 2024/25, how it is being applied and what it means for GP practices, GP pay and staff salaries.They also talk about the government’s emergency intervention that will see £82m added to the additional roles reimbursement scheme this year so that primary care networks can employ newly qualified GPs and what we know about how that will work.And they look at this year’s GMC State of Medical Education and Practice report and what it tells us about how GPs feel about their job and the number of hours they work, as well as a new study in the British Journal of General Practice that says we need to move away from using ‘sessions’ as a way to define how many hours GPs work.Our good news story this week is about very low calorie diets and diabetes remission.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and deputy editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful linksGlobal sum to rise 7.4% in 2024/25 as final detail of GP contract revealedContract uplift won't deliver promised 6% pay rise for GP partners, accountant warnsBMA warns GPs 'now is not the time to waver' over collective actionNew GP model pilots could trap practices in PCN DES, says BMAGP ARRS plan to start from October, NHS officials confirmGP 'soup and shake' referrals put type 2 diabetes in remission for one in three patients

This week Emma speaks to Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, chair of the BMA England GP committee, about collective action by GPs, what it means for practices and what the BMA is hoping it will achieve.In this conversation Katie explains why she believes collective action is necessary to achieve a better deal for general practice, what action will involve and how the profession can keep patients on side while it takes this step.She also explains how the BMA’s safe working guidance can help practices and even improve things for patients, the key changes that she believes are necessary in both the shorter and longer term to ensure a sustainable future for general practice and her view on the new government’s approach.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful linksBMA advice on collective actionBMA GPs are on your side patient facing campaignWhat does collective action mean for GP practices?Why GPs are ready to press ahead with collective actionContract uplift and £82m ARRS plan 'first steps' to sustainable general practice, Streeting tells GPs

This week Emma speaks to Dr Adrian Hayter, the Royal College of GPs medical director of clinical policy and a GP in Windsor, about the college’s new clinical priority - preventive medicine.In this conversation Adrian explains why the college has chosen to focus on prevention, some of the work it will be doing on this issue and the role general practice has to play in preventing ill health.He also talks about how addressing health inequalities feeds into this work, the resources the college hopes to produce to support GPs in practice and his previous role as NHS England’s national clinical director for older people and personalised care - and what this involved during the pandemic.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen. 

This week the GPonline team discusses the BMA’s vision for how to rebuild general practice in England, what both the BMA and the RCGP want from the new government and how the BMA’s ballot on collective action – which closes on Monday – plays into all of this.They also talk about what happens next for physician associates in general practice after a new poll shows public confusion of the role and the RCGP called for a halt to recruitment of PAs in general practice last month.Our good news story this week is about a GP who was awarded the contract to run her practice after a three-and-a-half year battle.This episode was presented by GPonlne editor Emma Bower, deputy editor Nick Bostock and senior reporter Kimberley Hackett. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful linksBMA vision to rebuild general practiceGP leaders unveil blueprint to 'fix general practice' and end unemployment crisisICBs told to prepare for knock-on impact of GP collective actionOnly half of patients know the difference between doctors and physician associatesRCGP demands halt to recruitment of physician associates amid safety fears

Dr Emma Ryan, a GP in South East London and the Royal College of GPs clinical champion for gambling harms, explains the role general practice can play in tackling problem gambling and gambling harms.In this conversation Emma talks about the impact problem gambling can have on individuals and their families, recommendations from NICE’s new guidance on gambling harms and why GPs should ask patients about their gambling habits.She also talks about the support available for patients, a new educational resource on gambling that she’s developed for the RCGP, and what support practices themselves can provide to patients.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful links●     RCGP Gambling Harms Hub●     Why GPs should be on the front line of the fight against gambling harm●     GPs should routinely ask patients about gambling, says draft NICE guidance●     NICE’s draft guidance on harmful gambling